Juice (novel)
A 2024 climate fiction novel set in a devastated future Australia.
Juice is a 2024 climate fiction novel by Australian author Tim Winton. Set in a future Australia ravaged by climate change and capitalist greed, it is narrated by an unnamed protagonist.
The narrator describes his childhood and survival on the plains after being taken captive by a figure known only as the bowman. Raised by a mysterious single mother, he moves from a simple farming life on the scorched land—where half the year is spent living underground—to being recruited by a secret group that trains elite assassins. His story balances his love for his close-knit community with a desire to be part of something bigger. As a *Guardian* review notes, his double life as a farmer and an agent of revenge eventually becomes unsustainable.
The novel is Winton’s first in six years and marks a shift into science fiction, his first in that genre. It was shortlisted for the 2025 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Fiction and longlisted for the 2025 Miles Franklin Literary Award, though it did not make the shortlist. In July 2026, Working Title Films bought the film rights, with Joe Wright attached to direct and Abi Morgan to write the screenplay.
- Author
- Tim Winton
- Published
- 2024
- Genre
- Climate fiction, science fiction
- Nationality
- Australian
- Setting
- Future Australia devastated by climate change and capitalist exploitation
- Narrator
- Unnamed
- Awards
- Shortlisted for 2025 Prime Minister's Literary Award for Fiction; longlisted for 2025 Miles Franklin Literary Award
Lore & Background
The novel's unnamed narrator describes his evolution from a simple agrarian life on sweltering land—requiring half the year in underground habitation—to recruitment by a shadowy organization that trains highly skilled assassins. Raised by his enigmatic single mother, the narrator balances his love for his everyday community with a desire to participate in something larger. As The Guardian book review notes, 'The protagonist's double life as a plainsman and agent of vengeance soon became unsustainable.'
Reader's Guide
Juice marks Tim Winton's first foray into science fiction, a departure from his previous work, and is his first novel in six years. The novel was shortlisted for the 2025 Prime Minister's Literary Award for Fiction and longlisted for the 2025 Miles Franklin Literary Award, though it did not make the shortlist. In July 2026, Working Title Films purchased the film rights and hired Joe Wright to direct and Abi Morgan to write the screenplay. The novel's significance lies in its exploration of climate change and capitalist exploitation through a speculative Australian future, contributing to the climate fiction genre.
Did You Know?
- Juice is Tim Winton's first novel in six years and his first science fiction work.
- Film rights were purchased by Working Title Films in July 2026, with Joe Wright attached to direct.
- The narrator remains unnamed throughout the novel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Juice and when was it published?
Tim Winton, the well-known Australian novelist, authored Juice. It was released in 2024 and sits at the intersection of climate fiction and science fiction.
What is Juice about?
The novel traces an unnamed boy's journey from a harsh, scorched farming life to being drafted into a clandestine organisation that specialises in training deadly operatives. His loyalties are torn between the tight-knit community that raised him and the violent purpose he is being groomed for.
Who is the narrator in Juice?
The story is told in first person by a character who is never given a name. He recounts being seized as a child by a mysterious figure called only the bowman and then brought up by a lone mother whose past stays largely enigmatic.
What is the setting of Juice?
The action unfolds in a future Australia where extreme climate damage has turned much of the landscape into a scorched wasteland. Roughly six months of every year are endured below ground, and the backdrop is further shaped by the stranglehold of corporate exploitation.
What themes does Juice explore?
At its core the novel interrogates how communities survive and resist when ecological collapse and unchecked capitalism converge. It also weighs the cost of violence and the pull of belonging against the demands of a covert, lethal purpose.
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