Category: Book Review

This short true story was given to me as I left Australia last year, it is the story of Doris Pilkington’s mother , Molly , who led her sisters on the escape route from the Moore river Native settlement in Perth. A settlement for Aboriginal children with white fathers!

These three girls had made a long and chaperoned journey from their home in Jigalong to this native settlement with many promises. Alas, they found this place cold, with bars at the windows and Molly believed they were in Marbu country which implies the presence of flesh eating spirits. Anyone trying to escape would be dealt with severely.

The girls decide to escape, Molly being the leader ,on their way to find the rabbit proof fence. They have rabbits to eat, many fears along the way. They hide from a search plane that is looking for them!. They eventually find the rabbit proof fence, their hope is renewed and after a total of 9 weeks they arrive at Jigalong and find their family.

To the modern reader, the fence is a symbol of humanity, misplaced trust in its ability to control nature. The fence is also a symbol of the racism that British colonial control uses to divide the country into whites and natives.

This book came under the heading of romance and it is the story of the sole
survivor of a horrific car crash facing life in a wheel chair and her interaction with a
survivor of the other car in the crash. It deals with them both coming to terms with
what happened. There are several other story lines of the people in the health and
social services with whom the survivors are in contact.

The book made one think about people who suffer similarly and was enjoyed
by some but others had reservations. The general census was that it was an easy
holiday read.

Jane Yardley.

ST. MICHAEL’S READERS’ GROUP

Our book for March was ‘Forged’ by local author Tina Cole.

Poetry is a very emotive medium and perhaps not overly popular with a lot of people so perhaps we were not expecting a very enthusiastic response. However we were very pleased that Tina’s poetry was extremely well received by nearly all of the group. Many of the poems are very personal and I think we could all relate them in some way to our own experiences.

I can’t do better than to quote one of the reviews of the book which seems to me to sum up the essence of the poems: ‘these poems sing of the literal fabric of women’s lives. I love the detail, texture and colour. All this and the tricky, complicated subtleties of lives where people don’t quite get one another, but where there is a great deal of love. Tina Cole is a very fine writer indeed.’

Graces best friend Anna is missing, She would never leave her husband and son by choice and Grace is beside herself with worry.

Why won’t Anna’s husband call the Police?
What secrets are the other mothers at the school gate hiding?
With each day that passes, Anna’s life is under increasing threat?

This was a tale of manipulation, jealousy and control. It was a gripping thriller, very difficult to put down and kept you on your toes right up into the night. An addictive and thrilling read with an addictive plot.

On the negative side it had a slowness in the middle and inclined to be repetitive but a good plot with a surprising twist and interesting ending!  (Similarities to “Riptide” on the TV at the same time of reading!)

Ros Plested

“Persuasion” is the story of Anne, daughter of Sir Walter Elliot of Kellynch Hall who, at the age of 19, was persuaded by her godmother to renounce her fiancée, commander Frederick Wentworth, because he had no fortune and no prospects.  He returns to the area several years later having become a wealthy captain and, seeking a bride.

Jane Austen’s characters are wittily described, from Sir Walter’s ridiculous vanity and his elder daughter’s snobbery to the youngest, married daughter’s dissatisfaction with her life and consequent hypochondria.

Most of the readers said they found the writing very old fashioned and tedious to read although once they were involved they liked the story, but much preferred the television play to the book.

Jane

Simon Mawer’s latest spy thriller is set in post-war England. The main character, Marian Sutro, a tough, resourceful heroine, arrives back from France having been betrayed and imprisoned in a German Concentration Camp. Emaciated and traumatised, she tries to return to some semblance of her old life. But the past is never far behind and soon, associates and lovers from the past creep back and the allure of intrigue is too strong to resist.

Tightrope is a complex story of a strong woman who has to make some difficult choices, questioning where her loyalty lies. Who knows what and who is telling the truth? Is it OK to do bad things for a good cause?

Our group felt that this was a real page turner filled with tension and questions. All the characters, although flawed, leapt from the page, wanting to be heard. We are all fans of this excellent author.

Pat

“The Shadowy Horses” by Susanna Kearsley

The shadowy horses of the title are the ghost horses which shadow disaster and which the main character is the only one to be aware of.  The story is set on an archaeological dig in an area around Berwick-on-Tweed where they are searching for signs of occupation by the 9^th Roman Legion.  There are interesting characters including a young boy with extra-sensory perception, the only one who can see the ghost, but not the only one to be aware of its presence.  The story is part ghost story and part romance, all set around the archaeological dig, with a surprising twist in the tail.  

The general consensus of the group was that this book was well written and enjoyable, a good, light read with interesting archaeological detail. 

Jane

A good thriller, very gripping and slowly terrifying!

Christine has a very rare amnesia— every time she closes her eyes to sleep, her memory had been wiped out! Her name, identity, past,even the people she loved, all forgotten over night! IMAGINE!!

I think most of us found it a “good read” but possibly a disappointing ending? or conclusion?

It was one of those stories, alike some gripping series you watch on T.V. at present— wondering who is actually telling the truth!

Interestingly enough the author is a male , not as you “feel “it to be a female. He is local, S.J. Watson- from Stourport in Worcestsershire. Other stories he has written are “Second Life” and “Final Cut”. I wonder?

R.E.Plested