`A
work of imaginative sympathy, it is as successful as it is audacious . . .
Clear, authentic and utterly engaging . . . Provides a microcosm for the
changes taking place on the world stage in the period spanned'
* Independent on Sunday *
`Losing
your mother is a turning point in everyone's life...Kate Grenville has translated
that revelation into a totally mesmerising story which reads not like a memoir,
but rather like a perfectly paced novel.'
* Australian Women's Weekly *
'What a difficult thing it must have been to write, but what a treasure [Grenville] has given us...Evocative and fascinating, this brave and heartfelt tribute will appeal to anyone interested in their own family story, Australian history, or the lives of women.' * Books & Publishing *
'Real life painted with with an almost fictional verve, it's an intensely engaging portrait of a world in flux.' * New Daily *
`The writing glides, egoless, through this one life that adapted to the massive changes of a century...I closed the book with regret, wanting more.' * Monthly *
`[A] social history written with the storytelling skill of a novelist.' * Australian *
`A very brave and loving recount of a daughter's view of her mother's history...A powerful piece of nonfiction, important equally for its capacity to capture one life as its ability to summarise that of an entire generation of women.' * Lip Mag *
`There's no denying that the story she has to tell makes for a compelling read...Kate Grenville's recapitulation of her mother's voice is in the end very moving.' * Age *
`A gift to countless readers who will recognise their own experience, or their mother's experience in these pages.' * Australian Book Review *
`With her customary elegance and warmth, Kate Grenville has lovingly documented her mother's life, capturing the aura of the times. I thoroughly enjoyed her engrossing story.' * Chronicle *
`A tribute to a generation of tough Australian women whose stories have mostly been considered unworthy.' * North and South *
'The sharing of this story of resilience, persistence and a mother's enduring love will resonate across generations.' * Good Reading *
'Once again, Grenville treats her readers to a brilliant read.' * Australian Pharmacist *
