Ellena Savage on her debut novel 'The Ruiners' and balancing humour with heavy themes
Ellena Savage discusses her debut novel 'The Ruiners', published by Simon & Schuster AU. The novel took four years to write and explores inheritance, legacy, waste crime, and microplastics, infused with kitsch and camp. Savage, known for her 2020 essay collection 'Blueberries', describes the shift from nonfiction to fiction as freeing yet challenging. She wrote the novel while on vacation, starting with the voice of protagonist Pip. Savage addresses second-book pressure and her process of rewriting. Her next novel is set in New York City, with a future project planned between the UK and The Hague.
Key facts
- Ellena Savage's debut novel 'The Ruiners' is published by Simon & Schuster AU.
- The novel took four years to write.
- It explores inheritance, legacy, waste crime, and microplastics.
- Savage infused the novel with kitsch and camp.
- Her previous work is the 2020 essay collection 'Blueberries'.
- She started writing 'The Ruiners' while on vacation with her ex.
- The protagonist is named Pip.
- Her next novel is set in New York City.
Entities
Artists
- Ellena Savage
Institutions
- Simon & Schuster AU
- Sceptre Books
Locations
- Melbourne
- Naarm
- Portugal
- Greece
- New York City
- UK
- The Hague