Charlotte Wood's Stone Yard Devotional, which was published in late 2023, tells the story of a young woman who lives in the city and is unhappy with her life. In an attempt to reconnect with her roots and rediscover who she truly is, she decides to abandon her life as she knows it (including her marriage) and returns to her small religious community in Monaro, Australia. There, she contends with her mother's death, her marriage, her upbringing, death, and the nature of humanity, among many other things. In short, she considers what it means to be human and if a person can be truly and wholly good. In many respects, Wood's novel meditates on the nature of humanity, as well as what it means to deal with your past, grief, and the true nature of religion.
Wood's novel was longlisted for the Booker Prize, which the organization describes as "the world’s leading literary award for a single work of fiction." Additionally, the novel received exceptionally positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. Writing in The Guardian, acclaimed screenwriter Frank Cottrell-Boyce called Wood's novel "a powerful, generous book."
