booksellersdiary's Reviews (246)

What I loved about this book was the slow introduction of the characters. Blain allows us to get to know her people over time, using this to her advantage in building the tension between the four adults. Taking place largely over one rainy day in Sydney, we see Ester struggle with anger and betrayal, April with anxiety and feelings of inadequacy; Lawrence with his regret and guilt; and Hilary with her manipulations, grief and mortality. The ending is so perfect, Hilary has crafted a situation in which she knows there is only one outcome and she plays it perfectly
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I read this for The Stella Project, a Goodreads group hosted by the lovely @earlgreybooks_ I am so pleased this was the first read, it is hands down one of my favourite reads so far this year but those who saw my stories when I finished will know it had me sobbing my heart out by the end. The ending broke me, even though I knew what was coming.

I learned so much from this book. Like who knew that it was Australia who led the way for the English suffragette movement? I didn’t. I just assumed they were happening alongside each other, with little (if any) collaboration between the two countries.

I’m proud of this history. I’m proud to be an Australian woman benefiting from the work and terror endured by these women who came before me.

What I really liked is that this book is accessible. If you don’t ordinarily read non-fiction or even history, you’ll still enjoy this. Clare weaves the history into an addictive narrative. It’s far from the dry, political history texts of my school days.

This little novella packs a huge punch. Dark, foreboding and not unlike the moors or northern England it’s sucks you in and holds you captive.

The way Moss winds the narrative of the Bog Girl through the story of Silvie and her parents is genius. The narrative is quiet and unsettling, and while you can see from the outset where it’s going, it’s like a car crash. You cannot look away, even though you know nothing good is going to come from continuing. So worried are you about Silvie and her mother, to leave the story is impossible.

Six stars.

Guys, this book is a five star read. I read in its entirety this weekend as part of my 24in48 Readathon (which was really hard btw!) and by the end I was broken and sobbing
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Telling the story of siblings separated as children, reunited as adults with a twist I just did not see coming, Half A World Away is funny, real and brilliant. Gayle’s writing sucked me right in - even without the 24in48 challenge I would have struggled to put this book down.