The Diamond Hunter in Aussie Readers

Jun 26, 2020 Brenda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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

Clementine Knight loved her father, James, and Joseph One-Shoe, Zulu companion and partner in the diamond diggings of Africa. Clem’s mother had passed when she was six years old of malaria, and her father was distraught at her loss. He turned to the bottle to drown his sorrows, so Clem’s care fell to Joseph more and more often. But Clem dearly loved the two most important men in her life, and although she ran wild through their shanty town of New Rush and had no liking for school, she was a brig ...more

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Nov 24, 2019 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: provided-by-publisher, aussie-author, arc-are

From a ramshackle, dusty miners camp in Southern Africa, to the green countryside of northern England, and the bustling city of London, Fiona McIntosh takes us on a journey of heartbreak, trust, betrayal, and love in her latest historical fiction novel, The Diamond Hunter.

Clementine is just six when her well-born mother succumbs to malaria on the plains of Southern Africa where her father, James, has brought them, determined to make his fortune during the 1870's gold rush in Africa. With his wif From a ramshackle, dusty miners camp in Southern Africa, to the green countryside of northern England, and the bustling city of London, Fiona McIntosh takes us on a journey of heartbreak, trust, betrayal, and love in her latest historical fiction novel, The Diamond Hunter.

Clementine is just six when her well-born mother succumbs to malaria on the plains of Southern Africa where her father, James, has brought them, determined to make his fortune during the 1870's gold rush in Africa. With his wife’s death, James obsession to prove his worth grows and he stakes a claim in a nearby diamond mine, but haunted by grief and guilt, both the working of the claim, and the care of Clementine, is largely left to his partner, Joseph One-Shoe, a Zulu warrior.
Just as Joseph uncovers a large diamond that will ensure a secure future for them all, tragedy strikes, and Clementine has no choice but to return to England in the care of her Uncle to claim her birthright as the only legitimate heir of the wealthy Grant family.

Clementine is a wonderful character, as a child she is sweetly precocious, adoring both her father, despite his obvious flaws, and Joseph One-Shoe, whose love for her is achingly tender. Though still only a child when she returns to a life of privilege in England, as she grows Clementine remains grounded, and I found her to be an appealing heroine.
Joseph One-Shoe is also a delight, a Zulu warrior with a largely unpronounceable name, it’s is Clementine that christens him due to his preference of wearing just one shoe in order to remain connected to the land. In her Author’s Notes, McIntosh reveals she based his character on a young African man who was hired to care for her and her family while they lived in a gold mining camp in Africa during the 1960’s.

Reggie Grant, Clementine’s Uncle, is perhaps the most complex character in the novel, neither a hero nor a villain, he is both laudable, and deeply flawed. His actions are the catalyst for the questions that arise surrounding the death of Clementine’s father, driving her to determine the truth.

There is a touch of romance introduced to the plot when Clementine meets Will Axford, an underwriter for Lloyd’s of London. While somewhat conservative in his thinking, Will is a good match for her, in that he is plain spoken and honourable, though perhaps to a fault. The unresolved nature of their relationship is unusual for McIntosh, and I wonder if perhaps the author has plans to return to this story.

As always, McIntosh's deftly weaves historical fact into her fiction. The story is meticulously researched, and her descriptions evocative, particularly in terms of her depiction of the frenzy surrounding the diamond rush, and the settlement that grew around ‘The Hole’, which later became the capital city of South Africa’s Northern Cape Province, Kimberley. The author also includes some general insight into the diamond trade during the period, and alludes to Lloyd’s of London’s first steps in expanding beyond marine policies.

Beautifully written with authentic characterisation and detail, The Diamond Hunter is a captivating read from, as I’m quoted on the back cover, an extraordinary storyteller. ...more

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Dec 29, 2019 Helen rated it it was amazing

This is the first book from MS McIntosh that I have read and it won’t be the last, she transported me back to the diamond rush days in Africa it is 1870’s when we get to meet six year old Clementine Knight and share her moving journey to adulthood.

James and Louisa Knight with their daughter Clementine are leaving the wealth and England that Louisa is used to make a new life in Australia, James is a poor Scotsman, an engineer but he loves his wife and daughter, but when the ship reaches Africa Ja This is the first book from MS McIntosh that I have read and it won’t be the last, she transported me back to the diamond rush days in Africa it is 1870’s when we get to meet six year old Clementine Knight and share her moving journey to adulthood.

James and Louisa Knight with their daughter Clementine are leaving the wealth and England that Louisa is used to make a new life in Australia, James is a poor Scotsman, an engineer but he loves his wife and daughter, but when the ship reaches Africa James decides that staying here and searching for diamonds will change their lives, life doesn’t turn out the way he thought when his beloved Louisa loses her life to Malaria and he is left to bring his daughter up in a shanty town, but they have befriended a Zulu warrior who Clem names Joseph One- Shoe, Joseph and Clem share a special bond, they teach each other so much and life goes on.

Joseph and James finally find the big rock they have been searching for and it is time for a return to England but when James brother in law Reggie arrives to take Clementine back to the Grant family and her heritage and the life he feels she should have, things change when James loses his life and Reggie takes young Clem away from Joseph the man who has been a father to her and the diamonds disappear.

Clementine grows up in wealth looked after by her uncle, they have a good life and although Clem never forgets Joseph a lot of her memories of her life have been buried, that is until Will comes into her life and memories are starting to return and she wants to solve the mystery of the diamonds and find Joseph One-Shoe.

This is a compelling story one that had me turning the pages, beautifully written the settings and the scenery feel so real, the characters come to life and the story is moving and poignant, the love and bond that a young Clem and Joseph share is beautiful, I loved this one and highly recommend it to anyone who loves a great read, this is a story to fall into with lots of emotions, thank you MS McIntosh and Penguin Books Australia.
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Jan 26, 2024 Karen rated it liked it · review of another edition

Clementine Knight is 6 years old when her mother dies of malaria in the Kimberley region in South Africa. She is left to be raised by her alcoholic father and their trusty Zulu companion, Joseph One Shoe. Her father and Joseph discover a large flawless diamond which will change their lives, her father decides to take her back to England to be brought up on her mother’s estate, but he dies in an accident before he can do that. Her Uncle Reggie has come to take her home and this coincided with her ...more

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