Set in the Darling Downs, it was great to read a book where you could identify with the area. Not only was it a great family saga, it also explained the issue of Native Title, which was the ‘news of the day’ when I first emigrated and I didn’t really take much interest in it.
Full of unlikeable characters John McIvor, William’s mother, and Mrs Griffith, I worried about William all the way through this book. I found myself becoming very anxious about his earache and imagined all sorts of horrible endings for him. It is so easy to fob a child off when they complain about something and having had a friend who insisted her child’s earache was investigated further only to find she had a brain tumour I felt very angry at his mother and the doctor. Ruth became quietly a wonderful and unexpected saviour for William and felt re-assured that he was in stern but good hands at the end of the book.
The theme of fire was quite strong, and with it’s location and droughts, bush fires are always a major concern. What an ironic ending for Kuran Station, but it would seem the best for all concerned.
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