Overview

Six teenagers. An empty shopping centre. No Wi-Fi. And … a baby? Acclaimed author Tegan Bennett Daylight’s first novel for young adults reconceives Lord of the Flies for Gen Z. Sydney Morning Herald Best Reads of the Year for 2023 The Guardian Best Australian Children’s Books of 2023 A group of teenagers alone in an empty shopping centre, with everything they could possibly want ... and a baby? With no phones, no internet and no way out, Shannon and five other trapped teens are completely disconnected from the outside world ... and their online lives. It’s hard to say whether they’ll be driven to delinquency, or – even worse – forced to make friends irl. Will the limitless bubble tea, Maccas and new sneakers be enough to keep the six teens satisfied until they can find a way out, or is this the start of something much more sinister? In Royals, her new novel for young people, acclaimed author Tegan Bennett Daylight upends Lord of the Flies to find out what really happens when there are no adults in the room. Praise for Royals  ‘A real page-turner of a book, full of vivid characters, intrigue and genuine warmth. The setting is so realistically unsettling, and the teenagers so likeable, that I was hooked from the beginning.’ Alice Pung, author of One Hundred Days and Laurinda ‘If Stephen King did The Breakfast Club it might turn out a bit like Royals ... A page-turning romp with a serious message at its core’ Kate Emery, author of The Not-So-Chosen One ‘This glorious fever dream of a novel explores the limits of consumerism alongside the possibilities of human connection, all the while keeping readers on the edge of their seats.’ Erin Gough, author of Amelia Westlake Was Never Here

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9781761109447

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‘Returning to the beauty of friendships before Messenger, Snapchat and Instagram, the novel shows how an unlikely group of individuals can transform into a group of tight-knit friends. Think of this as a modern Australian take on Lord of the Flies and The Breakfast Club.’  * <I><B>Readings</B></I> * ‘Essentially a survival story, the book is reminiscent of Brendan Ritchie’s Carousel, but more a reimagining of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Instead of conflict and power, Royals provides an optimistic alternative in which trust and acceptance are the genuine foundations to living together harmoniously.’  * <I><B>Books + Publishing</B></I> * ‘A real page-turner of a book, full of vivid characters, intrigue and genuine warmth. The setting is so realistically unsettling, and the teenagers so likeable, that I was hooked from the beginning.’ -- <B>Alice Pung, author of <I>One Hundred Days</I> and <I>Laurinda</I></B> ‘If Stephen King did The Breakfast Club it might turn out a bit like Royals. The creepily atmospheric premise sucks you in, but you’ll stick around for the lovable group of Aussie teenagers. A page-turning romp with a serious message at its core that absolutely should not be started unless you’re prepared to stay up all night finding out what happens next!’ -- <B>Kate Emery, author of <I>The Not-So-Chosen One</I></B> 'This glorious fever dream of a novel with its cast of diverse characters who we grow to love, explores the limits of consumerism alongside the possibilities of human connection, all the while keeping readers on the edge of their seats.’ -- <B>Erin Gough, author of <I>Amelia Westlake Was Never Here</I></B>

Author Information

Tegan Bennett Daylight is a writer, teacher and critic. Her books include the Stella Award shortlisted Six Bedrooms and the novels Safety and Bombora.  She lives in the Blue Mountains with her husband and two children.

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