A KINGDOM FOR THE BRAVE

Review of A Kingdom For The Brave, a novel by Tamara McKinley
I am reviewing the paperback version of this novel, ISBN 978-0340924716, 432 pages, published by Hodder Books, cover price £6.99.

A Kingdom For The Brave is the second book in a trilogy, however it can be enjoyed as a stand alone novel, as the plot is not dependant upon the reader having read the previous books. The novel is set in Australia and covers the period from 1795 to 1813.
The trilogy consists of 'Lands Beyond The Sea', 'A Kingdom For The Brave' and 'Legacy'.

The Plot

George Collinson meets Eloise Cadwallader at the Governor's mansion in Sydney. He falls in love with her at first sight. Eloise is married to Edward Cadwallader, a brutal soldier who enjoys nothing more than rounding up and killing Aboriginal natives in the newly colonised Australia. The pair struggle to keep their mutual attraction secret. George has shares in a fleet of whalers and in an attempt to forget Eloise, spends as much time at sea as he can.
Unbeknown to Eloise, there is a very dangerous side to her husband's character and when the truth is uncovered, it rocks her world.
The story follows the fates of several families, the Collinsons, the Cadwalladers, the Penhaligans and the Aboriginal boy, Mandawuy. The characters all have a common link, which at times appears tenuous, however as the plot unfolds and the characters develop, the link becomes apparent.
Several of the main characters have arrived in Australia as convicts and the reasons for their transportation are very diverse, as are their ages. The youngest convict character is eight years old, an Irish boy who has been transported for supporting his older brothers in their fight against the British in Ireland.

The novel has a sub-plot as the story also follows the growth to manhood of Mandawuy and the struggle of Aboriginal warriors who fight against the settlers and soldiers to maintain their lands and heritage.
The plot is set against the tensions and political intrigues that were part of Australia in this era of history. Fast moving and gripping, this is a novel for those who like fiction based loosely on fact and a cracking plot!


About the Author

TAMARA MCKINLEY was born in Tasmania in 1948. She was adopted at the age of 6 by her English grandmother who brought her to England to finish her education at an all girls’ boarding school in Sussex.
She has three children who were brought up in the Eastbourne area of East Sussex. Tamara McKinley has written 8 novels set in the days of early Australian pioneers, as well as psychological thrillers. Her books are published in at least 15 different languages and she has been described as 'Britain's best kept secret'.

Tamara still lives on the south coast of England but travels to her homeland every year to promote her work, carry out research for her novels and to visit her eldest son and his children.
More information about the author and a bibliography can be found on her website:-
http://www.tamaramckinley.co.uk/


My Thoughts and Conclusion

I really enjoyed this novel, I should point out that I had not read any other books in the trilogy when I read this book. This did not mar my reading pleasure, in fact I am now intending to purchase the other two books in order to see what befalls the characters.

The plot is well rounded and has enough twists and turns to keep the readers interest. The characters are richly described, as is the Australian way of life in the late 1700's.

At first, I considered amount of central characters a little excessive, however as the plot progressed and melded them all together, the reason for the number of characters became clear. I felt that the storyline was well thought out by the author and the outcome of the novel was a surprise. This author certainly has a deep affection for Australia and it's history, which shines through the pages of this novel.

I would recommend A Kingdom for the Brave to others.

Thank you for reading.
©brittle1906

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