A Far-Flung Life

by M.L. Stedman

Western Australia, 1958. A truck rumbles along a lonely outback road. A moment’s inattention, and in a few muddled seconds the lives of the MacBride family are shattered.

Instead of leaving them to heal, fate comes back for them in a twist of consequences that will cause one of them to lose their life, and another to sacrifice theirs for the sake of an innocent child.

Set in the expanse of a vast and flat landscape, where the weather is a capricious god and a million-acre sheep station is barely a dot on the map, A Far-flung Life explores the hearts of a handful of isolated souls and the secrets they shield in order to survive.

Capturing a family, a community, A FAR-FLUNG LIFE tells of the many ways humans can do each other wrong and how we move on when things can’t be put right. With shimmering prose and a delicious wit, the mysteries of being human are laid bare in this hopeful meditation on time and resilience and the lengths we go to to protect what we love.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Australia, Historical, Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Adult

Audible Audio

Expected publication March 3, 2026

About the author

M.L. Stedman was born and raised in Western Australia and now lives in London. The Light Between Oceans is her first novel.

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

448 pages ... and sooo good.

M.L. Stedman writes to ask us (1) how we can continue living when we feel we’ve done something that can’t be undone or fixed and (2) if today’s society prevents us from choosing ‘forgetment’.

The setting is paramount to this novel and I love how it is played out in the MacBride family’s experiences. Each character is seeking refuge from something, and while some rely on the remoteness for secrecy, others discover that they’ve been denied a future due to a single moment in their past. Isolation, a choice to forget what they can’t escape, and a limited way of communication allow those on Meredith Downs sheep station to keep putting one foot in front of the other and surviving. Stedman expertly highlights the notions that there’s no one right way to deal with intractable problems, that forgetting and forgiving go hand in hand, and that it’s the power of love that often keeps us afloat so we can heal.

Things that gave me pause for thought:
❣You don’t often get to choose how life turns out
❣Sometimes it just takes one person to —---
❣The thing that hurts us the most may just be the thing that helps us heal
❣Running from problems doesn’t solve anything
❣The value in the oxygen of ignorance
❣Is there ever a time when our secrets aren’t ours to tell?
❣Time and experience shape us more than we realize
❣Just because we’ve heard the song from one bird, doesn’t mean we understand the whole bird
❣There are things that need to wait for kinder times

This is a ‘forever shelf’ book, one that I know I’ll read again and again. It’s rich in emotion and offers plenty to think about. I won’t forget the characters or their experiences any time soon.

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Joanna Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

About 10 years ago, I visited CW Agency to meet my (amazing) soon-to-be-agent Sue Armstrong. I left with a huge (and very generous) tote bag filled with the books of authors Sue represents, and one of those books was a debut called The Light Between Oceans.

I fell in love with that book.

I fell in love SO MUCH, for the past decade I have (on many occasions) quizzed Sue as to whether there might be a second novel. 'Not yet!' was always the answer. Until now.
Goodreads, please let me introduce you to one of the most beautiful stories you will ever read. I hesitate to tell you what it's about, because it's about so many things ... but I will try.

This is a multi-generational novel, which begins in 1958, and is set on a vast sheep station, in Western Australia, run by the MacBrides. What happens to the MacBrides, I will leave you to discover for yourselves, but suffice to say they are vulnerable, not only to the brutality of the Western Australian landscape and the extremes of nature ... but also to the brutality of fate. To God's throw of the dice.

This is a story of how a moment's misjudgement leaves you with a burden you'll carry for the rest of your life; how, even in the middle of a million acres, you can still feel like a prisoner, and how - like the miners who descend on the land - you need to decide what should rise to the surface, and what is best left underground.

Not only is this an utterly BEAUTIFUL story and so deeply insightful, it's also written with such skill I felt as though I'd sat with Margot on the verandah at Meredith Downs, and she had turned to me and said 'let me tell you about the MacBride family'. When I reached the final page, I burst into tears - not because the story was upsetting, but because I didn't want her to stop talking.

The publisher bills this as 'the landmark publication of 2026'. For me, it's the landmark publication of a decade. It's truly a masterpiece and I want to march people to the pre-order pages, because it's the kind of book you will remember and treasure for the rest of your life, and I love the very bones of it.

[Tilly Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating 4.5.

What an epic read this was! I don’t think I’d actually read the author’s previous novel, but will have to after this.

This is a novel that spans decades as we follow the MacBride family in rural Western Australia, and all the tragedies that unfold for them. The farm style setting (understatement given the size!) and darkness that runs through this novel reminded me a little of one of my other favourites, Go As A River by Shelley Read, although the story itself is quite different. It can be a hard read at times, and there are a lot of morally grey areas which really made me think, but it was also full of joy, wonder, love and hope. Definitely have the tissues handy for this one!

[Gwen_isreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

Echt een prachtig diepgaand verhaal over liefde, verlies & veel drama. Meerdere malen tranen in mijn ogen gehad en verbaast verder gelezen. Echt een prachtige roman die iedereen moet lezen! Vooral als je fan bent van de boeken van Kristin Hannah.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is beautiful and so well told. I marked up my copy with notes on tragedy, shame, family, forgiveness and courage (I am usually more of a vibes reader so this says a lot for the exceptional writing and headspace this book takes you).

This will break you down, leave you on edge and the build you up again. The landscape and community resilience of the place is as much of a character as any, but I especially warmed to the POW character (heart in my throat still for him).

Well done Ms Steadman. What an epic novel should be.

Note there are some sensitive subjects in here but she covers them tender prose.

Thank you to DoubleDay UK for the ARC

[Clare M · Rating 5 out of 5]

A devastating but beautiful read…

[Sali Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recensie exemplaar:

Een ontroerend en indrukwekkende roman waarbij voor mij de kern draait om de familie MacBride en hun veerkracht om door te gaan met leven na een reeks onvoorstelbare verliezen, verdriet en rouw.

​De setting in West-Australië is bijna een personage op zich. De wijdsheid van het landschap en het harde leven op de schapenboerderij dragen bij aan de omvang van het verdriet van de familie. De boerderij met haar cyclus van grazen, lammeren en scheren dwingt de familie om de zorg voor het leven voort te zetten, wat het symbolische thema van veerkracht versterkt. Ondanks alles gaat het leven door.
​De personages bestaan uit veel verschillende karakters die uitgebreid en met veel aandacht beschreven worden, waardoor ze heel echt worden. De auteur beschrijft hun gedachten, gevoelens en ervaringen, inclusief taboes, met zoveel zorg dat je als lezer niet anders kunt dan met ze mee voelen. Het is niet meteen duidelijk wat elk personage toevoegt, maar naarmate je verder leest valt er steeds meer op zijn plek. Het loont dus absoluut om door te lezen.
​Ondanks de poëtische toon en de beschrijvende stijl, weet de auteur de spanning vast te houden. Door het verhaal heen zitten zoveel geheimen die invloed hebben op hoe de personages reageren. Dit hield de spanning erin terwijl het verhaal zelf ingrijpend is.
​Er waren zeker punten die ik minder vond, maar de algehele leeservaring en de schrijfstijl maakten heel veel goed. Dit is een roman die je lang bijblijft.

[Craig Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a tricky book to review without giving away spoilers. So, in a departure from my usual approach, here are my thoughts.
Set in Western Australia and spanning 40+ years starting in the late the 1950s, A Far-flung Life is a tale of sheep, rocks, kangaroos, weather, mining, POWs, gossips, cricket, overzealous policemen, car accidents, boats, secrets and sacrifices.
It embraces memories, forgetments (you have to read the book), tragedies, relationships, fortitude, resilience, despair, inflexibility, courage, consequences, grievous predicaments, innocence and guilt, acceptance and forgiveness.
It’s a saga recording the history of a family that experiences more than its fair share of trauma. It’s about doing the right things, not always doing things right. Protecting what’s precious. Acting with compassion in the face of adversity.
M L Stedman’s writing transports you to a million acres of pastures, creeks, lakes and gorges replete with flora and fauna, benign and pernicious.
Melding wry humour with poignant pathos, it explores the boundaries of emotional endurance and the depths of aching regret.
A richly-drawn character driven epic that I have definitely filed under ‘memory’ not ‘forgetment’.
A Far-flung Life will be published in March 2026, a date well worth noting in your calendar.

[Sara Troup · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Far-Flung Life broke my heart in a way that felt honest and earned. I don’t even know how to write about this book without sounding inadequate, because the writing itself is on another level. From the first pages, Western Australia felt fully alive, the vast land, the heat, the isolation, and I was completely pulled into it. The sense of place is extremely strong, which I adore in a book.

Set in the outback in the late 1950s, the story follows the MacBride family, who have lived for generations on a remote sheep station. After a sudden accident shatters their world, a chain of consequences unfolds that forces each of them to carry grief, guilt, and impossible choices in their own way. At the center is Matt, the youngest son, pushed into a moral crossroads where love, duty, sacrifice, and happiness cannot coexist. Watching these lives unravel and reshape themselves was emotionally brutal and completely absorbing.

What stayed with me most is how real these characters felt, not just in the choices they made, but in the things that happened to them. So much of the pain in this book comes from loss, bad timing, and sheer unfairness. It’s a powerful reminder of how fragile life is, how little control we actually have, and how quickly everything can change. And yet, Stedman also shows how moments of beauty, love, and grace can grow out of even the worst tragedies.

This book shattered me and then somehow, quietly and gently, put me back together again. This is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of read. Stunning writing, unforgettable characters, and a story that will live in my chest for a long time. I’ll never stop thinking about it.

[Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow, this story had me absolutely enraptured all the way through. I don’t really know how to put into words how much I enjoyed this book. I do know how much I’m going to miss reading about this family now I’ve finished, so emotional, so heartfelt. The MacBride family, as well as their friends and neighbours, become people you care about so much its almost as if they’re a part of your own life.

The setting is so evocatively described. Living on a huge Sheep station covering a million acres? Hard to ever imagine such a vast open space at the mercy of all weathers, drought, storms, ravaging heat. Only the toughest, most resolute could make a home there, yet that is what the MacBride family did, for generations living in Meredith Downs.

A story about the deep secrets people hold close, they can never let anyone know for the sake of their own self preservation and the preservation of others. As well as the family themselves, there are some wonderful supporting characters. Pete Peachy the roo shooter, who kept the kangaroo population down as they would take precious water from the sheep, steal their food, and sad though it is, were a pest as far as the sheep stations were concerned. He is such an important character who leads quite a solitary life for reasons best known to himself and yet he is such a kind, caring person who would look out for others in his own brusque way.

There’s nothing else to say, you have to read the book. I loved the ending, I’m not usually a happily ever after kind of reader but the last few chapters, the conclusion of this epic journey was just perfect, and yes, moved me to tears.

Of all the books I’ve read and all the books I’ll ever read, this one will never be a forgetment. (If you’ve read it, you’ll know 😉)

[Corinne Carson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been 6 years since I read Stedman's first book, "The Light Between Oceans", which I absolutely loved. This one was well worth the wait. The MacBrides have been in the sheep business for generations and call Meredith Downs, a vast landscape of sprawling fields, home (and a character all its own in this book). When tragedy strikes this family of 5 and turns it into a family of 3, it starts a chain of events that will change this family forever. The story is a slow-burn, where you sift through a large cast of characters and figure out the importance of each one. At times it can be tedious, but it is worth it. Secrets abound in this story, and some of them are pretty dark & shameful, but Stedman handles them in a gentle way that you won't be as disturbed by them. The biggest secret is what shapes the entire story, and you muddle along and see how this secret affects them all. This is a story of how one moment of misjudgment leaves you with a burden that you will carry with you for the rest of your life, and you need to decide what should be brought to the surface and what should remain buried. I will be thinking about this book for a while. I think that this will be one of 2026's best books.

Many thanks to NetGalley & Scribner for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Suzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book!
A real epic novel. Set across multiple generations in a place where resilience and resourcefulness are day to day necessities for survival.
Beautifully written and thoroughly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy to review.

[The Book Review Café · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Far-flung Life absolutely floored me. From the very first chapter, when a single accident tears the MacBride family apart, I was hooked, and heartbroken. M. L. Stedman has a way of writing that makes you feel the weight of every choice her characters make, as if you’re living their lives right alongside them.

The setting is extraordinary: the vast emptiness of Western Australia in the 1950s. You can almost feel the dust, the heat, the silence. It’s so remote and harsh, yet The author fills it with a community of people whose struggles, secrets, and sacrifices feel so deeply human. That contrast, between the unforgiving land and the tenderness of the characters, makes the story unforgettable.

What really stayed with me was how the novel explores resilience. It’s about the lengths we’ll go to for the people we love, even when it means carrying unbearable burdens ourselves. Some parts were heartbreaking (I’ll admit I cried), but there’s also so much beauty and hope woven through the sadness.

If you loved The Light Between Oceans, you’ll find the same luminous writing here, but this story feels even bigger, bolder, and more haunting. It’s one of those rare novels that I know will stay with me for years.
In short: moving, atmospheric, and utterly unforgettable. I can’t recommend it enough.

[Random Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty sure I just finished one of my top reads of 2026. I have waited a long time for Stedman’s next book. After loving The Light Between the Oceans I wanted another story! Well, it’s releasing on March 3rd, 2026, and if you loved Stedman’s first book, you will want to pick this one up.

The writing is beautiful. There’s no repetition, no wasted words. Everything that’s introduced becomes part of the fabric of the story and is seamlessly woven into the lives of the people. The characterization is phenomenal. I became emotionally attached to each character and genuinely wanted what was best for them. They felt like family as I tried to understand their choices, felt their pain, and rooted for them through it all.

The descriptions of Meredith Downs sheep station were so vivid that I could picture every detail. The setting felt real and alive.

This is a story about moving on from the mistakes of your past, no matter how heavy they are. It explores how errors made in youth or young adulthood don’t have to define you. It’s about tragedy, shame, resilience, courage, and learning how to forgive yourself.

Once I reached the traumatic part of the story, I couldn’t put it down. I stayed awake worrying about these characters because I cared so deeply about them. I had to know what would happen to them.

Would I recommend this book? Yes! Emphatically yes! It’s not a short read, but it’s one that you won’t want to end. It lingers like the memory of the family you love.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Far-Flung Life by M.J. Stedman is a powerful, multi-generational family saga set against the harsh landscape of mid-20th-century Western Australia. Opening with a devastating tragedy, the novel traces how one moment reverberates through decades, shaping lives marked by hardship, secrecy, resilience, and love.

The writing is evocative and immersive, bringing the remote sheep station and supporting characters vividly to life. This is a steady, measured read rather than a page-turner, and at times the pace can feel a little plodding. However, that slowness allows the emotional depth to build gradually, giving space for the characters and their relationships to unfold naturally.

While the story tackles difficult and often heartbreaking subjects, it does so with restraint and sensitivity. The novel’s strength lies in its emotional weight and sense of reflection, culminating in an ending that feels earned, moving, and quietly powerful, I definitely shed a tear. A Far-Flung Life is a deep, thoughtful read that lingers long after the final page, and will particularly appeal to readers who enjoy character-driven stories and sweeping family sagas.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been more than 13 years since M.L. Stedman’s last book and the wait has absolutely been worth it. A Far Flung Life did not disappoint. It is sweeping and emotionally loaded and the exploits of the MacBride family, Lorna, Matt and Andy, will stay with me for a long time.

The atmospheric story spans decades and is set on a sheep station in Western Australia. Like her last book, Stedman touches on ethics and morals, and the impossible choices life sometimes hands you making one wonder how you would handle similar situations.

Some very difficult topics are explored, but I feel like care was taken so as to be thought provoking. The descriptions of the station are so vivid that the land becomes a character in its own right. Stedman perfectly captures the perils of living in a far flung community where people gossip, spy on others, and form opinions based on circumstantial evidence. These opinions can have drastic consequences, especially for the era in which the main part of the plot takes place.

This story made me angry, it made me sad, it made me cry, and it made me think. Yes, I’m being vague on the plot because I don’t want to spoil it and the reading experience. But trust me, you will find yourself rooting fiercely for some characters, furious at others, and heartbroken for more than one. If you love epic family dramas this one is for you. It publishes in March 2026.

Thank you Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC of one of my most anticipated reads of 2026.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

won an ARC copy from goodreads. I enjoyed parts of the book but other times it was hard to follow and not much going on. Very much a character driven novel.

I felt like some chapters could have been omitted and it wouldn't have take away from the story.

[Em theglitterybookworm_]

i have been waiting for a new M. L. Steadman for YEARS! put it in my veins!

[Susie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first half was nicely done.

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was unfortunately very very boring and I could not get into this novel.

[Sara]

From my lost diary
lost sheep
that song lay at many farm
our rivir never have shore
from our tears make sea and clowd drink
our tomp was have wood sowrd
ah how much we love lili
the wind went crazy over one tragic moment
sheep secret travil without land
runing at map of tears
no one want us coz we travel outside place and time
have freedom was hope break many ben
dont read our news
dont go after our step
just till our chilren at cold night
pray coz yr went heigh
we nt sail our sand or pain
that our winter friend
that land sheep

[Meliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book completely swept me away, I was hooked from the very first chapter. It is a beautifully crafted, deeply ATMOSPHERIC novel.💕

This book has that rare, immersive quality. The author draws you in with vivid landscapes, finely observed human connections and a quiet tension that builds almost imperceptibly until you find yourself completely immersed. It feels less like reading a novel and more like being gently carried through someone else’s world!

The characters: wonderfully human… 💔 they feel COMPLEX, messy in the right ways, tender in the unexpected ones, and crafted with such care that you can’t help rooting for them even when they break your heart!! 🥺

If there’s a flaw, it is that the pacing eases up noticeably in the last third. Not unbearably so, just enough that I found myself wishing the momentum had held steady. Still, the book gathers itself for a striking and satisfying final part that fully rewards your patience and brought tears to my eyes.

Ultimately, the MacBride’s story was HARROWING, complicated and touching 😩 It’s one of those stories that LINGERS in the mind…

This is an elegantly written novel, emotionally resonant, quietly powerful, and well worth the read!!

[Whenimnotreadingharrypotter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get an ARC at the book party and after loving The Light Between Oceans I had to get this.
I wanted to fall in love with it so much, but I didnt......
I enjoyed it at first and then during the middle it went slow and not alot happened. it took me a while to want to pick it back up and took me longer than usual to read.
I enjoyed the ending of the book and the beginning but the middle just fell flat for me and I know its not a happy ever after story but some of the characters stories made me really sad. Loved Andy and my heart really hurt for Matt.
It seemed really focused on his head injury and then all of a sudden that just disappeared as the story went on.....
the characters touched my heart but I didnt fall in love with the book :(

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dit is niet het soort boek wat ik meestal lees, maar toen LS mij uitnodigde voor de bijzonder leesclub waarbij wij de auteur konden ontmoeten, en ze dit verhaal al tot de roman van 2026 hebben benoemd, was ik na het lezen van de blurb toch overtuigd!

En ik kan je vertellen ik was zeker niet teleurgesteld, wat een prachtig verhaal is dit! Er zitten prachtige zinnen in zoals: "We denken dat we weten wie we zijn en dat we elke dag als min of meer dezelfde persoon wakker zullen worden. Maar net als stenen verweerd raken, worden wij onophoudelijk gevormd door de tijd en ervaringen, tot we deze wereld uiteindelijk verlaten met geen enkele cel die we bij onze geboorte hadden."

We volgen de familie MacBride die in West-Australië wonen op een schapenboerderij in de vorige eeuw. Na een ongeluk die de familie uit elkaar scheurt, en waarbij alleen Matthew het overleefd en zijn vader en 2 broers niet. Matthew heeft ook schade aan zijn geheugen opgelopen en kan zich niet meer alles herinneren van vroeger. Samen met zijn zus en moeder blijft hij op de boerderij wonen.

Ondanks dat het een afgelegen boerderij is komen er vaak genoeg ook andere mensen langs, zoals de kangoeroe jager, de postbode, en andere mensen uit het dorp. Ook komt er op een gegeven moment een mining crew langs om te graven naar mineralen.

Het is prachtig hoe M.L. Stedman al deze karakters levensecht laat aanvoelen. Alle karakters hebben hun eigen worstelingen met het verleden, heden en de onzekere toekomst. Er komen veel geheimen en vergetingen aanbod. Aan het einde knoopt ze alle losse eindjes op een bijzondere wijze weer aan elkaar vast.

Een verhaal over een familiedrama met trauma's, tragedie, verdriet, en geheimen als uitkomst. Maar toch ook hoop op een betere toekomst. En de belangrijkste vraag: Is een geheim (die meerdere levens kan verwoesten) bewaren, soms toch beter, dan wanneer het uitkomt?

[Niek Grotenhuis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gisteren mocht ik aanwezig zijn bij de live leesclub van uitgeverij LS waarin we deze prachtige roman ‘Een leven zo ver’ bespraken. Aansluitend waren we te gast samen met een aantal boekverkopers en bookfluencers bij een gesprek tussen de de schrijfster M.L. (Margot) Stedman en Hedda Sanders de uitgever.

Er werd door Margot voorgedragen en we spraken over de karakters en de verhaallijnen in het boek. Het was een prachtige interactieve avond.

In ‘Een leven zo ver’ volgen we de familie MacBride woonachtig in West-Australië. We schrijven 1958. Het boek start met een auto-ongeluk wat de levens van de MacBrides volledig op zijn kop zal zetten.

Stedman neemt je in prachtige, beschrijvende zinnen mee door de levens van de MacBrides en deelt met de lezer hun zorgen, hun verlangens, hun pijn en hun grote verdriet. De wijdsheid en de traagheid van de Outback weet ze fenomenaal vast te leggen. Steeds meer lagen ontvouwen zich gaandeweg in het boek. Als dan opnieuw het noodlot toeslaat zit je als lezer inmiddels zo in het verhaal dat je de pijn voelt.
Ik wil niet teveel weggeven dus daarom kan ik alleen adviseren ga deze prachtige roman lezen. Je zult niet teleurgesteld worden. Zeker niet als je van ‘Ga als een rivier’, ‘Jij bent prachtig’ en ‘Als scheuren in de aarde’ hebt genoten.

Ik las een vooruitleesexemplaar waarvoor hartelijk dank uitgeverij LS

Het boek is vanaf 5 maart 2026 te koop en adviseer je hem vast op je leeslijst te zetten.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Manon Broekx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prachtig geschreven, vol plottwists en velen hartverscheurende stukken. Nog nooit eerder las ik een roman die je alle kanten op sleurt. Het ruwe decor van West Australië maakt het extra bijzonder.

[Shirley Freeman]

Stedman has written an immersive family saga from the far reaches of Western Australia. The MacBrides are good people who’ve been homesteading and sheep farming on 1,000,000 acres of remote land for several generations. Beginning in January 1958, a series of tragedies strikes and the family has to reinvent itself over time. The novel explores the nature of secrets and privacy, duty, shame, and love. One of the secondary characters, Roo shooter Pete Peachy, is a source of wisdom to more than one generation of MacBrides, and to the reader as well. The novel reminds us that we are all more than one thing and that we are not defined by the worst things we’ve done. Great read!

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

On a Western Australia sheep farm in 1958, the lives of the MacBride family are shattered and unforeseen consequences are put in motion by a tragic truck accident on a lonely road. This layered, multigenerational saga kept me reading past my bedtime. The power of this book lies in the sweep of the unforgiving landscape, the characters who inhabit the farm and its environs, the life of the nearest tiny town, and the very human story it tells. A worthy follow-up to The Light Between Oceans.

[Pauline · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story set the 1950’s in the outback in Australia about the MacBride family.
After an accident members of the family find it difficult to cope and they struggle to get on with their lives.
A slow moving tale that is very sad in parts.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House, Transworld Publishers for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

M.L. Stedman, A Far-flung Life, Penguin Random House Australia| Penguin eBooks (AU Adult), March 2026.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

I found M L Stedman’s The Light Between Oceans a stunning, poignant read. A Far-flung Life is both, and more. The writing is beautiful, the plotting refined, characterisation excellent, and the description of the Australian environment, superb. The MacBride family, Phil and Lorna, and their children Warren, Rosie and Matt gain their livelihood from Meredith Downs, a Western Australian sheep station. As the male MacBrides travel through the bush, their truck full of sheep, and miles from any ocean, their ownership of a boat, housed in a towering shed on the property is the first hint that this is an outback Australian family whose lives may be unusual. However, familiar aspects of life on the land also rule the MacBride’s lives. Warren, as the eldest son will inherit the station when Phil retires and Matt and Rosie must find other futures. Matt’s seems assured - he is excelling at a prestigious boarding school in Perth and feels that he can do anything, including sailing the boat. Rosie, although also at a prestigious boarding school in Perth, does not have the same prospects. Not only is she less academic, but it is also understood that she will marry another station owner and follow in Lorna’s footsteps. The world is not open to her, nor is independence. The unique responses she devises provide both possibilities and vulnerability. This trip, with its evocative depiction of the surrounds, foliage, wildlife, the road, the sky, will change the MacBride’s lives.

Moral dilemmas impact a family suffering grief and markedly changed circumstances. The morality imposed by country life and small compact communities, conflicts between the law and understanding of the shortcomings of the legal system, together with figures in authority choosing one path or the other are explored. Characters whose flaws and courage under immense challenge are also examined. Even seemingly minor characters are so well developed that their aims and concerns become strong threads that help weave the story together into a remarkable narrative that pulses with feeling.

At the same time as being a novel in which the characters evoke interest, sympathy and, at times censure, A Far-flung Life explores historical changes in Western Australia. The first chapters describe life when pastoral properties associated with small country towns dominated, going back into the past that the MacBrides enjoyed, to the events of 1958 when the novel begins, and the immediate aftermath, through the years up to the introduction of mining exploration in the late 1960s to the 1970s and then again in the 1980s. There are reflections on the 1890s goldrushes and the immigration associated with these, the ‘boom and bust’ nature of the economy, a possible connection with Kew Gardens which serves as a reminder of the British heritage of some Australian settlers and the scourge of asbestos mining recalling other waves of immigration.

An immense novel of tragedy, tenderness, courage and memorable characters and events, this also becomes a domestic story where the MacBrides and their wider family overcome setbacks. Quietly they go about their business on the land and with each other, eventually making assured choices and judgements that resonate with the rhythms of the land on which they dwell.