Discipline (novel)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
_(Book_Cover).jpeg) | |
| Author | Randa Abdel-Fattah |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | University of Queensland Press |
Publication date | 2 September 2025 |
| Publication place | Australia |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 256 |
| ISBN | 9780702271014 |
Discipline is a 2025 novel by Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah. The book and author have come to public attention after the author's invitation to the 2026 Adelaide Writers' Week was rescinded, and most of the participants boycotted the event, leading to its cancellation.
The novel is set in Sydney, during the Israel-Gaza War. The story centres around two main characters after a student at a local Islamic school is arrested and charged with terrorism offences for staging a protest against an Israeli arms manufacturer. Hannah is a young journalist investigating the story. Ashraf is an academic. Ashraf's ex-wife, Mya, has become a devout Muslim and moved to Yemen, taking their two teenage daughters, with a new husband.[1] Hannah's husband, Jamal, is a PhD student, whose supervisor is Ashraf. Hannah and Jamal have a baby daughter, and are worried about loved ones in Gaza.[2]
Characters
- Hannah, a young newspaper journalist
- Ashraf, an Egyptian Australian academic
- Jamal, Hannah's husband
Publication history
Discipline was published by University of Queensland Press on 2 September 2025.[3] In her acceptance speech for the 2026 People's Choice Prize in the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards on 25 February 2026, Abdel-Fattah thanked her "visionary publisher" Aviva Tuffield at UQP, saying that she had faced pressure to not publish the book.[4]
Critical reception
The Sydney Morning Herald called Discipline "A bold exploration of media censorship around the Israel-Palestine conflict", and praises its writing as "an engaging story: well-woven, gripping and insightful".[5] The book has received generally good reviews.[6][7]
Awards
Discipline was Highly Commended in the 2026 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Prize for Fiction.[3]
On 25 February 2026, the book won the People's Choice in the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards, which includes a $2000 cash prize money from the Wheeler Centre.[4]