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The Denniston Rose #2
Heart Of Coal
The compelling sequel to the bestselling novel The Denniston Rose.
Eighteen years have passed since the child Rose arrived on Denniston, riding up the terrifying Incline on a stormy night. She has now grown into a young woman, intelligent and talented, with an outrageous zest for life. The trauma of her early years seems forgotten, though some recognise its shadow in her often unconventional behaviour. Rose is expected to marry her childhood friend the golden Michael Hanratty, but when dark and stubborn Brennan Scobie arrives back on the Hill after a seven-year absence, a challenge is inevitable. The opposition of Brennan's ambitious mother adds to the tension.
Heart of Coal continues to follow the fortunes of the remote West Coast coal-mining settlement. At the turn of the century Denniston is still isolated, but all that is about to change. New challenges will confront both Rose and this close-knit society. Staying or leaving will become an option. Heart of Coal is about loss and love, hope and despair. It is a story of convention and the lack of it and of the uncompromising spirit of a unique woman.
Eighteen years have passed since the child Rose arrived on Denniston, riding up the terrifying Incline on a stormy night. She has now grown into a young woman, intelligent and talented, with an outrageous zest for life. The trauma of her early years seems forgotten, though some recognise its shadow in her often unconventional behaviour. Rose is expected to marry her childhood friend the golden Michael Hanratty, but when dark and stubborn Brennan Scobie arrives back on the Hill after a seven-year absence, a challenge is inevitable. The opposition of Brennan's ambitious mother adds to the tension.
Heart of Coal continues to follow the fortunes of the remote West Coast coal-mining settlement. At the turn of the century Denniston is still isolated, but all that is about to change. New challenges will confront both Rose and this close-knit society. Staying or leaving will become an option. Heart of Coal is about loss and love, hope and despair. It is a story of convention and the lack of it and of the uncompromising spirit of a unique woman.
333 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2004
About the author
Jenny Pattrick
14 books51 followersJenny Pattrick is an acclaimed historical novelist, whose The Denniston Rose, and its sequel Heart of Coal, are among New Zealand's bestselling novels. In 2009 she received the New Zealand Post Mansfield Fellowship. She has been active in the arts community, and has also written stories, songs and shows for children.
Jenny Pattrick has been awarded the OBE for services to the arts, the 1990 medal, is featured in the Wellington Girls' College Hall of Fame and has received the NZ Post Katherine Mansfield Prize.
Jenny Pattrick has been awarded the OBE for services to the arts, the 1990 medal, is featured in the Wellington Girls' College Hall of Fame and has received the NZ Post Katherine Mansfield Prize.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 29, 2020
I still haven't settled on a rating for this book - I think the review will help me process my thoughts.
For me, the thing is the first book in this series The Denniston Rose was just such a great read. A real page turner that I was reluctant to put down.
I think Ms Pattrick had some idea how she wanted Rose, Michael & Bren's story to continue, but she struggled to get the words on the page. Ms Pattrick seemed uncomfortable dealing with I came very close to giving up, but the book really picks up about a third of the way in. The rough, tough town of Denniston is Rose's anchor and by the end of this book I understood that. But I think this book would be really hard to follow for anyone who hadn't read The Denniston Rose first.
I was really ready for the book to be over by then, so in spite of parts of the book being really compelling reading I can't go higher than 3.5★
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshess...
For me, the thing is the first book in this series The Denniston Rose was just such a great read. A real page turner that I was reluctant to put down.
I think Ms Pattrick had some idea how she wanted Rose, Michael & Bren's story to continue, but she struggled to get the words on the page. Ms Pattrick seemed uncomfortable dealing with I came very close to giving up, but the book really picks up about a third of the way in. The rough, tough town of Denniston is Rose's anchor and by the end of this book I understood that. But I think this book would be really hard to follow for anyone who hadn't read The Denniston Rose first.
I was really ready for the book to be over by then, so in spite of parts of the book being really compelling reading I can't go higher than 3.5★
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshess...
March 16, 2012
Wow, Jenny Pattrick really knows how to get into the characters. This book makes you feel so much for the characters, you get so involved. I want the story to keep going!
March 28, 2016
2.5 stars. Unfortunately not at the same level than her earlier book The Denniston Rose.
January 16, 2014
A great sequel. Jenny Pattrick really has a knack of capturing the essence of what Denniston Plateau must have been like for those that called it home.
December 30, 2015
Loved it
Fantastic read and great to learn about this wild part of New Zealand. I didn't want it to end. I really want to visit the Denniston Incline now.
Fantastic read and great to learn about this wild part of New Zealand. I didn't want it to end. I really want to visit the Denniston Incline now.
August 7, 2024
This book is the sequel to Denniston Rose. Denniston is a mining town at the turn of the century. In the first book, we follow the fortunes of a wee girl, Rose, and now her story continues.
She is 15 and has two suitors, brilliant and flawed Michael Hattray and serious Brennan.
Heart of Coal could be a Y.A. novel but it is fascinating how Pattrick brings the New Zealand mining town of Dennison to life. The story is based around the town's characters, their loves, hopes and flaws. These are real people. We get to become part of their world as they enter the 20th Century.
Pattrick is skilled at making history come alive by living it. She doesn't tell us about it, we live it. I enjoyed her comments about Priemere Seddon. We get a view into New Zealand politics via the effects they have on people's lives. I plan to visit Denniston in the next couple of years because Pattrick has made the lives of these people so interesting.
The dustjacket blurb promotes the romance of Rose but the book is much better. Rose is a traumatised heroine with psychological problems due to foster abuse. We get to see how they play out through her two marriages and how they become so severe that she has to leave her children and husband behind to regain her mental well-being. This is unheard of in the 19th Century however it is handled well and the ending is satisfying. The book is well-written and an easy read. She has Dicken's touch of telegraphing major plot points in a way that makes it hard to put the book down.
The book has sex scenes but isn't erotica. It also deals with the reality of death and working in mines. So it's not a book to give to a younger reader however would be fine for late teens.
I would recommend this book to young and older women, children in foster care, people who love history, people who love NZ history and people who love a good yarn. I have sold my original copy of Denniston Rose, much to my sadness and would keep both of these to read again. However Wellington NZ library has copies so I am happy to keep taking them out.
She is 15 and has two suitors, brilliant and flawed Michael Hattray and serious Brennan.
Heart of Coal could be a Y.A. novel but it is fascinating how Pattrick brings the New Zealand mining town of Dennison to life. The story is based around the town's characters, their loves, hopes and flaws. These are real people. We get to become part of their world as they enter the 20th Century.
Pattrick is skilled at making history come alive by living it. She doesn't tell us about it, we live it. I enjoyed her comments about Priemere Seddon. We get a view into New Zealand politics via the effects they have on people's lives. I plan to visit Denniston in the next couple of years because Pattrick has made the lives of these people so interesting.
The dustjacket blurb promotes the romance of Rose but the book is much better. Rose is a traumatised heroine with psychological problems due to foster abuse. We get to see how they play out through her two marriages and how they become so severe that she has to leave her children and husband behind to regain her mental well-being. This is unheard of in the 19th Century however it is handled well and the ending is satisfying. The book is well-written and an easy read. She has Dicken's touch of telegraphing major plot points in a way that makes it hard to put the book down.
The book has sex scenes but isn't erotica. It also deals with the reality of death and working in mines. So it's not a book to give to a younger reader however would be fine for late teens.
I would recommend this book to young and older women, children in foster care, people who love history, people who love NZ history and people who love a good yarn. I have sold my original copy of Denniston Rose, much to my sadness and would keep both of these to read again. However Wellington NZ library has copies so I am happy to keep taking them out.
December 19, 2025
Heart of Coal didn’t quite pack the same emotional punch as The Denniston Rose.
While it has its merits, particularly in its exploration of the mining world, it lacked the depth and impact that made The Denniston Rose so gripping. I found the character of Rose to be somewhat flat, lacking the complexity and emotional depth that could have made her truly compelling. Her journey, while interesting, didn’t evoke the same strong connection or resonance as I’d hoped.
The historical setting and the portrayal of the mining community are still well done, but the characters didn’t feel as fully realized or dynamic this time around.
While it has its merits, particularly in its exploration of the mining world, it lacked the depth and impact that made The Denniston Rose so gripping. I found the character of Rose to be somewhat flat, lacking the complexity and emotional depth that could have made her truly compelling. Her journey, while interesting, didn’t evoke the same strong connection or resonance as I’d hoped.
The historical setting and the portrayal of the mining community are still well done, but the characters didn’t feel as fully realized or dynamic this time around.
August 20, 2022
This book started a bit slowly for me and I was thinking it wasn’t as good as the first book ‘The Denniston Rose’ but how wrong could I be!!! Once I got into it I could not put it down! A wonderful sequel with many unexpected twists and turns - loved it!! I got it from the library but now ( as I have my own copy of The Dennison Rose) I really want it for my own bookshelf!!
January 19, 2019
Having been up on the Denniston Plateau, good to read what life would have been like for people up there. In fact I would have thought harsher. I read the books the wrong way round so look forward to reading The Denniston Rose next.
January 15, 2025
The follow up book of Denniston Rose. Follows the life of Rose at the Denniston Coal mining town. A hard life.
A very compaling read. I could imagine myself in Denniston through the authors word's. A must read
A very compaling read. I could imagine myself in Denniston through the authors word's. A must read
August 30, 2017
Would so love to Denniston, love this and the Denniston Rose a couple of my favourites they really take you back to the time when life was simple and hard at the same time.
February 9, 2018
Another brilliant read by Jenny Patrick.
July 19, 2019
Great follow up to The Denniston Rose. Loved this book too.
November 29, 2020
The ending is very strong. And it was so heartwarming to read about NZ and the Incline! The first part, Denniston Rose, is just a masterpiece for me.
August 8, 2022
Beautiful follow up to the Denniston Rose.
January 14, 2025
A great story, well written.
April 29, 2025
Couldn't get into it despite enjoying The Denniston Rose
February 21, 2026
Flowed on well from the first book. Explained more. Wrapped up suddenly.
June 20, 2026
An emotional read. Quite affecting
August 25, 2026
Yeah probably a 2 or 2.5. Just didn’t do an awful lot for me tbh
December 22, 2021
I always meant to read this after enjoying The Denniston Rose, but I left it a bit too long and couldn’t remember the first book very well, which I felt hampered my enjoyment of the second. Not a lot happens, and a lot happens, and the book comes to a sudden abrupt end, leaving much to the imagination.
January 9, 2026
2026 - Kiwi historical fiction, sequel to Denniston Rose. A good read with strong characters in an intriguing setting. I’m keener than ever now to go to the Denniston Plateau to have a look see.
September 19, 2018
Enjoyed this one too - Rose is a right character, and relatable in a modern way.
Still determined to visit Denniston at some point.
2022 Re-read: Should really have waited till I had Denniston Rose to hand again. This one frustrated me with its asides and assumptions of knowledge.
Still found it absolutely heart rending.
Still determined to visit Denniston at some point.
2022 Re-read: Should really have waited till I had Denniston Rose to hand again. This one frustrated me with its asides and assumptions of knowledge.
Still found it absolutely heart rending.
May 9, 2012
Transferred from my spreadsheet to Goodreads
August 28, 2012
I didn't like this as much as Denniston Rose, but it was good.
September 24, 2012
Loved this book. I have been up to the old coal mine and really got into this story. Jenny Pattrick is a great author
May 21, 2013
Another great read from Jenny Pattrick. Well researched and believable tale that will be enjoyed by anyone looking for background reading on New Zealand. I enjoyed thoroughly it.
December 19, 2014
Very enjoyable. Rose is an interesting character, but far more interesting is Denniston itself. Having read them in the wrong order I am immediately going to read The Denniston Rose
January 14, 2015
not as good as Denniston Rose
February 2, 2015
It was a nice ending to the series (of two) I want more though...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews