Girl of Shadows (Convict Girls #2) in Aussie Readers

Apr 10, 2015 Brenda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2013-release, historical-fiction, aussie-authors, borrowed-from-library

Settled in their assignments in 1830 Sydney, convict girls Friday Woolfe, Sarah Morgan and Harrie Clarke found themselves riddled with guilt over the crime which had occurred the previous year. Sarah had been assigned to Adam Green as her expertise as a jeweller meant she could assist him in his jewellery shop. But his wife hated Sarah with a passion – her jealousy was easy to see; and Sarah disliked Esther as much if not more. Harrie enjoyed her work as a maid with the Barrett family – their ma Settled in their assignments in 1830 Sydney, convict girls Friday Woolfe, Sarah Morgan and Harrie Clarke found themselves riddled with guilt over the crime which had occurred the previous year. Sarah had been assigned to Adam Green as her expertise as a jeweller meant she could assist him in his jewellery shop. But his wife hated Sarah with a passion – her jealousy was easy to see; and Sarah disliked Esther as much if not more. Harrie enjoyed her work as a maid with the Barrett family – their many children kept her busy while she enjoyed utilizing her skills with needle work helping Nora Barrett. Friday was assigned to Mrs. Elizabeth Hislop and worked as a prostitute in an upmarket brothel; even though she didn’t particularly enjoy her work, she was happy enough. They all needed to make as much money as possible to put toward the Charlotte fund – little Charlotte with Janie and her daughter Rosie resided at the Female Factory and needed the money to survive…

Bella Jackson who had arrived on the Isla from England with them had used the wiles she’d learned on the streets of London and was married to a much older but wealthy free man. But it meant Bella could do as she chose, and the continuing path of evil that she was on meant Sarah, Harrie and Friday had to be on full alert; for Bella knew what had transpired and she had ways and means of keeping the upper hand over the friends.

As time moved forward the three girls realized the web of danger was closing tightly around them. With Harrie distressed and sad, her health was concerning Sarah and Friday more each time they saw her. But Friday had her own demons to fight – her drinking was becoming a problem; but that was the only way she could forget. Sarah found herself struggling once again – the friends needed to come together with a plan. But what could they do?

Absolutely brilliant! I loved Girl of Shadows, which is the second in the Convict girls series by Aussie author Deborah Challinor. When I turned the last page I was tempted to start the third book immediately, but resisted! I’ll savor the anticipation for a little while…

In my mind, this is historical fiction at its best. 1830s Sydney Australia is made so incredibly real by the author, and while it is fiction, the detail is authentic. A great read; a great series – one I recommend highly to all lovers of the genre. But please read it in order:)
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Sep 22, 2015 PattyMacDotComma rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: aa, australian-author, historical-fiction, aa-ce

4.5★

Still a fun read about old Sydney (1830s) and the four convict girls (one now a ghost) struggling with masters and life a long way from whence they came.

I loved the first book of this series, Behind the Sun, which introduced us to the girls, and I enjoyed the second, but this time I did stumble across a few phrases that I found irritatingly modern--not enough to stop me reading, though.

We follow the same girls, but his time, Rachel is a flaxen-haired ghost – or is she? Whether she really is ...more

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Mar 17, 2019 Kathryn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: added-because-part-of-series, 4-stars, reading-list-2019, audiobooks, australian-authors, ps-2019

It was a couple of years since I read the first book in this series, and I was very pleased that I made some detailed notes in a spoiler to refresh my memory so I’m going to do it again. There are major spoilers in the spoiler tag below so don’t open the tag if you haven’t read the book.

I enjoyed this set in Sydney in the 1830s, although there is some bad language, violence and a small amount of graphic sex. I will continue with the series and must try not to leave it so long before I read the n It was a couple of years since I read the first book in this series, and I was very pleased that I made some detailed notes in a spoiler to refresh my memory so I’m going to do it again. There are major spoilers in the spoiler tag below so don’t open the tag if you haven’t read the book.

I enjoyed this set in Sydney in the 1830s, although there is some bad language, violence and a small amount of graphic sex. I will continue with the series and must try not to leave it so long before I read the next one.

(view spoiler)
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