For fans of Julia Baird's Phosphorescence, Sarah Wilson's This One Wild and Precious Life or Leigh Sales' Any Ordinary Day comes an unforgettable and poignant exploration of the healing power of nature.

After her younger sister died suddenly, broadcaster Indira Naidoo's world was shattered. Turning to her urban landscape for solace, Naidoo found herself drawn to a fig tree overlooking Sydney harbour. A connection began to build between the two—one with a fractured heart, the other a centurion offering quiet companionship while asking nothing in return.

As Naidoo grappled with her heartbreak, an unnoticed universe of infinite beauty revealed itself: pale vanilla clouds pirouetting across the sky, resilient weeds pushing through cracks in the footpath, the magical biodiversity of tiny puddles. With the help of a posse of urban guides, she began to explore how nature—whatever bits of nature are within reach—can heal us during life's darker chapters, whether nursing a broken heart or an anxious mind.

The Space Between the Stars is a heart-rending, at times funny and uplifting tribute to love and our innate need to connect to the natural world, a celebration of the reassuring cycle of renewal that sustains and nourishes us all.

2023, ABIA Awards, Short-listed