Mary-Anne O'Connor

Sisters of Freedom is an Australian historical fiction set in Sydney and along the Hawkesbury River in 1901 and 1902. The story focuses heavily on the struggle for women to win the right to vote, Australia becoming the first country to do so.

The Merriweather sisters Frankie, Ivy and Aggie are very different but are close, until their privileged world is turned upside down when Ivy is kidnapped by a river man and taken into a very different world of struggling river folk, smugglers and danger. The insights she gains shifts Ivy from her complacent life of beauty and instills in her a desire to change the lives of women and children along the river. Feisty Frankie is a strident feminist and determined she will never marry. Aggie works in an orphanage but grieves at her own inability to conceive a child.

The story was gripping but I found the writing clunky and unpolished, particularly at the beginning which began with passages that were definitely tell not show, and the end which felt rushed. Overall this was a good story but lacked editing.… (plus d'informations)

This is an historical fiction by Australian author Mary-Anne O’Connor, set in Newcastle and Sydney in the 1930s. It is a feel-good story of family, friendship, romance and battling against the odds.

Seventeen year old Iris Mitchell lives with her large Irish Catholic family in a shantytown in Carrington, Newcastle during the 1930s depression, with only her mother Agnes’ frugality and bone soup keeping them from starvation. A gift of a ribbon from an admirer John Tucker sets her on the shaky path towards fulfilling her dream of becoming a dress-maker and designer. Her family refuse to allow her to date John as he is from a Protestant family and the division runs deep.

The family move to Sydney when her brother Jim gets a job working on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Iris begins working as a cleaner at the exclusive Caron’s fashion house. Her friendship with unconventional model Natasha Jones opens opportunities for the designer in Iris, but negotiating the dark recesses of the fashion industry brings its own challenges and the very real threat of exploitation and abuse.

This book is very well researched and gives insight into the Union movement at the time, both the racing and fashion industries, the poverty of the Great Depression and the depth of racism towards Irish Catholics. I found the resolution of issues often rather simplistic and convenient but this was a feel-good novel that was an enjoyable easy read.… (plus d'informations)

War Flower follows the lives of twins, Poppy and Rosemary. The girls were wall flowers, growing up in a strict Catholic family, often bullied by the cool girls at school. However after graduating high school and moving to University campus they discover a new life in a blur of alcohol, drugs and parties.
Ben comes from a well to do family with a long line of military men. He knows that duty comes before anything, even love.
Angus is the worry wart whilst his brother Spike is spontaneous and often reckless. The brothers drive across the dusty Australian outback from WA to Surfers Paradise Qld. A trip that will change their lives forever!
War Flower is as much an ode to the 60’s as it is an overwhelming account of how the Vietnam War had a far reaching impact on everyone’s life.
O’Connor holds no bars as she vividly describes life in the 60’s. Music, drugs and politics are a major part of the book as the story slowly brings the reader into the true feel of the sixties. The first half of the story takes place over a six month period and endears the reader to the main set of characters. The remaining half is much faster paced and spans a seven year period.
Overall Wall Flower was an engaging read with well drawn characters showing a true depiction of life in the 60’s around the time of the Vietnam War.
The writing was a bit flowery at times and I feel this wasn’t really necessary. However my congratulations and admiration go to O’Connor for writing a compelling story befitting the topic without the gore, explicit sex and bad language.… (plus d'informations)