Theresa Smith's Blog, page 159
August 14, 2017
Book Review: The Dressmaker of Dachau by Mary Chamberlain
Book Description:
London, spring 1939. Eighteen-year-old Ada Vaughan, a beautiful and ambitious seamstress, has just started work for a modiste in Dover Street. A career in couture is hers for the taking – she has the skill and the drive – if only she can break free from the dreariness of family life in Lambeth.
A chance meeting with the enigmatic Stanislaus von Lieben catapults Ada into a world of glamour and romance. When he suggests a trip to Paris, Ada is blind to all the warnings of war on the continent: this is her chance for a new start.
Anticipation turns to despair when war is declared and the two are trapped in France. When the Nazis invade, Stanislaus abandons her and she is taken prisoner, sent to Germany as slave labour and forced to survive on her wits alone. Resilient at every turn, Ada finds the strength that extremity breeds and survives the only way she knows how: by being a dressmaker.
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My Thoughts:
I felt entirely mislead about this novel quite early on in the story. Often when you read an engaging blurb, you begin to form a certain idea of what to expect. In this case, either my vision was completely off base, or the blurb is not reflective of the story at all.
The Dressmaker of Dachau had all the promise of greatness: a dressmaker in a concentration camp, surviving against the odds. I was instantly intrigued. Well for a start, the dressmaker wasn’t in a camp. Yes, she was kept prisoner, and her story was still an intriguing one, but why mislead through the title of the novel? When reading back over the blurb, I could see that I had made an assumption that Ada ended up in a concentration camp based on the fact that Dachau was a concentration camp and the title clearly states she was ‘The Dressmaker of Dachau’. My bad for having a grasp on WWII history. There was no love story either, again, deliberately misleading. Nor was she abandoned in Paris.
As frustrating as I found this poorly written blurb, the novel turned out to be equally as disappointing. The style of writing was very impersonal and disjointed. I never felt Ada and her struggle. I never felt her misery. I read about it, but the author never once made me feel. Only just over half of this book relates to Ada and her experiences as a Nazi dressmaker. From this, the author took Ada back to London and decided to turn her into a delusional prostitute. I should have stopped reading then.
Towards the end of the story, we find out that events in the war were not quite what they seemed at the time. We are left to consider that Ada truly was delusional, so what else was a lie? I really did not like this inference. The author should have just been up front at the outset, it would have made for a more credible main character. The ending was atrocious. Probably historically accurate, but awful still. I feel as though the author had a fantastic idea for a story but got sick of it half way through and decided to write another without changing novels. If you’re looking for a WWII story of substance, don’t read this novel. It’s not at all what it seems.
August 13, 2017
50 Books for #aww2017
My weekend reading has brought me to another milestone for my 2017 Australian Women Writers Challenge:
50 Books!
Here is a recap of what I’ve been reading so far this year:
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Between now and the end of the year I’d like to add some more classics into the mix. At the beginning of the year I set myself a classics goal of 10 and so far I’ve read 1. Fail! I’ll see how I go from here on in, I certainly have plenty on my shelves to choose from.
It’s not too late to join the #aww2017 Australian Women Writers Challenge. All you need to do is read and review books written by Australian women. Your reviews don’t need to be too comprehensive if you feel that reviewing is not your thing. Simply commenting on why you liked a book on Goodreads, in our Facebook group Love Reading Books by Aussie Women, or on Twitter using the #aww2017, is enough to spread the AWW love. Linking your reviews to our database completes the process and ensures your reviews are immortalised for all time.
All of my reviews for the 50 books read so far can be found here on my blog and also on Goodreads on my #aww2017 bookshelf.
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August 11, 2017
#loveyourbookshopday Harrison’s Book Country Mount Isa
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Today is Love Your Bookshop Day and despite living in a remote Queensland outback town, I do have a local bookshop and I most certainly love it, so I headed down there this morning in order to celebrate this most wonderful day, not deterred in the slightest that I was the only person there who was aware of today’s significance.
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When I first moved to Mount Isa five years ago, a town where I knew absolutely no one other than the people I had moved here with, I was thrilled to discover there was a local bookshop. Not yet working, with all three of my children in school, I had some spare time each day to indulge in my favourite past-time of all, READING.
Harrison’s Book Country is such a welcoming store. The staff are just beautiful, ready to help in any way they can, eager to order books in for you, or happy to just have a bit of a book chat. The store is always clean and bright with the books displayed neatly and in an organised fashion. There is a large audio book section, games and puzzles, lots to pick from for children and teens as well all your new releases and older titles from a huge range of authors, cult followings (Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, etc.), and a whole heap of fantasy stuff that I don’t necessarily understand but am sure is appreciated by fans. Book Country is unique as well in that it combines a used book exchange with a new book store. You can (and I have) swap your old books for store credit which can be spent on anything within the store, not just on other used books, differentiating Book Country from the usual book exchange model.
It’s not until you live in a small town that you appreciate the importance of shopping locally and supporting local businesses. It’s unique and lovely shops like Harrison’s Book Country that keep a small town vibrant, drawing in the tourists and servicing the locals. If you have a local bookshop in your town, I urge you to visit it before shopping online. Chances are, they will either have the book you want or be more than happy to order it in for you. I have discovered quite a few treasured finds from the shelves of Book Country over the years; special editions of classics, new releases from little known but absolutely wonderful authors, and book gadgets – what book lover doesn’t like quirkly book gadgets?!
Harrison’s Book Country have recently moved from one street into another. Today was my first visit to the new store, and while it’s not completely set up yet, I was still able to pick up a few new releases I have been chasing and get a sense of how great it will be once it’s all finished. If you’re ever travelling through Mount Isa, be sure to drop in and have a browse. And if you’re a local, well you’ve probably already been there and love it as much as I do! #loveyourbookshopday
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Book Review: Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms by Anita Heiss
Book Description:
5 August, 1944: Over 1000 Japanese soldiers attempt to break out of the No. 12 Prisoner of War compound on the fringes of Cowra. In the carnage, hundreds are killed, many are recaptured and imprisoned, and some take their own lives rather than suffer the humiliation of ongoing defeat. But one soldier, Hiroshi, determined to avoid either fate, manages to escape.
At nearby Erambie Aboriginal mission, Banjo Williams, father of nine and proud man of his community, discovers a distraught Hiroshi, pleading for help. The people of Erambie have seen enough death and heartache, so Banjo and the Erambie community decide to offer Hiroshi refuge.
Mary, Banjo’s daughter, recently returned from being in service in Sydney, is intrigued by the Japanese stranger, and is charged with his care. Love blossoms, but life for the community on the mission is one of restriction – living under Acts of Protection and Assimilation, and always under the watchful eye of the mission manager. In wartime Australia, the children are terrified of air raids, but their parents fear a life without rights. And for Mary and Hiroshi, there is much in their way.
Mary is forbidden under the Act, and by her own father, to marry Hiroshi, so together they plot their own escape from the mission. But solidarity in the community is eroding and trouble is brewing.
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My Thoughts:
Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms was such a meaningful novel, clearly depicting certain race and cultural relations within Australia during the WWII era, against the backdrop of a gentle love story.
Anita Heiss has done a marvelous job with this novel. There are a lot of challenges posed to the reader and many confronting truths, but her style of writing is entirely non confronting and culturally informative. I learnt a lot from this novel, far more than I did from any Australian history lessons back at school. It made for an excellent bookclub choice as we all had much to discuss and contemplate after reading.
I highly recommend this as a novel all Australians should read as it’s message of tolerance and love is one that could benefit us all in the modern era. It’s also highly suitable for teens and would introduce them to an important episode of Australian history that they are unlikely to learn about in school.
Well done Anita Heiss, very well done!
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August 10, 2017
Focus on Debut Authors: Rachel Leary — Australian Women Writers Challenge Blog
Recently I read Bridget Crack, a new historical literary release by an Australian debut author, Rachel Leary. Following on from my review of Bridget Crack here is an interview with Rachel that I did for the Australian Women Writers Challenge blog.
Today we welcome Rachel Leary to the Australian Women Writers Challenge blog. Rachel grew up in Tasmania then moved to Melbourne in 2003 having enrolled in the Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing at RMIT. Rachel has had a number of short stories and essays published and in 2014 she was awarded an ASA mentorship…
via Focus on Debut Authors: Rachel Leary — Australian Women Writers Challenge Blog
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Rachel Leary Author of Bridget Crack
August 8, 2017
Behind the Pen: Anna Daniels
You know that feeling you get when you read a really excellent novel and then get to meet the author? Hmm, no, me neither! But, drumroll…I am about to bring you the next best thing…the latest edition of Behind the Pen! Today I have great pleasure in welcoming Anna Daniels, author of the highly entertaining recent release, Girl in Between.
When did you start writing Girl in Between?
I started writing Girl in Between in the middle of 2013. Originally, I’d titled it Rocky Road, because of the setting, and, funnily enough, it actually started out as a screenplay before I changed tact and completed it as a novel.
What was the inspiration behind Girl in Between?
I was 32 when I began writing Girl in Between, and I kept hearing the same concerns and dreams echoed throughout my circle of friends, and I thought there were some unique themes which I could capture…like the sense of being in a much more grown up decade than your twenties, but also feeling like you’re not that sensible, and haven’t got everything figured out yet. I also wanted to write a book that not only made people laugh, but also connected with readers on an emotional level, and I’ve heard that my book has been making people laugh and cry, so I’m pleased with that outcome.
What was your favourite character from Girl in Between and why?
Denise Crighton, Lucy’s mum, and her best friend, Rosie, were both wonderful characters to write. I could go to town with some of Denise’s lines, and I had a ball finding motivational Cher quotes for her to roll out to her daughter! Similarly, Rosie was a joy to write because she’s so liberating in that she doesn’t care what people think of her, and is so unapologetic about how she lives her life that she holds a great place in my heart!
What was your favourite scene from Girl in Between and why?
I completely cracked myself up writing the scene where Lucy and Rosie go adventure dating at the Whipcrack Hotel! I wrote the majority of Girl in Between over six months last year from my unit, and my neighbours must have thought I was mad. I was laughing my head off as Rosie was flashing the lead singer of the cover band whilst jumping up and down to their version of The Horses by Daryl Braithwaite!
How would you best describe this novel to a new reader?
Girl in Between is very fun and Aussie, and captures two best friends, and their hilarious cast of supporting characters, as they attempt to sort out life at the crossroads.
Having read your short bio, I have to wonder how much of yourself and your own experiences were woven into Girl in Between. Entirely fiction or fiction with a sprinkle of real life personal history?
Ha ha! I often get asked this question a lot, but I can safely say that although there are similarities between the main character, Lucy, and I…we’re both journalists, both own kelpies, and are both very good looking ; ) Girl in Between is very much a work of fiction. I did draw on some of my own life experiences, like running amok in Japanese mud baths, and living in London, which I hope resonated with authenticity for readers. Oh, and of course Lucy and I both grew up in Rockhampton! How could I forget that! I love Rocky, and I tried to capture life in a regional town in a funny and affectionate light.
Have you had to deal with a situation where someone feels they recognise traits of themselves in one of the characters from Girl in Between?
It’s funny that you ask that, because a lot of my friends try to claim that Rosie is based on themselves, when in fact she’s based on no-one in particular, and is more an amalgam of lots and different pieces of people I know, and the bestie every girl wishes they had!
The bond between Lucy and her dog was so lovely. Is Glenda based on a real pet you have or have had at some stage?
Yes, absolutely. Growing up, we had the most gorgeous poodle called Ziggy, who was a great friend to us all, and really seemed to be tuned into our moods! And now, I have the most beautiful kelpie, called Banjo. I adore her!
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Anna with Banjo and her publisher, Louise Thurtell, on the road around Rockhampton launching Girl in Between
What other genre would you like to try your hand at writing and why?
I’d really love to be involved with a script writing team, and adapting Girl in Between for the small screen. As mentioned earlier, Girl in Between originally started out as a screenplay, so hopefully it will come full circle, and I will have the opportunity to be involved with a production team as a screen writer. In terms of other genres, I love travel writing, children’s writing, and also would be keen to try my hand at writing funny, non-fiction type essays and columns like Benjamin Law and David Sedaris.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I love the beach! I’m a bit of a water baby and always enjoy doing laps at the pool or bobbing up and down in the sea and body surfing in on the waves. Growing up in CQ, we had a very outdoorsy lifestyle, so I love getting out and about, going for walks and exploring new areas. I’m also a mad keen reader and have a great group of friends that I love catching up with.
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Anna with Banjo at Keppel Sands on the Capricorn Coast
Do you have an all-time favourite book? Why is this book so significant to you?
Tough question! There are so many books that I love, and have shaped me at different times of my life, but one that really stands out for me is Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta. I remember reading this as a 12 year-old in Grade 7 at St Peter’s Primary School in Rocky and I just thought it was brilliant. Like many fans of this book, I thought Josephine Alibrandi was speaking just to me, and I really resonated as a young girl with her voice and story. I thought Melina Marchetta was amazing, and I still think she is today. Her books continue to be so beloved, and it was a great thrill for me to meet her and tell her about my book at last year’s Brisbane Writers Festival.
If you could write a letter to your teenage self, what would be your main piece of advice?
Do what you love and follow the fun, because therein lies the secret to what makes you happy, and it will be so much easier to work at what makes you happy, rather than what doesn’t. Also, double denim is never a good idea.
Can you tell us something about yourself that not many people would know?
When I was eight, I painted a picture for my Grade 3 teacher and on the back, I wrote the words, ‘Some day I will be famous!’ My teacher still has it hanging in her house to this day, and she recently came to my book launch in Rocky and told everyone what I had written on the back! Too funny! I hadn’t seen her since Grade 3, so it was a terrific surprise.
How has being Australian AND a woman impacted on your writing and/or writing career?
Being Australian has very much impacted on my writing in Girl in Between! Many people are loving the Aussie slang, locations and turns of phrase being used, and of course that comes from a place of authenticity with me. In terms of being a woman, a turning point in my writing career came about when I was shortlisted for The Vogel Awards, and I met another likeminded woman, the fabulous publisher, Louise Thurtell, who really championed me as a debut author…so I think in this industry it’s really wonderful when women support other women on their writing journey.
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Anna with Louise at the Brisbane launch of Girl in Between
Girl in Between has also been released as an audiobook through Audible, did you have much say in that recording process?
Well, funnily enough, I auditioned to be the narrator for Girl in Between, but didn’t get the part! But I must say that Aimee Horne does a terrific job. She also narrated Zoe Foster-Blake’s The Wrong Girl, and has a brilliant sense of comic timing, so I’m very pleased with the outcome.
How can we keep track of what you’re up to next?
I’ve got a lot of different events and book signings coming up over August in Brisbane, and am then heading down to Sydney for more of the same! Best way to keep in touch with me is on my Facebook Page, Anna Daniels-Author. I’m also on Instagram @annamdaniels and Twitter @annadtweets.
Haven’t yet read Girl in Between? Here’s a clip of Anna reading from the first chapter of Girl in Between for an appearance at her former high school in Rockhampton.
And to seal the deal, here’s Anna’s dad, Wayne Daniels, to convince you with his endorsement…
It’s not hard to see where Anna gets her humour! A huge thanks is extended to Anna Daniels for joining in with Behind the Pen for this week. It’s been utterly brilliant having the opportunity to get to know her better. You can read my review of Girl in Between here and also watch the official book trailer from Allen and Unwin below.
August 7, 2017
Book Review: On Mystic Lake by Kristin Hannah
Book Description:
Annie Colwater’s husband has just confessed that he’s in love with a younger woman. Devastated, Annie retreats to the small town where she grew up. There, she is reunited with her first love, Nick Delacroix, a recent widower who is unable to cope with his silent, emotionally scarred young daughter. Together, the three of them begin to heal. But just when Annie believes she’s been given a second chance at happiness, her world is turned upside down again, and she is forced to make a choice that no woman in love should ever have to make.
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My Thoughts:
Another enjoyable novel by Kristin Hannah. On Mystic Lake is an honest and reflective account of what can happen to a person when they get lost within their own lives.
Annie, the main character, was such a lovely woman and I enjoyed watching her evolve into a stronger person who, by the end of the novel, had a much truer sense of her own self-worth. I particularly appreciated the way Kristin mirrored Annie’s new life with her old life, pitting the differences between Nick and Blake as a defining state of being. Annie, who had for so long defined herself as a mother first and wife second, was only able to truly see herself with clarity when acting out these roles within another context. The glaring deficiencies that had existed within her marriage for so long at last became apparent. These two men, Nick and Blake, were so vastly different from each other, both in the way they needed Annie as well as in the way they demonstrated their love for her. One was all encompassing while the other was more restrained and manipulative, although I believe that both men loved her a lot, but only one was truly deserving of her.
It’s all too easy to judge a character and moan and groan because they ‘pick the wrong guy’ and ‘keep making the same mistake’, but in real life, how often do we see this very thing happen? While some of the characters and situations were stereotypical, Kristin Hannah’s talent as a writer lies in her ability to craft characters who act in a highly realistic manner. Nick is a classic example of this. His struggles and failures paved the way to his redemption, and while there were times I wanted to reach into the novel and shake him, I knew that if he had acted in any other way – taken a short cut to happiness or an unrealistically short amount of time to recover from his challenges – then I would have been disappointed and overcome by a sense of having been cheated out of that ‘real life magic’ that Kristin Hannah sprinkles throughout each of her novels.
The most wonderful aspect of this novel was the way in which it demonstrated the healing power of a loving and nurturing family environment. Izzy was such a heart breakingly damaged little girl at the beginning of this story, but by the time Annie was through with her, she was far more adjusted and certainly on her way towards a path of healing and happiness. Her tactics for managing her grief really brought a tear to my eye on more than one occasion and I think the whole character of Izzy was developed with a great deal of sensitivity and intelligence.
I am slowly making my way through Kristin Hannah’s backlist, having first come to her work through The Nightingale, which had a profound impact on me. So far, none of her novels are disappointing me and I can clearly see why she is so popular. She has quickly worked her way onto my list of authors whose work I follow and is sure to remain there.
August 6, 2017
New Release Book Review: Beneath the Skin by Melissa James
Book Description:
Flying Doctor Elly Lavender has spent years on the run from a violent stalker. Her obsessive former patient will do anything and threaten anyone in his campaign to force her to love him. When her most recent cover is blown, she runs for help to the childhood friend she could never get out of her mind – outback cop Adam Jepson.
Isolated, hurting, all Adam Jepson wants is to forget. After the deaths of his wife and son three years before, he’s moved to the outback with his young daughter, Zoe, to put the past behind him for good. But when Elly walks into his station, she reminds him of all the childhood joy and love he’d forgotten. Soon, he’s lost in a desire he never knew could exist. And while his guilt at leaving Elly behind years ago, and the vow he’d made to his dying wife, means he can never be the man she needs, he can’t stop caring, can’t stop trying to make Elly’s life right. Though the whole town seems against them, he can’t stop wanting the forbidden.
But when anonymous harassment escalates to murder, Elly knows her presence in Macks Lake has put Adam and Zoe’s lives at risk. Everyone’s safer if she remains alone – a fact that her stalker is very much counting on as he gets ever closer to his prey…
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My Thoughts:
Right from the outset with Beneath the Skin, you know you’re in the hands of a skilled writer, one who knows exactly how to hook you, how to keep you turning the pages deep into the night, and how to spill all the secrets at just the right time. This is my first Melissa James novel but it most certainly will not be my last.
With a tension filled plot and realistically crafted characters, Beneath the Skin is a stand out novel within the romantic suspense genre. There’s so much depth to this novel and Melissa’s passion for improving the lives of Australians living in rural and remote areas – as detailed in her author’s note – blazes through the story, infusing every part of it with relevance and significance. Issues relating to Indigenous Australians are handled with a perfect balance of sensitivity and truth. Tackling the ongoing ripple effect of the Stolen Generation and weaving it into a commercial novel is no small feat and it’s testimony to Melissa’s strength as a writer that she has not only done this, but done it exceptionally well.
I enjoyed the way Melissa told the story, alternating between Elly, Adam, Danny the stalker, and later, Rick. I am a fan of multiple perspectives though, as you always seem to get a more balanced feel for a story when you can get into the heads of all the major players. In a novel such as this one too, where a sustained threat is imminent throughout, alternating perspectives introduces an evolving element into the story that may have otherwise been missed. We have the constant fear Elly lives with being magnified as the story progresses, as we, the readers, begin to clearly see just how out of touch with reality her stalker is. Without having had the benefit of being inside of Danny’s head from time to time, the danger he posed as his wits deteriorated may have been minimised, which would have reduced the suspense throughout the entire novel significantly.
There are a few clever and unexpected twists within Beneath the Skin and more than one crazy person to deal with, but to say much more would be skating into spoiler territory and this is not a novel you want spoiled! Suffice to say, it is a novel that will keep you enthralled from start to finish and should satisfy readers who enjoy multiple genres rolled into one. A very fine commercial fiction debut from an established author; I sincerely hope we have the opportunity to experience more of this type of fiction from Melissa James in the not too distant future.
Thanks is extended to the author for gifting me with a copy of Beneath the Skin for review.
Beneath the Skin is book 49 in my 2017 Australian Women Writers Challenge.
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August 4, 2017
Book Review: The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
Book Description:
After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season and shore leaves are granted every other year at best, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby.
Tom, whose records as a lighthouse keeper are meticulous and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel has taken the tiny baby to her breast. Against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them.
M. L. Stedman’s mesmerizing, beautifully written novel seduces us into accommodating Isabel’s decision to keep this “gift from God.” And we are swept into a story about extraordinarily compelling characters seeking to find their North Star in a world where there is no right answer, where justice for one person is another’s tragic loss.
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My Thoughts:
Right from the first page through to the last, The Light Between Oceans grabbed a hold of me and refused to let go. It’s one of those novels that you can safely label as ‘stunning’ and recommend to anyone and everyone as a great read. The story is so well developed, showcasing life in Australia during the post war years in a realistic manner. I particularly enjoyed all of the information about lighthouses and lighthouse keeping in Australia during the 1920s. Having grown up on the East Coast, I don’t know all that much about the history of Western Australia. It’s hard to imagine the isolation, the months of not seeing a single other soul, those raging seas between the island and the mainland, a seemingly impenetrable barrier. Stedman did an excellent job of sprinkling history throughout the narrative, it was always engaging and informative, the balance between historical fact and the telling of the story perfectly managed.
The Light Between Oceans is one of those stories that perfects the whole, ‘what would I have done differently’ notion. It stays in your mind when you need to put it down and it haunts you once you’ve finished. To say I cried would be an understatement; bawled at the end is probably a more apt description! But it would be impossible not to feel affected by this story. I was quite overcome as I neared the ending and at one stage I had to put the book down and just cry for a while. I’ve only ever had this happen to me with a handful of books. I gifted a copy of The Light Between Oceans to my sister for Christmas and she read it on an international flight. It amused me to hear after that an air hostess commented on the book as she passed by, saying to my sister how much she had loved it. Five minutes later, the air hostess passed by again and discreetly placed some tissues onto my sister’s tray table – in anticipation of the tears she expected were on their way. It was a good move, because like me, my sister broke down at about the same place within the novel and needed to compose herself before continuing to read on. That’s a special kind of talent as an author, to convey so much through words, to invoke so much emotion in your readers. I’m more than a little bit in awe of M.L.Stedman and look forward to reading more from her.
If I have any criticism at all to make, it’s that the character of Isabel was under represented. I feel that as a main character, she should have had as much page space as Tom. There were times when I really wanted to know how she was feeling, yet all I got were Tom’s perceptions of her and for me that wasn’t enough. We got small bits and pieces of the story from her perspective, more towards the end than in the first half, but character representation was definitely weighted towards Tom, and while Tom was a fine character, the story was not just his alone. There was so much to Isabel, so much pain and love, so much confusion and angst. I loved her, could totally understand her drive and desperation. And I also loved how much Tom loved her – deep and abiding; he would, and did, do anything for her, even at the expense of his own morality. Such devotion surely secures a place for The Light Between Oceans on a list of greatest love stories of all time.
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Not long after reading this novel, the movie adaptation was released. Even though movie adaptations hardly ever stand up to the books they are based on, the trailer for The Light Between Oceans looked very promising. To my satisfaction, the movie held its own. Fraught with emotion, well cast, beautiful cinematography; it’s definitely a movie to make time to watch, whether you’ve read the novel or not – although you really should read the novel as well!
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August 3, 2017
Sunday Spotlight: Kylie Ladd — Australian Women Writers Challenge Blog
I had the pleasure of interviewing Kylie Ladd recently for the Australian Women Writers Sunday Spotlight series. I thought I would share the interview here for any of you who might have missed it.
Welcome to an in-depth edition of Sunday Spotlight. With just two days left until the release of her gripping and much anticipated fifth novel, The Way Back, Kylie Ladd joins us today in this delightfully frank interview to talk about writing, reading, a few of her favourite things, and the story behind the story. …
via Sunday Spotlight: Kylie Ladd — Australian Women Writers Challenge Blog
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The Way Back was released on August 1st by Allen and Unwin. Catch up on my review of The Way Back here.
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