160,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ 

Late Night Thursday! Our Hobsonville Bookstore is open until 9pm tonight! ✨

Pulse Points

Stories
4.15 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 445 ratings, 73 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Pulse Points by Jennifer Down is a collection of heartfelt stories that explore the lives of individuals seeking connection and meaning in diverse circumstances. The narratives delve into themes of intimacy, loneliness, and human vulnerability, offering poignant and immersive glimpses into ordinary yet profound moments. Through richly developed characters, the book captures the intricate tapestry of human emotions and experiences.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$3400
Elsewhere:
$3700
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This collection of short stories might appeal to you if you enjoy exploring profound themes through intimate and vivid character narratives. The author delves into the complexities of human relationships with emotional depth and sharp insight, making it a captivating read for those who appreciate finely crafted storytelling and nuanced emotions in general fiction.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Jennifer Down's collection comprises a diverse range of colourful stories that take the reader from the USA to Japan and back to Melbourne.

* Invitations to major Australian writers festivals * Interviews on local radio e.g. 3RRR, 3CR * Extract from one of the stories to run in a literary publication * Interviews on podcasts, e.g. The Garret, The Ladies Podcast * Wide-ranging review coverage in major Australian and NZ newspapers, e.g. NZ Herald, and general publications e.g. Big Issue * Review coverage in literary press e.g. Lifted Brow, Kill Your Darlings, Overland * Wide review coverage on blogs * Early reading copies to be available to the trade and at bookseller conferences * Advertisements in literary and current affairs publications such as ABR, Lifted Brow, Monthly, Big Issue and on their associated websites * Display advertising on literary websites such as Kill Your Darlings and via author networks such as the Emerging Writers' Festival * Google network display advertising targeting Australian readers on international literary, news and current affair websites such as New Yorker, Huffington Post, Book Riot * Giveaways with targeted subscriber groups including author networks such as Writers Victoria, NSW Writer's Centre and Tasmanian Writer's Centre * Major social media campaign including targeted FB, Instagram and Goodreads advertising * One standout story from the collection circulated via social media and featured on Text and bookseller websites (targeting a younger demographic) * Banner advertising on bookseller websites * Budget for advertising in bookseller newsletters and catalogues * Point-of-sale materials such as bookmarks to be available to the trade

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The characters in Jennifer Down's Pulse Points live in small dusty towns, glittering exotic cities, and slow droll suburbs; they are mourners, survivors, and perpetrators.

In the award-winning "Aokigahara," a young woman travels to the sea of trees in Japan to say goodbye. In "Coarsegold," a woman conducts an illicit affair while her recovering girlfriend works the overnight motel shift in the middle of nowhere.

In "Dogs," Foggo runs an unruly gang of bored, cruel boys with a scent for fresh meat. In "Pressure Okay," a middle-aged man goes to the theatre, gets a massage, remembers his departed wife, and navigates the long game of grief with his adult daughter.

Jennifer Down, whose first novel, Our Magic Hour, was commended in the 2017 Victorian Premier's Literary Award, is a masterful stylist whose sharp eye has been compared to that of Helen Garner.

Pulse Points is a gutting collection that showcases her singular voice and reminds us once more that this is a writer of great talent.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Pulse Points by Jennifer Down is highly regarded for its emotional depth and insightful storytelling. Critics praise Down's ability to capture both the tumult and wonder of youth, commending her perceptive depiction of grief and emotional complexity. The book is lauded for its precise and beautiful prose, with stories that resonate with clarity and intensity. Down's work is consistently celebrated for its narrative sophistication and emotional impact.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781925355970

Publisher: Text Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 31 July 2017

Country: Australia

Imprint: The Text Publishing Company

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 224

About the Author

Jennifer Down was born in 1990. Our Magic Hour was highly commended in the Victorian Premier's Literary Award. Her writing has appeared in the Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday Paper, Australian Book Review, Kill Your Darlings, Lifted Brow, Best Australian Stories and Blue Mesa Review. jenniferdown.com

Also by Jennifer Down

View all
  • Bodies of Light
    Jennifer Down cements her status as a leading light of Australian literary fiction in this heart-rending and intimate saga of one woman's turbulent life. So by the grace of a photograph that had inexplicably gone viral, Tony had found me. Orβ€”he'd found Maggie. I had no way of knowing whether he was nuts or not; whether he might go to...
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Reaching Tin River
    A woman becomes obsessed with the story of a long-dead colonial pioneer, and her research becomes a way of coming to terms with her own past. Researching in the archives, Belle discovers the long-dead Gaden Lockyer, a colonial pioneer in Jericho Flats, and soon becomes obsessed. Belle's quest for Lockyer is her way of coming to terms with the pastβ€”her...
    Paperback
    $1799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Our Magic Hour
    Evocative and exquisitely written, Our Magic Hour is a story of love, loss, and discovery. Jennifer Down's remarkable debut novel captures that moment when being young and invincible gives way to being open and vulnerable, when one terrible act changes a life forever.
    Paperback
    $3400
    Elsewhere:
    $3700
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Bodies of Light
    So by the grace of a photograph that had inexplicably gone viral, Tony had found me. Or: he’d found Maggie. I had no way of knowing whether he was nuts or not; whether he might go to the cops. Maybe that sounds paranoid, but I don’t think it’s so ridiculous. People have gone to prison for much lesser things than...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

More from General Fiction

View all
  • Yesteryear
    A BOLD AND BITING SATIRE. WILL HAVE YOU GASPING TO THE FINAL PAGE β€” Nita Prose WICKEDLY FUNNY, BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND FRIGHTENINGLY PERCEPTIVE β€” Abigail Dean INVENTIVE, ADDICTIVE, A WILD RIDE β€” Ashley Audrain SHOT THROUGH WITH HUMOUR AND LACED WITH DARKNESS β€” Clare Mackintosh The Stepford Wives meets The Handmaid's Tale β€” Hannah Deitch My name was Natalie Heller...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3699
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Theo of Golden
    THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON'For anything to be truly good, there must be love in it. Nothing is what it's supposed to be if love is not at the core.' One morning, a stranger arrives in the town of Golden. No one knows who he is or where he came from…His name is Theo and he's arrived there by chance –...
    Paperback
    $2899
    Elsewhere:
    $3499
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Wedding People
    'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people β€” but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    A Court of Splintered Harmony
    Romance, danger, and intrigue await you in the breathtaking sixth book in the #1 bestselling Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series.What was broken will be remade.Deep in the heart of the continent, Koschei the Deathless is stirring. Though he's been bound to a mountain lake for millennia, the insidious threat of his return now spreads across the Fae territories,...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3699
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Threshing Day
    The next book in the blockbuster Empyrean series, Threshing DayΒ contains thirteen stories starring your favorite characters and their dragons. The deluxe first edition includes sixteen beautiful original full-color illustrations by artist Joe Requeza.Β  Β  Rebecca Yarros is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over twenty novels, including Fourth Wing and In the...
    Hardback
    $6999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses Paperback Box Set (5 books)
    All five of the Court of Thorns and Roses paperbacks packaged together in a gorgeous box set. "Passionate, violent, sexy and daring." β€”USA TODAY on A Court of Thorns and Roses Feyre is a huntress. The skin of a wolf would bring enough gold to feed her sisters for a month. But the life of a magical creature comes at...
    Set
    $9999
    Elsewhere:
    $12495
    (4)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Assassin’s Apprentice
    Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb marks the beginning of an extraordinary adventure in the rich and immersive world of the Six Duchies. Set against the backdrop of a kingdom teetering on the brink of civil war, this gripping tale introduces readers to FitzChivalry Farseer, a royal bastard whose existence threatens the stability of the crown. When the crown prince's secret...
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Throne of Glass Box Set (Paperback)
    Enter the realm. Unleash the darkness. Live the legend. Discover the worldwide phenomenon of the #1 New York Times-bestselling Throne of Glass series in this gorgeous 8-book box set! In a land without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She has no love for the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass, but she has not...
    Set
    $12400
    Elsewhere:
    $15500
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Things We Never Say
    Internationally bestselling and prize-winning author Elizabeth Strout's new novel tells the story of a chance incident in a man's lifeβ€”a poignant meditation on loneliness, friendship, and free will in a capsizing world. Artie Dam is a man with a secret. He spends his days teaching history to high schoolers, expanding their young minds, correcting their casual cruelties, and lending a...
    Hardback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Chain Reaction
    Jack Reacher, \"the coolest continuing series character\" (Stephen King), returns in a brand new, pulse-pounding read from Lee and Andrew Child. The world’s bestselling hero is back in a brand new, high-octane adventure! β€˜She knew that finding Reacher would not be easy . . .’ Washington DC. General Susan Turner needs help from the only guy she knows will get...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • A Court of Wings and Ruin
    The third instalment of the GLOBAL PHENOMENON, romantic fantasy epic and TikTok sensation, ACOTAR. From multi-million and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas. In A Court of Wings and Ruin, the gripping third book of the ACOTAR series, Feyre Archeron faces the ultimate battle for her world. Having returned to the Spring Court, she is determined to gather...
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • A Court of Mist and Fury
    A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas continues Feyre Archeron's epic journey in the world of the High Fae. Having survived the brutal trials under the Mountain, Feyre returns to the Spring Court. Though she now possesses the immortal powers of the High Fae, the traumatic experiences have left scars on her human heart. Haunted by the...
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 160,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

General Fiction lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!