A Room Made of Leaves

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Tačiau skaityti gali būti įdomu – aš dabar jau tiksliai žinau, kokių žinių bagažą noriu papildyti ir kokias istorines spragas sieksiu užpildyti. In 1789 she makes the arduous journey across the sea with her husband and baby to the newly established penal colony in New South Wales. Having re-read this to prepare for a Book Club discussion, I am still captivated by the story-telling skill of Kate Grenville. I listened to the audiobook version narrated by Valerie Bader and was initially daunted when I saw it had 131 chapters.

There's a great insight into the early history of Australia here - with attitudes making it clear that white settlers and natives had conflict and the damage that these settlers were doing by partitioning the land. This story, told through Grenville’s sharp lens, is one that will stay with the reader for a long time. And it’s taken the skill of the author to turn these memoirs into an intriguing depiction of life for those early Australian settlers. What a contrast for the English born young woman to land in the wilderness of Australia, that at this stage was totally reliant on all manner of produce and supplies from England. A female perspective adds a different view on the men's scheming and how they dealt with the native people.

What she does demonstrate is a shrewd insight into John’s character: his love of grandiose schemes, of the ‘long game’, his need to be proved right, his delight in catching other people out, and his sensitivity to any suggestion of insult. She was on her own – for four years during her husband’s first absence, nine years the second – in a brutal society, yet she came to thrive. In The Dictionary of Lost Words (read recently) I felt the author covered the topics Grenville tries to cover here, but more deftly; with more sensitivity to handling the lives of real people. I really believe that Elizabeth was the main partner in developing the merino empire, especially knowing her family background in England, and also the fact that her husband spent so many years away from the farm. I barely understood what a sister was, still hoping this new creature in the house, this squalling red bully, was only temporary.

A woman from Devon makes one mistake and ends up marrying a man she does not like, and having to move to Australia with him. The read describes Elizabeth as an educated woman, her parents were both educated farmers of some wealth. She was on her own – for four years during her husband’s first absence, nine years the second – in a brutal society, yet she came to thrive. The letters are given an alternative spin to what is actually said in them, providing a more palatable picture of Elizabeth, one that is more appealing to our modern sensibilities, and questioning the official historical accounts of a turbulent period of early settler history that brushed over the cruel realities, brutalities, and crimes committed against the indigenous people, and the grim exploitation of the convict population.

The novel concludes with Elizabeth’s assertions of her sense of being at home in Australia, scaffolded by her knowledge that the property she loves is stolen Aboriginal land. I believe she was, in her own right, a strong, attractive, independent woman who held her own in the new Colony and was loyal to her husband despite his obvious misgivings. Elizabeth was attracted to the quiet manner of Dawes which was in such contrast to the petulant, argumentative and aggressive nature of her husband, Lt. We watched as one dived into the water — with such a smack, it must have hurt — missed its prey, wheeled up, smacked down again, staggered into the air.