Tracking North in Aussie Readers

Jan 14, 2014 Brenda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2014-release, read-on-kindle, aussie-authors, contemporary-fiction, net-galley, own-read, arc

Kelly Roberts had made her home with husband Bob, son Rob and daughter Annie at Rainsford Station in far north Queensland’s Gulf country. She had a feeling of discontent in her marriage the day Bob left to muster cattle some distance away – boarding school for young Rob was on the agenda – Kelly wanted him to go, to learn more life skills; Bob wanted him to stay. The children had been home-schooled by Kelly in conjunction with the School of the Air up until now, but with high school looming, the Kelly Roberts had made her home with husband Bob, son Rob and daughter Annie at Rainsford Station in far north Queensland’s Gulf country. She had a feeling of discontent in her marriage the day Bob left to muster cattle some distance away – boarding school for young Rob was on the agenda – Kelly wanted him to go, to learn more life skills; Bob wanted him to stay. The children had been home-schooled by Kelly in conjunction with the School of the Air up until now, but with high school looming, the decisions were troublesome.

When the tragic news reached Kelly that their life had just changed in a heartbeat, she had no idea what to do, where to go, how she would cope. But she knew she needed to pick herself up and keep going for the sake of the children. After determining once again that living with, or even near, her mother and sister was definitely NOT on the agenda, her father-in-law Quinn came to her rescue. Bob had had part ownership of a property with his estranged father; the beautiful Evergreen Springs would in turn become their sanctuary.

Gradually the family healed – Rob turned into the typical prickly teenager, never wanting a hug or cuddle from his Mum (he was too old for that sort of thing!) while Annie being younger, loved her Mum’s cuddles. Quinn was always there in the background, and quite often in the foreground too – a dedicated and much loved grandfather. Day to day living on the land was busy, sometimes unpredictable, but always interesting.

Suddenly though, the dynamics changed – the prickle of tension and danger were in the air. Would the wonder and beauty of Evergreen Springs and the surrounding countryside no longer be a sanctuary? Would the family once again know tragedy?

What a wonderful book! I absolutely loved it – the beauty of the countryside; the descriptive text was vibrant and unique – I felt like I was there and could feel the humidity along with the enjoyment when the rains came. I really enjoyed all the main characters, but I particularly loved Quinn; the author has got the authenticity of this character down so well, I could see him, he made me laugh out loud on a number of occasions with his dry wit. He definitely was a major part of the story! I have no hesitation in recommending this novel highly by Aussie author Kerry McGinnis.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
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Mar 19, 2014 Bree T rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, australian, rural-lit, aww2014

Kelly Roberts lives with her husband on a huge spread in the remote cattle country in northern Australia. This has been her life since she left home at eighteen and boarded a bus. She worked as a ringer/jillaroo and there she met Bob, a skilled horseman who knew his place in the world and how to do his job. Together they had two children, raising them on properties. When tragedy strikes, Kelly takes her two children to her father-in-law’s property. Bob was long estranged from his father but both Kelly Roberts lives with her husband on a huge spread in the remote cattle country in northern Australia. This has been her life since she left home at eighteen and boarded a bus. She worked as a ringer/jillaroo and there she met Bob, a skilled horseman who knew his place in the world and how to do his job. Together they had two children, raising them on properties. When tragedy strikes, Kelly takes her two children to her father-in-law’s property. Bob was long estranged from his father but both Kelly and her father-in-law Quinn believe that they can start over again and heal the rift.

At the property Evergreen Springs, Quinn has been slowly turning it into a camping ground for tourists and Kelly, as part owner of the property, isn’t sure that they should be splashing so much money around without having much of an idea about the return. She has the children to think of – both of them have been schooled by the School of the Air but her eldest Rob will soon either need to go to boarding school or board in town with a local and attend the high school. Kelly doesn’t want to leave Evergreen Springs but the reality is, she may need to move to town and get a job so that she can afford to send the children to school. Quinn convinces her to give six months on the property a go and see if she can sees them making a proper go of it. The tourists are coming – their land has a creek, a perfect camping ground and Quinn makes sure that there’s always plenty to do and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables to sell them. In his mind it’s the perfect business, they just need to nurture it and watch it grow.

Then Rob makes a sinister discovery in the bush and Kelly realises that danger lurks not too far away from the peaceful property they have made their home.

Tracking North is the first book I’ve read from Kerry McGinnis and it’s set in the Gulf Country, the north-west region of Queensland that is wedged between the Cape of York and Arnhem Land and fronts onto the Gulf of Carpentaria. The setting is beautiful. So much time is devoted to describing the properties, the isolation, the types of buildings the characters live in and the improvements they use. They live without grid electricity, using wood stoves for cooking and heating until Quinn rigs up a generator to light the buildings. In the Wet season they can be cut off from town for weeks if the roads flood or just the sheer amount of rain makes them impossible to navigate without being bogged. The children have a lovely freedom that’s somewhat reminiscent of the Mary Grant Bruce Billabong series that I loved so much as a kid – riding their ponies, helping out with chores, doing some lessons and growing vegetables etc until they head either to boarding school or into town at 12/13 years old to go to high school.

The story is so enjoyable, I found myself sinking into it with absolutely nothing distracting me. Kelly is having to ‘start over’ after a tragic loss. She’s had to uproot her children and change their lives and they’ve lost someone who was most important to them. Her son is growing into a man, fighting against her restrictions and she longs to hold him closer for just a little longer, keep him her baby. But he’s been raised in the bush to be independent, to be capable and strong and she knows that she needs to let him have his freedom, keep growing up and developing and learning things. They are all capable really – Kelly is used to isolated life having lived it with Bob for well over a decade. She can cook, keep a garden and is not afraid of hard work. She can read the weather and knows what the patterns mean.

I’m not cut out for that sort of life (am far too precious to give up my indoor plumbing, laptop, cable TV etc) but I love reading about it. McGinnis paints a lovely sense of community as well, detailing the local events and the way they welcome each other’s children into their homes, often for weeks at a time (or to board semi-permanently). She also capitalises on the remoteness of the Gulf to work in a story of a mystery aircraft and what it might possibly be up to. There’s also the small possibility of a new future for Kelly as well and all of these strands work together quite effortlessly, woven into one cohesive and enjoyable story. I loved the character of Quinn – a tough old bushman, no education to speak of but possessed of a very different sort of knowledge and skilled in all sorts of bush and rural trades plus he turned out to be much wilier than anyone, especially Kelly assumed. Quinn definitely added a certain spark to the story and it was fantastic watching his relationships with the children grow as they got to know each other.

Tracking North is a wonderful story and Kerry McGinnis has obviously used her extensive knowledge of the area and also remote cattle property living to craft it. I am definitely adding her other books to my TBR list. ...more

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Jan 19, 2014 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it really liked it

Shelves: aussie-author, arc-are, netgalley-reviews

Tracking North, Kerry McGinnis's fourth novel, is an engaging story of family and second chances set in the stunning Gulf country.

Kelly Roberts' life is turned upside down when she suddenly finds herself widowed with two children. Forced to leave the station that had been her family's home, Kelly dreads the idea of moving into town, or in with her mother who disapproved of her marriage, so when her father-in-law, Quinn, offers them a place at nearby Evergreen Springs she accepts his invitation a
Tracking North, Kerry McGinnis's fourth novel, is an engaging story of family and second chances set in the stunning Gulf country.

Kelly Roberts' life is turned upside down when she suddenly finds herself widowed with two children. Forced to leave the station that had been her family's home, Kelly dreads the idea of moving into town, or in with her mother who disapproved of her marriage, so when her father-in-law, Quinn, offers them a place at nearby Evergreen Springs she accepts his invitation as a temporary arrangement. But the longer she stays, the harder it is to contemplate leaving...

Set in the spectacular Gulf Country, which ranges across the northern borders of Queensland and the Northern Territory to the Gulf of Carpentaria, it's clear the author has an intimate understanding of life in the remote regions of outback Australia, particularly its challenges in relation to the everyday tasks that urban dwellers take for granted. Grocery shopping and collecting the mail entails hours of driving over rutted, dirt roads, electricity is provided by temperamental and noisy generators, the children rely on the School of the Air for education or must be sent away and for weeks every year the Wet Season limits their access to the world beyond their doorstep. I really enjoyed this glimpse into a life so different from mine and its challenges and joys.

Though I admired Kelly's strength and resourcefulness, there were times when I found her a little priggish, especially in relation to her father in law, Quinn and his ambitions. I felt for her though as she struggled with her son's growing independence, her guilt over the final moments she spent with her husband and her fears for the future. I loved Quinn unreservedly, a hard working, wise old bushie with a huge heart and a few tricks up sleeve.

Though the focus of Tracking North is on family, McGinnis introduces suspense into the story when Twice stumbles upon a dead body and clandestine airstrip on the border of Evergreen Springs. There is also a low key romance that the author develops between Kelly and police sergeant Frank Watson.

Tracking North is a well written, lovely contemporary novel that I really enjoyed and I hope to read more by McGinnis soon.

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