Soupdoll by Lou Mason is a literary work written in the voice of a child. Set in Australia, at a time when modernism was greeted with hostility, the young writer is an emerging artist whose future work is bound to spark controversy and receive harsh criticism. Will she isolate herself from society or be controlled by it? Despite emigre artists making their mark on the Australian art scene with their different traditions, values and experience, modernism was still despised by purists. If you dared challenge convention in the 1960s and 70s, Australia was not the best place to be. It was monopolised by a self-conscious and surly society that questioned anything perceived to be contemporary art, and many claim such anti-intellectualism persists to this day. More like the painting of a picture than a verdict, Soupdoll follows the development of a young artist. It captures her imagination, spirit, and her very essence. Candid, revealing, and laced with humour, it is a fascinating read."