Australia, 1945. Until now, Kate Dowd has led a sheltered life on Amiens, her family’s sprawling sheep station in northern New South Wales. But with her father succumbing to wounds he’s borne since the Great War, the management of the farm is increasingly falling on Kate’s shoulders.
With only the sheep-rearing book, The Woolgrower’s Companion to guide her- Kate rises to the challenge. However, the arrival of two Italian POW labourers unsettles not only the other workers, but Kate too- especially when she finds herself drawn to the enigmatic Luca Canali.
Then she receives devastating news, the farm is near bankrupt and the bank is set to repossess. Given just eight weeks to pay the debt; Kate is now in a race to save everything she holds dear.
Publisher: Vintage
Pages: 416
The Woolgrower’s Companion is an excellent piece of historical
fiction set in the Australian outback in 1945. Kate Dowd’s husband is off fighting
in the war, they have just taken on two Italian POW’s and Kate is helping to
run the family farm with her ageing father. As if things are not difficult
enough, the bank then come knocking on the door and Kate has just weeks to save
her family’s livelihood.
I do like historical fiction, but I have to admit that I mainly
read those that are set in the UK rather than abroad. The Woolgrower’s Companion
was fascinating though and I loved learning about Australia during this tumultuous
time. Joy Rhodes looks closely at the plight of the indigenous aborigines which
is a subject I know nothing about but I feel that she dealt with it honestly and
it added a very interesting aspect to the book.
Kate Dowd is an interesting protagonist, she has been
somewhat sheltered so far in life but when the farm is threatened she more than
steps up to the plate. I enjoyed the romantic nature of the book but Kate’s
transformation was the best part in my opinion. We see her having to muck in with
the men and earn their respect and loyalty- no mean feat in the Australian
outback. I think she is a shining example of what many women at the time experienced,
suddenly being called upon to do far more than was ever expected or allowed of
them before.
I can highly recommend The Woolgrower’s Companion, Joy
Rhodes delivers a fantastic story with believable and intriguing characters. If
you are a fan of historical fiction then do not miss out on this one.
