by Meg Mundell

The Trespassers (2019), a novel by the Australian–New Zealand author Meg Mundell, explores notions of belonging, migration, and survival in a pandemic world. The novel, set in a near-future Britain devastated by economic crisis and recurring viral outbreaks, follows the passengers aboard an immigrant ship travelling from the United Kingdom and Ireland to Australia. The Australian continent is idealised as a place where the refugees can find hope, stability, and solace from ecological collapse.

After the breakout of a mysterious virus during the voyage, The Trespassers becomes a narrative of isolation, fear, and resilience. As the passengers face quarantine and detention, the novel stimulates a meditation about what identity and belonging mean in a world marked by social and environmental disruption.

Through the interconnected voices of Cleary – a young deaf Irish boy travelling with his mother –, Billie – a Scottish nurse with a passion for singing –, and Tom, a British schoolteacher, Mundell creates a story that examines viral contagion and human migration, both driven by the fundamental impulse to survive. Ultimately, The Trespassers reveals itself as a tale of hope, demonstrating how community and acts of care can open pathways to positive change even in the darkest times.