Visit rural Western Australia and Italy….without leaving home.
The Sunnyvale Girls
Fiona Palmer
Penguin
Michael Joseph
ISBN: 9781921901454
Description:
Three generations of Stewart women share a deep connection to their family farm, but a secret from the past threatens to tear them apart.
Widowed matriarch Maggie remembers a time when the Italian prisoners of war came to work on their land, changing her heart and her home forever. Single mum Toni has been tied to the place for as long as she can recall, although farming was never her dream. And Flick is as passionate about the farm as a young girl could be, despite the limited opportunities for love.
When a letter from 1946 is unearthed in an old cottage on the property, the Sunnyvale girls find themselves on a journey deep into their own hearts and all the way across the world to Italy. Their quest to solve a mystery leads to incredible discoveries about each other, and about themselves.
My View:
Dual time settings, a recent history that beckons and beguiles, strong passionate women working on their own land – what more could you ask for? I loved the settings – as I started reading I was sitting in my own garden, coincidentally one of the protagonists was working in hers! She had the screeching of galahs as she admired her tomato plants, I raced around scaring Twenty-eights (demon parrots) from our olive trees, roses, tomatoes and anything else that looked young and fresh and green growing in our garden. Immediately I was transported and enmeshed in this story of the land.
More than a rural romance this narrative opens up a window to a local history that I quickly discovered I wanted to learn more about – the internment of POWs and immigrants in Australia during the Second World War, a population that helped shaped the countryside by working on farms in rural Australia. I am surprised that I have not come across more of this type of local history before now – this would make a brilliant heart-warming film of significant multicultural interest.
PS – did I mention the writing – flowing, fun, enjoyable and realistic. Take me to Italy any day even if only with your words.
Carol – I’m intrigued just by that buried letter. What a great premise! And I do like ties between past and present like that. It makes for a really rich story. Glad you liked this.
I did enjoy this Margot – there is something about local settings that I find really engaging. And the bit of relatively recent history woven in was captivating.
Sounds good, and for once is actually available over here. I’m not adding to the TBR at the moment, so this can go on my wishlist instead… 😉
really – I am surprised- this is a very Aussie book…
I’ve enjoyed the few Aussie books I’ve read – I’m always just sorry that so many of them aren’t available here, or are ridiculously expensive when they are.
Crazy that is should cost so much more..there were some great Aussie reads last year.
I love how eclectic your reading is Carol. And the imagery of this book and your life is wonderful. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks Rebecca!
This does sound enjoyable Carol – the historical component adding that extra layer.
Deb it is something I wouldn’t mind learning more about – I didn’t know we had POW’s in WA (or in Aust) I knew we interred people from countries we were at war with but POW’s was news to me.
Not normally something I’d be drawn to but this sounds lovely Carol – I agree, I do most of my travelling via fiction 🙂
Italy sounds great….
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