Jordan Prosser’s second novel, Blue Giant, centres on Abby Horne, a thirtysomething woman in Melbourne’s inner-north who believes she has what it takes to survive on Mars. When tech billionaire Tor Skovgaard launches MarsNow, a mission to establish a “new chapter in the history of human civilisation”, Abby sees it as her chance to escape a chaotic life sustained by delusions, cheap wine, and the support of her best friend Niki.
Abby Horne’s Struggle for Survival
Abby is described as “probably suicidal, probably an alcoholic, probably in the throes of a serious mental health episode”. She ignores traumatic flashbacks to a bushfire escape during a family holiday and avoids Niki’s gentle prompts to see her therapist. To apply for MarsNow, she must submit a video of no longer than five minutes explaining why she is the best candidate. She resolves to find a gimmick, “something I can do that no one else can”, and begins a training program involving holding her breath and solving puzzles at the bottom of Fitzroy pool.
Prosser’s novel unfolds in the polycrisis of the 2020s, with tech billionaires resembling real-world figures. Abby expresses a deep disdain for the era, stating “there was nothing left to discover and very little left to solve”. According to the review, Blue Giant is a contemporary picaresque novel packed with plot points, twists, and extravagant set pieces, including a road trip along the Hume Highway, a school reunion, the 2025 Los Angeles fires, prison, and Antarctica.
Satire, Action, and Emotional Depth
The MarsNow plotline culminates in an action-movie sequence with SWAT teams, during which Abby becomes a celebrity, her face broadcast on screens worldwide and fans dressing like her. The novel shifts from satire to action movie to fairytale to quiet morality tale. However, the review notes that Blue Giant is not really about MarsNow but about Abby’s struggle to break free from denial and delusion. While Abby believes she might make it to Mars, no other character shares that belief.
Despite her lies, selfishness, and chaos, Abby is described as a “fabulous central character”, as funny and creative as she is obnoxious. Niki and Oscar, Abby’s new friend who also aims for Mars, recognise the life force that surges through her. Oscar explains that blue giants are “live fast, die young” stars that burn hot and then “explode into supernovas and create new black holes”. The review highlights a deep current of melancholy running through the novel, with Abby’s struggles to find a reason to live being both hilarious and poignant.
Narrative Style and Climate Themes
Prosser’s narrative style mirrors the jolting affective distortions of following the climate catastrophe on phones, with extinction scenarios interleaved with celebrity culture and banal frippery. The novel’s zany swings and shifts in emotional register can feel nauseating at times, but they reflect the chaotic experience of the 2020s. Blue Giant deals with climate terror and suicidality through constipation gags and burlesque comedy, making for an unruly novel where “the map matches the territory”.
The review concludes that Abby’s frantic efforts to cope with the shitshows of 21st-century life are a survival strategy. She burns hot and flames out, but ultimately, no gimmicks are required. Gravity prevails, and she must adapt and make a home for herself, along with the rest of us, on the planet she actually inhabits. Blue Giant by Jordan Prosser is published by UQP at $34.99.
