The Quarantine Station in Aussie Readers

May 16, 2019 Brenda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019-release, read-on-kindle, aussie-authors, historical-fiction, own-read

Fresh off the boat from London a matter of days prior, Rose Porter, with only a few pennies in her purse, needed to find a job. With the position of parlourmaid at the Quarantine Station available, she left the lodgings she was staying in and caught the ferry, then a cart – that would only take her to the Quarantine Arch – and walked the rest of the way. Miss Dalton, the woman to interview her, was hesitant, but Rose was hired, to start the following day. Inoculations followed, with many rules f Fresh off the boat from London a matter of days prior, Rose Porter, with only a few pennies in her purse, needed to find a job. With the position of parlourmaid at the Quarantine Station available, she left the lodgings she was staying in and caught the ferry, then a cart – that would only take her to the Quarantine Arch – and walked the rest of the way. Miss Dalton, the woman to interview her, was hesitant, but Rose was hired, to start the following day. Inoculations followed, with many rules foist upon her, the uniform – and her roommate, soon to be best friend, Bessie – Rose was ready.

It was 1918 and the war was in full swing. The ships that arrived in the harbour came under full quarantine, with the passengers and crew confined to the station for 40 days if they were well, longer if they were not. Some left, some died – it was a shocking time and when the Spanish flu came to Australia’s shores, the Quarantine Station was inundated with people of all classes. In the meantime, Rose was enjoying her work, making friends and learning many things – including that some rules were there to be broken…

In 2019 Emma Wilcott lived and worked in Sydney, while her beloved, one-hundred-year-old grandmother, Gwendoline, was in care. She was all Emma had left and she was frightened of losing her, though she was aware it would happen sooner than she wanted. With her grandma wandering from the facility on occasion, Emma knew she needed to dig into her past to see if she could find the answers to what was agitating her. But would Emma be able to unravel the mystery of her grandma’s past before it was too late?

The Quarantine Station by Aussie author Michelle Montebello was an incredible read. It has gone immediately onto my "top reads for 2019" list and while it’s my first by this author, it won’t be my last. I’ve been to the Quarantine Station at North Head in Sydney, many years ago, and it was a fascinating place then. They say it’s haunted, but fortunately I didn’t encounter any ghosts! Ms Montebello has blended fact with fiction, telling at the end of the novel about her endeavours. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, both past and present day, and could visualize the incredible views across Sydney Harbour, among other things. Australian historical fiction – highly recommended.
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Mar 03, 2019 Helen rated it it was amazing

I am not sure where to start with this one, it is an amazing story with twists and turns as we relive life during the 1900’s it was a hard time then in Sydney with the first world war raging and then in 2019 as we try to solve a mystery that started back in 1918. Once you pick this one up you are not going to want to put it down so make sure that you have nothing else planed, as you get to know Rose and Thomas, Gwendoline, Emma and Matt and a cast of fabulous characters.

It is 1918 and Rose Porte ...more

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Nov 04, 2019 Marg rated it it was amazing

Shelves: awwc-2019

4.5/5

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I had never read this author before but I will definitely look for her books, especially if she writes some more dual time lines.
I am thinking that the next time I am in Sydney I am going to have to plan a visit to the quarantine station for myself

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Nov 01, 2020 Kathryn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-reading-list, 4-stars, fiction, australian-authors, aty-2020

I loved this. It was a little predictable, at times, but it didn't detract from the story. I didn't know anything about the quarantine station at North Head, and it was interesting to read about another time of quarantine, 100 years earlier. ...more

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Mar 17, 2019 Cathleen Ross rated it it was amazing

Absolutely loved this book. Well written. Very interesting. It was just the type of book I like to read. It was also interesting in that it had a modern and an older timeline, which interlinked with an interesting plot twist at the end.

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