The Animals in That Country giveaway

The Animals in That Country is a 2020 novel by Laura Jean McKay. Speculative fiction in nature, the novel looks at the effects of a pandemic where a virus enables humans to communicate with animals and insects.

The novel has received considerable attention for its unsettling pulling apart of what happens during this pandemic. The Guardian has described the book as an “extraordinary debut” and “a fierce and funny exploration of other consciousnesses and the limits of language.”

We’re giving away two copies of this book to the alumni whānau. To go into the draw, please email us by Sunday July 2 at 11.59pm with your name and address. This offer is limited to readers of our newsletter with New Zealand addresses. 

About the author

Laura Jean McKay is an Australian author and adjunct creative writing lecturer at Massey, now based in Brisbane. Laura grew up on a horse farm in Victoria, Australia. She worked in international aid organizations in Cambodia after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Her notable first book, ‘Holiday in Cambodia’ was written while completing an MA in creative writing at the University of Melbourne. The stories examine the effects of ex-pat life and foreign influence on Cambodian people. She completed a PhD at the University of Melbourne, where she wrote ‘The Animals in That Country.’ Laura was a lecturer in Creative Writing at Massey from 2019–2021.