CariGransnet I've been waiting for the thread and only just spotted your comment!!!
Thank you for my copy. It arrived in last week's snow and was a welcome diversion. Glorious to be transported to the heat of Australia and I'm sure I must have saved on heating during the time it took me to read it. I do have a good imagination.
What a great book. An easy read, very descriptive and it did remind me of The Thorn Birds. I particularly like the layout of the lists of timelines of events in the years the story is set. It really helped me to imagine the scene for the following chapters.
Purpledaffodil comments on the men who conveniently got themselves out of the way and I'd like to ask Sophie Green, the author if she feels this is a common trait in Australian culture as it is a situation that I've come across before. It's a vast country where communication can be difficult and where it is simple to lose oneself in work on stations, head off travelling or take up residence in a city. Combine this with an indigenous culture of going walkabout and a desire to isolate oneself from the usual responsibilities, it's very easy to conveniently disappear.
Like other Gransnetters I am now inspired to read more of the Australian classics referred to by Sophie, thank you.