Beyond Redemption

by Jennifer Dabbs

Katie Mitchell is a well brought up Catholic girl in the dark ages of the nineteen fifties. Her father loves her very much. Her mother values piety and chastity above all.This is a brave and funny novel about falling rapturously in love and being condemned for it; about wakening sensibility and constraint, and about finding oneself growing up in spite of the voices that say 'no'.

258 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Chris Waterford]

A novel of the fifties that I suspect is largely biographical. It's slow in the early parts but compelling when she talks about her first romantic attachments.
7/10

[Marianne Webb]

Generated a few memories of boarding school in the 60’s and the rules that religion imposed on us.

[Samantha Pryse]

I really enjoyed it because it was set in Melbourne during the time when my mum was a young woman in Melbourne. I got to see what her life would have been like and the type of restrictions she would have faced. This story was based on the life of a Catholic which also put an interesting spin on things because I went to a Catholic High School so I was able to relate to a lot of this theme running through the story.

[Rania T]

A well-written novel about growing up as a Catholic teenager in Melbourne in the 1950's. Throw in an overbearing mother, nuns and an Italian lover and you have one hell of a read. This book should be re-released by Penguin as a Modern Australian Classic, in order to find a new audience who will no doubt enjoy it.

[Samantha Pryse]

This book was set in Melbourne during the 50's. It was the life my mum would have lived so has helped weave the mind of my family tapestry.