I asked for historical fiction a la' [a:Tracy Chevalier|1973|Tracy Chevalier|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1355349263p2/1973.jpg] in the Aussie Readers group and was offered this suggestion. So far so good. Possibly a little dry/ long. Not my favorite genre so don't trust what I say, good or bad, though. :)

Ok, I'm done. I never did entirely empathize with Sara. I liked a few little episodes, but most of it was narration about a woman who had as basically her only goal in life being powerful enough, and financially secure enough, and respectable enough, to not have to endure the hardships of her childhood. I never did understand if there was anything else motivating, or even interesting, her. (The childhood romance and her affections for her children came close, but somehow were not brought alive for me.) Nor did I learn enough about the convicts' experiences or the 'natives' or the less-powerful free settlers.

Still, I was glad I read it, and I do appreciate the recommendation. And I do forward the rec. to any fan of historical fiction - despite the covers that make it look like a romance. ( )

I recently rediscovered an old friend. I hadn’t seen her for over thirty years, but I recognised her instantly. Her name is Sara Dane, and with more than 2 million copies sold, she became the most acclaimed novel of 20 authored by Catherine Gaskin (1929 – 2009). Needless to say, our friendship had stood the test of time, and our meeting again resulted in another reading of this very memorable book.

The novel, Sara Dane is a romance (historical), published in 1954. It’s the story about a young convict woman, sentenced to transportation to Port Jackson, in 1792 (for nothing more than would be considered a child’s prank in modern times) and the hardships she endures in overcoming the stigma of her conviction, before rising to a position of wealth and prominence among the citizens of early New South Wales.

This book appealed to me for several reasons back in the 1980’s; it was most likely the very first novel (fiction) I had ever read on British settlement in Australia, and as an Australian, why I found it especially interesting. It also appealed to me because Sara Dane is an unforgettable character with a great deal of backbone, unlike many heroines in earlier romance novels.

However, the reason I consider the novel Sara Dane to be an old friend, is quite frankly because the author Catherine Gaskin is such a wonderful story teller. Well written stories aren’t easily forgotten, and the memories of them often remain in both a readers mind and heart. It wasn’t at all surprising after reading Sara Dane to learn that many of Catherine Gaskins novels became best sellers, and earned her such titles as ‘the girl with the golden pen’ and ‘the queen of storytellers’.

~

Sara Dane by Catherine Gaskin (Back Cover):-

A wild cacophony of screams and shrieks issued from the dark hold where a maniacal group of women rolled together in a frenzied struggle.

Lieutenant Andrew Maclay could see that one of them, almost hidden beneath the others, was fighting alone. ‘Silence!’ Andrew roared. The mob slowly quietened. ‘Is there a woman here called Sara Dane?’ he asked.

The lone fighter struggled to her feet. Slim and straight, the skin of her throat and face was unlined, but the dirt of the stinking hold covered whatever beauty she might have possessed. She wore a hacked and tattered gown many sizes too large; but she wore it with an air of cherished grandeur. She lifted her head proudly.

‘I am Sara Dane,’ she said.

~

A list of Catherine Gaskin’s novels:-

This Other Eden (1947)
Dust in Sunlight (1950)
All Else is Folly (1951)
Daughter of the House (1952)
Sara Dane (1954)
Blake’s Reach (1958)
Corporation Wife (1960)
I Know My Love (1962)
The Tilsit Inheritance (1963)
The File On Devlin (1965)
Edge of Glass (1967)
Fiona (1970)
A Falcon For A Queen (1972)
The Property of a Gentleman (1974)
The Lynmara Legacy (1975)
The Summer of the Spanish Woman (1977)
Family Affairs (1980)
Promises (1982)
The Ambassador’s Women (1985)
The Charmed Circle (1988)

J M Lennox ( )

Sara Dane is transported to Australia for a trivial offence ( )