BOOK REVIEWSGIRL OF SHADOWS

by Deborah Chaffing!,HarperCollins, ISBN:9789732292997Reviewed by Dave calderwood

This is the second book offour abcatt convict womenSarah, Hat-rie and Friday,lent to Australia in 1860. Inthis volume the three areassigned to the Rocks area in old Sydney townas they work through tire's sentences.

Challinor has a much better grasp of hercharacters in this book than she had in the firstpre. They are mueth more distinct, each withher own authentic voice. The story stare offslowly, but Challinor introduces plot twists andintrigues that keep the pages turning. There isonly one part where the plot is really cottitrivod,but the vast flows Diane.

Supposedly about Sarah, the story is mostlyset around her situation. But Friday and Harrfedo feature prominently. along with a realisticand authentic Supporting cast of ordinarydeceant folk and a feu villains- It is historicnovel writing at its beat, as Challinor has reallyhit her stride with this one

Its not strictly necessary to have read thefirst book, as Challinor weaves in enough of theback story so new readers know what is goingout. She brings her tale to a cliff-hanging climax,so you will need to read the next instalment.But if it's as good as this, bring on part three_

This is becoming a great set of books. Fans ofhistorical fiction in genera(and Min II Nor inparticular won't lx? dlsappninted.

A GIRL IS A HALF -FORMED THINGby Eincar McBrideText Publishing, ISBN:9781922182234Reviewed by DaveCalderwood

Text Pub] i eh i ng took apunt on this debut novel.McBride took years. tofind a publisher. It seems to have paid off; asthis story has been critically acclaimed andappears in lists of beast books of the Year.McBride has been described as a genius.

It's a coming of age story of a girl in Ireland_McBride's writing style is certainly differentand brings readers as close to the maincharacter as po sible without actuallybecoming her. It's a raW, emotional and oftenbrutal ride- Think stream of consciousness onsteroids and that's about right While the stylebrings emotional closeness, its not an easy oneto read. In fact it's the exact apposite of flowingKnee- It reads lather- Rather like this. So, Itgets very. Very tiresome, Very. Very quickly.

It's hard work. Books shOuldn't be thatdifficult to rand, not if they wont a widereadership. This is the kind of novel thatsadistic. English Literature lecturers press uponlong-suffering students to show what cleverthings can be done with literary forms. But itsnot a book for the holidays. Critical acclaimhoer means it's clever in a literary way.

ll,iil II InII' I..iii .I I -

McRride'a style is co-111)111y clever and her batikis clever in other ways, too, but it's about asaccessible as the top of Mt Everest withoutoxygen

If readers want something different, then byall meads VIVA' It But many readers will feelthat it's not just Text Publishing that's taken apunt

THE MEN WHOUNITED THE STATESby Simon WinchesterWilliam Collins, ISBN:9780007532391Reviewed by Deborah Sloan

Simon Wit is pester has aready fan base. thanks toThe Surgeon of Crowthorrie(about the Oxford EnglishDictionary). Krakatoa, and Atlantic, amongothers. In the main, he wri tea single-subject.narrow- definition histories, He is a journalistwith a charming manner and a cunning eye forquirky detail and a goad story.

This book is flail of both and an extremelyengaging read. From Thomas Jefferson to Lewisand Clark to Thomas Edison to AlexanderGraham Bell, all the major players, and many ofthe minor ones. are here. Do not expect to learnanything more than a geographical uniting ofthe Staff, however, phtineophy atad socialcohesion are not part of the plot.

Winchester peppers the steady dose ofdetailed history with travels and adventures ofhis own, and whit° opt alI ere welcomedistractions, most tend to move the episodicnature of the Iiarrative along.

It lack- the memorability - and readabilityof, say. The Surgeon of Crawthorne, but partlybecause it has a cast of thousands and few of theplayers get more than a passing nod- He alsoorganises the structure of the hook around thefive classical Chinese elements -- wood, fire,earth, metal and water - but this contrivanceis superficial and, in some cases, unhelpful.Despite these drawbacks, it is impossible! forWinch-Rater to write a bad honk.

:iesibfrI Irr yIi

I 1:11I Ill. l.kJJ..N

vs. 1rVCrrY'SZF,R

EMPIRES OF THE

DEAD: Haw OneMan's Vision Led tothe Creation ofWWI's War Gravesby David CraneWilliam Collins, ISBN:9780007456659Reviewed by Perry lace,Heritage Librarian at HamiltonCity Libraries

On July 28 next year, it will be 100 years since9 million men were sentenced to death byunspeakable warfare-Ire mans( cvtin#rie8, thiscentennial anniversary will be solemnlycommemorated and, even now, with greatsadness and bewilderment.

People from countries far and wide will travelto war waves in France, Belgium, Mesopotamiaand, especially for New Zealand, Gallipoli. The

cemeteries, the tnotluttrenis, the headstones. theplaques, the trees and the visitors' shelters,which perforce double as memorials, were theresult of one man's inspired work. Sir FabianWare, a former editor of London's MorningPost. was too did at 45 to be accepted Tor armyservice at the outbreak of war in 1914. By usinghis connections, he got command of a BritishRed Cross Field Ambulance unit. In the courseof this work, he became increasingly concernedat the casual tiltment of the dead. Somethinghad to be done sooner rather than later toensure proper burials were carried out andproper records kept. Ware's vision was for eachsoidíer, regardless of rank or unit, to have apermanent memorial_

T() achieve this, he had his unit detailed torecover, identify and bury bodies. He then hadhis unit transferred to the army. He negotiatedthe acquisition of land in the foreign countriesand organised Commonwealth governments'cooperation. He considered the longterntproposition of a large number of graves onforeign sail and set about building the GravesRegistration Commission. which became theCommonwealth War Braves Commission,

This Was a book worth writing how did thecemeteries get there? David Crane tells thestory_ which runs on political intrigue andsociety's grief - not a biography of a roan, butthe biography of an idea. Crane's brilliantlyevocative writing makes it compelling reading.

THE FORGOTTENREBELS OF EUREKAby Clare WrightText Publishing, ISBN:97111922147370Reviewed by Dave Calderwood

History books were neverILke this at sncowl. Wright'sbook is scholarly., richlyresearched and as detailedas any academic could want. At the same time,it is eminently readable. with deft turns ofphrase and skilled use of col/0g a iailsms thatany general reader could want.

The only problem for New Zealand readers isthat the Eureka riot is a key and well- knownevent in Australian history. So it's not sorelevant or nownfor Kiwis. Yet Wright hasbrought this historical event alive in a veryhuman way and because its about the 1850sgold rushes in Victoria, it has enoughidentification with the 1862 Otago gold rush tobe interesting here, too.

In history jargon, this is a blend of feministhistory and history from below. {Ali then iattermeans is that it's told through ordinary people.}Wright's aim was to prove that women werekey players as much as meu and she has awealth of well.told information to batik herpoint. But this is tent a boost written simply tomake feminist arguments and amen are notignored.

Yes, at tirnea readers may get !oat in the sheernumber of stories and welter of detail, hut it'sthe exact opposite of dry and boring, This is avery interesting book and is history written ina fast -paced, racy style. Even her footnotes readwell- If this is how history Ls produced now, let'ss ltnnreofIt.

-Mt FüR6/rr5PODS Or

EUREKA

CaLnlr wRlGrr

PMCA licensed copy. You may notfurther copy, reproduce, record,retransmit, sell, publish, distribute,share or store this informationwithout the prior written consent ofthe Print Media Copyright Agency.Phone +64-4-4984487 or emailinfo@pmca.co.nz for furtherinformation.

Waikato Times, Hamilton Waikato30 Nov 2013, by Dave Calderwood

Focus, page 3 - 618.10 cm²Metro - circulation 33,099 (MTWTFS-)

ID 225741339 BRIEF TEXT PUB INDEX 1 PAGE 1 of 1

BOOK REVIEWSGIRL OF SHADOWS

by Deborah Chaffing!,HarperCollins, ISBN:9789732292997Reviewed by Dave calderwood

This is the second book offour abcatt convict womenSarah, Hat-rie and Friday,lent to Australia in 1860. Inthis volume the three areassigned to the Rocks area in old Sydney townas they work through tire's sentences.

Challinor has a much better grasp of hercharacters in this book than she had in the firstpre. They are mueth more distinct, each withher own authentic voice. The story stare offslowly, but Challinor introduces plot twists andintrigues that keep the pages turning. There isonly one part where the plot is really cottitrivod,but the vast flows Diane.

Supposedly about Sarah, the story is mostlyset around her situation. But Friday and Harrfedo feature prominently. along with a realisticand authentic Supporting cast of ordinarydeceant folk and a feu villains- It is historicnovel writing at its beat, as Challinor has reallyhit her stride with this one

Its not strictly necessary to have read thefirst book, as Challinor weaves in enough of theback story so new readers know what is goingout. She brings her tale to a cliff-hanging climax,so you will need to read the next instalment.But if it's as good as this, bring on part three_

This is becoming a great set of books. Fans ofhistorical fiction in genera(and Min II Nor inparticular won't lx? dlsappninted.

A GIRL IS A HALF -FORMED THINGby Eincar McBrideText Publishing, ISBN:9781922182234Reviewed by DaveCalderwood

Text Pub] i eh i ng took apunt on this debut novel.McBride took years. tofind a publisher. It seems to have paid off; asthis story has been critically acclaimed andappears in lists of beast books of the Year.McBride has been described as a genius.

It's a coming of age story of a girl in Ireland_McBride's writing style is certainly differentand brings readers as close to the maincharacter as po sible without actuallybecoming her. It's a raW, emotional and oftenbrutal ride- Think stream of consciousness onsteroids and that's about right While the stylebrings emotional closeness, its not an easy oneto read. In fact it's the exact apposite of flowingKnee- It reads lather- Rather like this. So, Itgets very. Very tiresome, Very. Very quickly.

It's hard work. Books shOuldn't be thatdifficult to rand, not if they wont a widereadership. This is the kind of novel thatsadistic. English Literature lecturers press uponlong-suffering students to show what cleverthings can be done with literary forms. But itsnot a book for the holidays. Critical acclaimhoer means it's clever in a literary way.

ll,iil II InII' I..iii .I I -

McRride'a style is co-111)111y clever and her batikis clever in other ways, too, but it's about asaccessible as the top of Mt Everest withoutoxygen

If readers want something different, then byall meads VIVA' It But many readers will feelthat it's not just Text Publishing that's taken apunt

THE MEN WHOUNITED THE STATESby Simon WinchesterWilliam Collins, ISBN:9780007532391Reviewed by Deborah Sloan

Simon Wit is pester has aready fan base. thanks toThe Surgeon of Crowthorrie(about the Oxford EnglishDictionary). Krakatoa, and Atlantic, amongothers. In the main, he wri tea single-subject.narrow- definition histories, He is a journalistwith a charming manner and a cunning eye forquirky detail and a goad story.

This book is flail of both and an extremelyengaging read. From Thomas Jefferson to Lewisand Clark to Thomas Edison to AlexanderGraham Bell, all the major players, and many ofthe minor ones. are here. Do not expect to learnanything more than a geographical uniting ofthe Staff, however, phtineophy atad socialcohesion are not part of the plot.

Winchester peppers the steady dose ofdetailed history with travels and adventures ofhis own, and whit° opt alI ere welcomedistractions, most tend to move the episodicnature of the Iiarrative along.

It lack- the memorability - and readabilityof, say. The Surgeon of Crawthorne, but partlybecause it has a cast of thousands and few of theplayers get more than a passing nod- He alsoorganises the structure of the hook around thefive classical Chinese elements -- wood, fire,earth, metal and water - but this contrivanceis superficial and, in some cases, unhelpful.Despite these drawbacks, it is impossible! forWinch-Rater to write a bad honk.

:iesibfrI Irr yIi

I 1:11I Ill. l.kJJ..N

vs. 1rVCrrY'SZF,R

EMPIRES OF THE

DEAD: Haw OneMan's Vision Led tothe Creation ofWWI's War Gravesby David CraneWilliam Collins, ISBN:9780007456659Reviewed by Perry lace,Heritage Librarian at HamiltonCity Libraries

On July 28 next year, it will be 100 years since9 million men were sentenced to death byunspeakable warfare-Ire mans( cvtin#rie8, thiscentennial anniversary will be solemnlycommemorated and, even now, with greatsadness and bewilderment.

People from countries far and wide will travelto war waves in France, Belgium, Mesopotamiaand, especially for New Zealand, Gallipoli. The

cemeteries, the tnotluttrenis, the headstones. theplaques, the trees and the visitors' shelters,which perforce double as memorials, were theresult of one man's inspired work. Sir FabianWare, a former editor of London's MorningPost. was too did at 45 to be accepted Tor armyservice at the outbreak of war in 1914. By usinghis connections, he got command of a BritishRed Cross Field Ambulance unit. In the courseof this work, he became increasingly concernedat the casual tiltment of the dead. Somethinghad to be done sooner rather than later toensure proper burials were carried out andproper records kept. Ware's vision was for eachsoidíer, regardless of rank or unit, to have apermanent memorial_

T() achieve this, he had his unit detailed torecover, identify and bury bodies. He then hadhis unit transferred to the army. He negotiatedthe acquisition of land in the foreign countriesand organised Commonwealth governments'cooperation. He considered the longterntproposition of a large number of graves onforeign sail and set about building the GravesRegistration Commission. which became theCommonwealth War Braves Commission,

This Was a book worth writing how did thecemeteries get there? David Crane tells thestory_ which runs on political intrigue andsociety's grief - not a biography of a roan, butthe biography of an idea. Crane's brilliantlyevocative writing makes it compelling reading.

THE FORGOTTENREBELS OF EUREKAby Clare WrightText Publishing, ISBN:97111922147370Reviewed by Dave Calderwood

History books were neverILke this at sncowl. Wright'sbook is scholarly., richlyresearched and as detailedas any academic could want. At the same time,it is eminently readable. with deft turns ofphrase and skilled use of col/0g a iailsms thatany general reader could want.

The only problem for New Zealand readers isthat the Eureka riot is a key and well- knownevent in Australian history. So it's not sorelevant or nownfor Kiwis. Yet Wright hasbrought this historical event alive in a veryhuman way and because its about the 1850sgold rushes in Victoria, it has enoughidentification with the 1862 Otago gold rush tobe interesting here, too.

In history jargon, this is a blend of feministhistory and history from below. {Ali then iattermeans is that it's told through ordinary people.}Wright's aim was to prove that women werekey players as much as meu and she has awealth of well.told information to batik herpoint. But this is tent a boost written simply tomake feminist arguments and amen are notignored.

Yes, at tirnea readers may get !oat in the sheernumber of stories and welter of detail, hut it'sthe exact opposite of dry and boring, This is avery interesting book and is history written ina fast -paced, racy style. Even her footnotes readwell- If this is how history Ls produced now, let'ss ltnnreofIt.

-Mt FüR6/rr5PODS Or

EUREKA

CaLnlr wRlGrr

PMCA licensed copy. You may notfurther copy, reproduce, record,retransmit, sell, publish, distribute,share or store this informationwithout the prior written consent ofthe Print Media Copyright Agency.Phone +64-4-4984487 or emailinfo@pmca.co.nz for furtherinformation.

Waikato Times, Hamilton Waikato30 Nov 2013, by Dave Calderwood

Focus, page 3 - 618.10 cm²Metro - circulation 33,099 (MTWTFS-)

ID 225741339 BRIEF TEXT WRIG INDEX 1 PAGE 1 of 1

BOOK REVIEWSGIRL OF SHADOWS

by Deborah Chaffing!,HarperCollins, ISBN:9789732292997Reviewed by Dave calderwood

This is the second book offour abcatt convict womenSarah, Hat-rie and Friday,lent to Australia in 1860. Inthis volume the three areassigned to the Rocks area in old Sydney townas they work through tire's sentences.

Challinor has a much better grasp of hercharacters in this book than she had in the firstpre. They are mueth more distinct, each withher own authentic voice. The story stare offslowly, but Challinor introduces plot twists andintrigues that keep the pages turning. There isonly one part where the plot is really cottitrivod,but the vast flows Diane.

Supposedly about Sarah, the story is mostlyset around her situation. But Friday and Harrfedo feature prominently. along with a realisticand authentic Supporting cast of ordinarydeceant folk and a feu villains- It is historicnovel writing at its beat, as Challinor has reallyhit her stride with this one

Its not strictly necessary to have read thefirst book, as Challinor weaves in enough of theback story so new readers know what is goingout. She brings her tale to a cliff-hanging climax,so you will need to read the next instalment.But if it's as good as this, bring on part three_

This is becoming a great set of books. Fans ofhistorical fiction in genera(and Min II Nor inparticular won't lx? dlsappninted.

A GIRL IS A HALF -FORMED THINGby Eincar McBrideText Publishing, ISBN:9781922182234Reviewed by DaveCalderwood

Text Pub] i eh i ng took apunt on this debut novel.McBride took years. tofind a publisher. It seems to have paid off; asthis story has been critically acclaimed andappears in lists of beast books of the Year.McBride has been described as a genius.

It's a coming of age story of a girl in Ireland_McBride's writing style is certainly differentand brings readers as close to the maincharacter as po sible without actuallybecoming her. It's a raW, emotional and oftenbrutal ride- Think stream of consciousness onsteroids and that's about right While the stylebrings emotional closeness, its not an easy oneto read. In fact it's the exact apposite of flowingKnee- It reads lather- Rather like this. So, Itgets very. Very tiresome, Very. Very quickly.

It's hard work. Books shOuldn't be thatdifficult to rand, not if they wont a widereadership. This is the kind of novel thatsadistic. English Literature lecturers press uponlong-suffering students to show what cleverthings can be done with literary forms. But itsnot a book for the holidays. Critical acclaimhoer means it's clever in a literary way.

ll,iil II InII' I..iii .I I -

McRride'a style is co-111)111y clever and her batikis clever in other ways, too, but it's about asaccessible as the top of Mt Everest withoutoxygen

If readers want something different, then byall meads VIVA' It But many readers will feelthat it's not just Text Publishing that's taken apunt

THE MEN WHOUNITED THE STATESby Simon WinchesterWilliam Collins, ISBN:9780007532391Reviewed by Deborah Sloan

Simon Wit is pester has aready fan base. thanks toThe Surgeon of Crowthorrie(about the Oxford EnglishDictionary). Krakatoa, and Atlantic, amongothers. In the main, he wri tea single-subject.narrow- definition histories, He is a journalistwith a charming manner and a cunning eye forquirky detail and a goad story.

This book is flail of both and an extremelyengaging read. From Thomas Jefferson to Lewisand Clark to Thomas Edison to AlexanderGraham Bell, all the major players, and many ofthe minor ones. are here. Do not expect to learnanything more than a geographical uniting ofthe Staff, however, phtineophy atad socialcohesion are not part of the plot.

Winchester peppers the steady dose ofdetailed history with travels and adventures ofhis own, and whit° opt alI ere welcomedistractions, most tend to move the episodicnature of the Iiarrative along.

It lack- the memorability - and readabilityof, say. The Surgeon of Crawthorne, but partlybecause it has a cast of thousands and few of theplayers get more than a passing nod- He alsoorganises the structure of the hook around thefive classical Chinese elements -- wood, fire,earth, metal and water - but this contrivanceis superficial and, in some cases, unhelpful.Despite these drawbacks, it is impossible! forWinch-Rater to write a bad honk.

:iesibfrI Irr yIi

I 1:11I Ill. l.kJJ..N

vs. 1rVCrrY'SZF,R

EMPIRES OF THE

DEAD: Haw OneMan's Vision Led tothe Creation ofWWI's War Gravesby David CraneWilliam Collins, ISBN:9780007456659Reviewed by Perry lace,Heritage Librarian at HamiltonCity Libraries

On July 28 next year, it will be 100 years since9 million men were sentenced to death byunspeakable warfare-Ire mans( cvtin#rie8, thiscentennial anniversary will be solemnlycommemorated and, even now, with greatsadness and bewilderment.

People from countries far and wide will travelto war waves in France, Belgium, Mesopotamiaand, especially for New Zealand, Gallipoli. The

cemeteries, the tnotluttrenis, the headstones. theplaques, the trees and the visitors' shelters,which perforce double as memorials, were theresult of one man's inspired work. Sir FabianWare, a former editor of London's MorningPost. was too did at 45 to be accepted Tor armyservice at the outbreak of war in 1914. By usinghis connections, he got command of a BritishRed Cross Field Ambulance unit. In the courseof this work, he became increasingly concernedat the casual tiltment of the dead. Somethinghad to be done sooner rather than later toensure proper burials were carried out andproper records kept. Ware's vision was for eachsoidíer, regardless of rank or unit, to have apermanent memorial_

T() achieve this, he had his unit detailed torecover, identify and bury bodies. He then hadhis unit transferred to the army. He negotiatedthe acquisition of land in the foreign countriesand organised Commonwealth governments'cooperation. He considered the longterntproposition of a large number of graves onforeign sail and set about building the GravesRegistration Commission. which became theCommonwealth War Braves Commission,

This Was a book worth writing how did thecemeteries get there? David Crane tells thestory_ which runs on political intrigue andsociety's grief - not a biography of a roan, butthe biography of an idea. Crane's brilliantlyevocative writing makes it compelling reading.

THE FORGOTTENREBELS OF EUREKAby Clare WrightText Publishing, ISBN:97111922147370Reviewed by Dave Calderwood

History books were neverILke this at sncowl. Wright'sbook is scholarly., richlyresearched and as detailedas any academic could want. At the same time,it is eminently readable. with deft turns ofphrase and skilled use of col/0g a iailsms thatany general reader could want.

The only problem for New Zealand readers isthat the Eureka riot is a key and well- knownevent in Australian history. So it's not sorelevant or nownfor Kiwis. Yet Wright hasbrought this historical event alive in a veryhuman way and because its about the 1850sgold rushes in Victoria, it has enoughidentification with the 1862 Otago gold rush tobe interesting here, too.

In history jargon, this is a blend of feministhistory and history from below. {Ali then iattermeans is that it's told through ordinary people.}Wright's aim was to prove that women werekey players as much as meu and she has awealth of well.told information to batik herpoint. But this is tent a boost written simply tomake feminist arguments and amen are notignored.

Yes, at tirnea readers may get !oat in the sheernumber of stories and welter of detail, hut it'sthe exact opposite of dry and boring, This is avery interesting book and is history written ina fast -paced, racy style. Even her footnotes readwell- If this is how history Ls produced now, let'ss ltnnreofIt.

-Mt FüR6/rr5PODS Or

EUREKA

CaLnlr wRlGrr

PMCA licensed copy. You may notfurther copy, reproduce, record,retransmit, sell, publish, distribute,share or store this informationwithout the prior written consent ofthe Print Media Copyright Agency.Phone +64-4-4984487 or emailinfo@pmca.co.nz for furtherinformation.

Waikato Times, Hamilton Waikato30 Nov 2013, by Dave Calderwood

Focus, page 3 - 618.10 cm²Metro - circulation 33,099 (MTWTFS-)

ID 225741339 BRIEF TEXT MCBRI INDEX 1 PAGE 1 of 1