Publisher: Harper Collins Australia.
Series: The Matilda Saga #1.
Source: Borrowed from library.
Synopsis From Goodreads:
In 1894, twelve-year-old Matilda flees the city slums to find her unknown father and his farm. But drought grips the land, and the shearers are on strike. Her father has turned swaggie and he’s wanted by the troopers. In front of his terrified daughter, he makes a stand against them, defiant to the last. ′You′ll never catch me alive, said he…′
Set against a backdrop of bushfire, flood, war and jubilation, this is the story of one girl’s journey towards independence. It is also the story of others who had no vote and very little but their dreams.
Drawing on the well-known poem by A.B. Paterson and from events rooted in actual history, this is the untold story behind Australia′s early years as an emerging nation.
My Thoughts:
4 stars.
This was a sweeping and gripping saga from one of Australia’s best writers of historical fiction.
We follow Matilda from a 12 year old girl to womanhood. She is strong, resilient and determined no matter what trials come her way, and she has to face many in her young life. Moving from the city to a farm to be with her father, she doesn’t get to be with him long before life throws Matilda another blow. Despite her age, she is resourceful and stubborn and wants to stay on the land her father owns.
I don’t want to say too much about the actual events that unfold in this book, because the fun is in the finding out. There are themes of family, friendship and first love. There is also the story of the fight for women to get the vote threaded throughout. Matilda’s personality, her strong will and kind heart win many people over, and many people are willing to help her, wanting her to succeed. At times this felt a little convenient but didn’t detract from the story. It is a fairly long story, spanning many years, but I was never bored. I enjoyed the use of letters spread throughout the book to convey parts of the story and to show the moving of time.
I was drawn into Matilda’s story from the beginning and captivated through each twist and turn that life threw at her. The ending brought a surprising twist that was very interesting and explained a lot. It has a satisfying ending, but is left open enough that you want to read the next book in the saga.
I enjoy historical novels and I especially like historical novels set in Australia. This one was well written, bringing Australian history to life. The characters were well rounded and realistic. You could easily forget they were fictional. French does not shy away from the realities of history during this time, though she is also mindful that this is written for younger readers. There is a little violence, but overall this was a clean read. I would recommend it for readers who like historical fiction. It is suitable for teens from twelve plus.
I read this book for the #AussieYAChallenge. If you are interested in joining the challenge to read more Aussie YA books and bring more awareness to them, you can find out more HERE.
Rochelle L. Sharpe 