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Mallawindy #2
Henry's Daughter
She had felt a sad pulling feeling in her stomach that day as the car had driven off, like there was a bit of elastic tied around her insides, sort of joining her to those brothers like it went right through that door, and as the car had driven further up the road, that elastic got pulled so tight, it hurt
Lori Smyth-Owen is balancing on the edge of adolescence but feeling years older. She has eleven brothers, nine living at home and the twins, who were stolen by Aunty Eva ... which was lucky for them because there is never enough of anything to go around, except Mavis, Lori's mother, who is so overweight she can barely move. That doesn't stop her plotting to get those twins back. She'll do anything to get them home.
Then tragedy strikes and the Smyth-Owen children take desperate measures to save themselves ... and in so doing, discover that blood ties mean everything.
Lori Smyth-Owen is balancing on the edge of adolescence but feeling years older. She has eleven brothers, nine living at home and the twins, who were stolen by Aunty Eva ... which was lucky for them because there is never enough of anything to go around, except Mavis, Lori's mother, who is so overweight she can barely move. That doesn't stop her plotting to get those twins back. She'll do anything to get them home.
Then tragedy strikes and the Smyth-Owen children take desperate measures to save themselves ... and in so doing, discover that blood ties mean everything.
404 pages, PB
First published January 1, 2003
20 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
About the author
Joy Dettman
22 books163 followersJoy Dettman was born in country Victoria and spent her early years in towns on either side of the Murray River. She is an award-winning writer of short stories, the complete collection of which, Diamonds in the Mud, was published in 2007, as well as the highly acclaimed novels Mallawindy, Jacaranda Blue, Goose Girl, Yesterday's Dust, The Seventh Day, Henry's Daughter, One Sunday, Pearl in a Cage, Thorn on the Rose, Moth to the Flame and Wind in the Wires. Ripples on a Pond is Joy's fifth novel in her Woody Creek series.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
August 23, 2017
Ive never met a Joy Dettman book I didn't like and this one is no different. A David & Goliath struggle to be better than the circumstances you were delt at birth has you invested right until the end. Although fiction, you can't help but think of the kids in the Australian welfare system that live in the truth of this thought provoking story.
August 13, 2017
This is one of those stories that tugs at your heart, makes you smile & has you mentally high-fiving at the characters strength, ingenuity & determination. And while the story might seem slightly far fetched there's no doubt elements of reality in there too. Every Joy Dettman book I read keeps me glued to the page & engaged with the characters, Henry's Daughter was no different.
September 9, 2017
This was a good read but it seemed to take me ages to finish it. It didn't hold me enough for it to be a page turner but I did enjoy the storyline.
August 22, 2024
This book is one of those delightful reads that slowly draws you in. A truly satisfying tale that brings tears and smiles in equal abundance.
September 30, 2020
I did not want to stop reading this book. It was not what I was expecting...it was so much more. And I want to continue this story. You never really know what goes on across the street, behind closed doors. An ingenious way to save a life and a family.. this book is heartbreaking, and wonderful.
August 7, 2021
4.5 stars.. wow! I couldn’t put it down! Unlike anything I have ever read!
June 9, 2021
I found this book a little hard to get into at first ... because the story dove straight into a pretty dire family situation. I'm glad I persevered as it got better.
A big part of the storyline was pretty unbelievable but I think that made it very interesting and I wanted to keep reading and seeing what was going to happen next.
A big part of the storyline was pretty unbelievable but I think that made it very interesting and I wanted to keep reading and seeing what was going to happen next.
May 30, 2023
Why this book has Mallawindy #2 written next to it is unknown.
I can say that I have never come across a novel written in this style. Utterly absorbing, a masterpiece of literature, emotional insight, and family dynamics. Originally, I was struggling to get into this novel. There seemed to be too many characters to remember, so to put it down for another day. A few months later I was quarter way through The Hope Flower and realised I had read this story somewhere else. Turns out that Henry's Daughter is book 1 and The Hope Flower is book 2, written many years after the first. With that knowledge, I fully embraced this new saga and took it much slower.
I love, love, love the story, the characters, the setting. The brief may sound unexciting, but do not be misled, do not let this saga escape your reading matter, you will absolutely not be disappointed.
The Henry's Daughter Series will stay with me for years to come. And I will be sure to keep both novels safely for another good read on a rainy day in the future.
I can say that I have never come across a novel written in this style. Utterly absorbing, a masterpiece of literature, emotional insight, and family dynamics. Originally, I was struggling to get into this novel. There seemed to be too many characters to remember, so to put it down for another day. A few months later I was quarter way through The Hope Flower and realised I had read this story somewhere else. Turns out that Henry's Daughter is book 1 and The Hope Flower is book 2, written many years after the first. With that knowledge, I fully embraced this new saga and took it much slower.
I love, love, love the story, the characters, the setting. The brief may sound unexciting, but do not be misled, do not let this saga escape your reading matter, you will absolutely not be disappointed.
The Henry's Daughter Series will stay with me for years to come. And I will be sure to keep both novels safely for another good read on a rainy day in the future.
October 19, 2024
This book by Joy Dettman examines family relationships in excruciating detail. The Smyth-Owen children (11 boys and 1 girl Lori) and their parents Henry and Mavis live riotously and chaotically in a large ramshackle house in a small Victorian town during the 1950s.
Mavis has become increasingly obese and mightily belligerent as the years have passed and as the family grew in numbers. She is no longer capable of caring for her children or her husband Henry. Instead she consumes food, space and hope as she occupies a large portion of the kitchen constantly eating and watching TV. Henry quietly and calmly achieves some semblance of order in the house and a type of self sufficiency with his home grown vegetables.
Lori, being the only girl, is surprisingly held in contempt by her mother who dotes on selected male offspring.
Twins who were born with congenital organ failure have been packed off to the much despised wealthy lesbian aunt Eva in Melbourne who ensures they are given every available medical intervention and intends to keep them as her own children. Mavis loathes Eva and has every intention of regaining control of these 2 missing children.
Disaster strikes the family, life in the Smyth-Owen household slides into complete dysfunction. Mavis continues to be a negative force on a very fragile infrastructure.
How will this situation ever be rectified or will the demise of any semblance of care and control be the catalyst for rehoming the children into a care facility?
The author does a marvellous job of leading her readers on a journey from despair into a belief in hope for the future. She also discusses contentious issues such as incest, sibling loyalty, and multiculturalism.
I would have to recommend this book to any proud Australian. Carinya
Mavis has become increasingly obese and mightily belligerent as the years have passed and as the family grew in numbers. She is no longer capable of caring for her children or her husband Henry. Instead she consumes food, space and hope as she occupies a large portion of the kitchen constantly eating and watching TV. Henry quietly and calmly achieves some semblance of order in the house and a type of self sufficiency with his home grown vegetables.
Lori, being the only girl, is surprisingly held in contempt by her mother who dotes on selected male offspring.
Twins who were born with congenital organ failure have been packed off to the much despised wealthy lesbian aunt Eva in Melbourne who ensures they are given every available medical intervention and intends to keep them as her own children. Mavis loathes Eva and has every intention of regaining control of these 2 missing children.
Disaster strikes the family, life in the Smyth-Owen household slides into complete dysfunction. Mavis continues to be a negative force on a very fragile infrastructure.
How will this situation ever be rectified or will the demise of any semblance of care and control be the catalyst for rehoming the children into a care facility?
The author does a marvellous job of leading her readers on a journey from despair into a belief in hope for the future. She also discusses contentious issues such as incest, sibling loyalty, and multiculturalism.
I would have to recommend this book to any proud Australian. Carinya
July 6, 2019
“It’s about the life force elastic connecting people back to someone they know they belong to. Someone of their own . . . Family. That’s all there is.”
This family saga set in an imaginary Australian country town Willama reminded me of Tim Winton’s novel Cloudstreet with the dysfunctional Pickles family and the Johnny Depp/Leonardo Di Caprio movie What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? featuring the morbidly obese mother. Lori is the only daughter of twelve children with a depressed father and a narcissistic, violent mother. Under Lori’s guidance, her eleven brothers, including twins brought up by their wealthy Aunt Eva, strive to stay together as a family unit and not be split up into care homes.
Joy Dettman chronicles the life changes of the impoverished family through the children’s self-determination and hard work on the domestic front, and their mother Mavis through her forced metamorphosis, leading to the satisfying ending.
I enjoyed this novel and can also recommend two other Joy Dettman novels, Mallawindy and Jacaranda Blue.
This family saga set in an imaginary Australian country town Willama reminded me of Tim Winton’s novel Cloudstreet with the dysfunctional Pickles family and the Johnny Depp/Leonardo Di Caprio movie What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? featuring the morbidly obese mother. Lori is the only daughter of twelve children with a depressed father and a narcissistic, violent mother. Under Lori’s guidance, her eleven brothers, including twins brought up by their wealthy Aunt Eva, strive to stay together as a family unit and not be split up into care homes.
Joy Dettman chronicles the life changes of the impoverished family through the children’s self-determination and hard work on the domestic front, and their mother Mavis through her forced metamorphosis, leading to the satisfying ending.
I enjoyed this novel and can also recommend two other Joy Dettman novels, Mallawindy and Jacaranda Blue.
July 18, 2023
Henry's Daughter is an eye opening, side splitting, and at times utterly confronting tale.
Lori is such a character and her tenacity, her will to do right by her brothers old and young is simply astounding.
Mavis their mother is a dreadful character, however as the book unfolds you will see inside they why she is how she is. Not an excuse, just the reasons.
The brothers are hilarious, naughty, endearing and downright awful in equal measure.
How these kids survive as Henry & Mavis's kids beggars belief, but they do and its in no small measure thanks to Lori and their lovely neighbours.
Henry's Daughter is a brilliant book, its small town Australia, its the Aussie spirit of guts and tenacity and the power to overcome. It's a brilliant read!
Lori is such a character and her tenacity, her will to do right by her brothers old and young is simply astounding.
Mavis their mother is a dreadful character, however as the book unfolds you will see inside they why she is how she is. Not an excuse, just the reasons.
The brothers are hilarious, naughty, endearing and downright awful in equal measure.
How these kids survive as Henry & Mavis's kids beggars belief, but they do and its in no small measure thanks to Lori and their lovely neighbours.
Henry's Daughter is a brilliant book, its small town Australia, its the Aussie spirit of guts and tenacity and the power to overcome. It's a brilliant read!
August 13, 2017
A great read about a child's survival in the Australian welfare system. Despite this story being fiction, I'm sure it reflects the very realities families still face today. I found the style of writing (particularly short non descriptive sentences) in the first half of the book annoying. But the writing seemed to flow better in the second half. Lori was definatley in my eyes an incredible little Aussie heroine!
March 1, 2021
Not really a page turner. Interesting story line highlighting trust in familial relationships. Good character development and understandable reactions to seemingly overwhelming issues particularly family ties in undernourished broken families, government interference and the world through youngsters eyes.
Dragged on and on and on so reckon it could lose a couple of chapters.
Dragged on and on and on so reckon it could lose a couple of chapters.
January 16, 2025
Such a gripping book!! The writing was amazing. Literally had me laughing out loud and giggling.
I put off reading this book for 2yrs because my mum recommended it to me... but we book swapped and it was so good!! 6 star read!! Can't recommend enough.
I do with the ending had a little bit more to it.
I put off reading this book for 2yrs because my mum recommended it to me... but we book swapped and it was so good!! 6 star read!! Can't recommend enough.
I do with the ending had a little bit more to it.
April 25, 2023
I think this book will be my favourite for the year. Family diametics are quite special and hectic.
Great dialogue, story line and ending. Beautifully written.
Very imaginative. I loved it. I want to see it made into a movie.
Great dialogue, story line and ending. Beautifully written.
Very imaginative. I loved it. I want to see it made into a movie.
June 28, 2023
At last I read a book I could not put down. A story of resilience and strong family ties. Lori is a strong -character who is the lynch pin that keeps the family together. -wondeful story to be treasured and enjoyed
September 1, 2019
Amazing story. A great read
February 18, 2022
Wow! I loved this book. It took me in a journey and I enjoyed every minute of it 💕
January 20, 2025
Hard to put down
Joy Dettman is a brilliant storyteller. Her humour is woven throughout the story, along with nostalgic glimpses of life in the 80s
Joy Dettman is a brilliant storyteller. Her humour is woven throughout the story, along with nostalgic glimpses of life in the 80s
May 3, 2025
A good read. Joyful and sad at the same time.
January 25, 2017
Fantastic read, love Australian fiction. Joy Dettman's a great storyteller
March 12, 2017
Great book. Excellent author. Love her work.
March 12, 2017
Loved it.
October 23, 2024
This book is a hard one to rate.
In a lot of ways it’s hilarious - as if the kids in this story could actually pull off what they did - I found it outrageously entertaining in that respect. I also enjoyed reading about the strength of the sibling bonds and the inventiveness and resilience of all the kids.
But it is also an incredibly sad story of children affected by poverty, family dysfunction, drug and alcohol abuse and mental health issues.
Ultimately I thought the story dragged on too long and the writing style which is almost childish, got a bit too tedious. Still glad I read this though - especially because it’s Australian.
3.5 stars.
In a lot of ways it’s hilarious - as if the kids in this story could actually pull off what they did - I found it outrageously entertaining in that respect. I also enjoyed reading about the strength of the sibling bonds and the inventiveness and resilience of all the kids.
But it is also an incredibly sad story of children affected by poverty, family dysfunction, drug and alcohol abuse and mental health issues.
Ultimately I thought the story dragged on too long and the writing style which is almost childish, got a bit too tedious. Still glad I read this though - especially because it’s Australian.
3.5 stars.
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September 21, 2016Very touching story, even more so when you realise it is probably mostly true.
June 10, 2012
I wasn't too sure about this book when I first started reading it as I initially felt that the parents in this book were quite pathetic and it was quite depressing. But I perservered and in doing so, got to understand that there was a reason for this. I also understood the mother's reason for her self abuse by gorging on food, lots of yelling, abuse and bahaving in a very distasteful way towards all of her 9 children and husband. This book is written through the eyes of Henry's only daughter who does an amazing job to keep the household running and the children all together as her adult world comes crashing down around her. Mind you, she can never get the love she is looking for from her mother, but has this amazing spirit and sense of duty even though she is so mistreated and unloved. It is a very interesting read in that the children pull together to fix a very run down house, shop, feed and manage their lives without the love, support, care and guidance of their parents. They do this because they do not want to be fostered out and separated. This story displayed the very strength of the human spirit at times and at other times how fragile we can all be. This book does turn around and it does have a great ending. Highly recommend it.
March 15, 2012
I laughed and cried my way through this novel. At times I could not believe what I was reading as I could not connect with the awful relationship the mother had with her daughter. I found it very difficult to warm to the mothers character and it only became worse the further I read. However, the strength of character in the daughter and her desire to win her mothers love and affection was so remarkable that you kept reading with great hope that there would at some stage be a turning point. Throughout the story you found yourself desperately hoping for someone to love ths young girl. A powerful story filled with hopefullness.
January 15, 2009
It took me a little while to get into this book, and if I'd had anything else to read I may have given up because initially it's really quite a depressing book. However, about half way through it really turns around with the main characters taking back control of their lives and ends up being a very thought provoking book with a positive ending.
The characters are realistic, and generally likeable, even with all their flaws, and the themes, while taken to extremes sometimes, are also easy to relate to.
The characters are realistic, and generally likeable, even with all their flaws, and the themes, while taken to extremes sometimes, are also easy to relate to.
October 6, 2014
This is one of my all time favourite books! It's such a great story showing the importance of family, it has humour but also some parts that are very sad. The fact that Lori's mum already has so many children but cares only for the twins who were stolen, I love that Lori is so fond of her father but the sad thing is he's so caught up he can't see how much he is loved by his children. Most of all though I love the fact that the children always stand together against whatever is thrown at them. This is a must read!
February 9, 2017
Joy Dettman is one of those writers who leaves an impression upon her readers. Each story she crafts is chilling, relatable and poignant. I've read a lot of great books in my life, but Dettman is the only writer who can produce a book that I will never forget. Cover to cover Henry's Daughter roped me in. I poured over it, even when it felt it was too depressing to finish.
Henry's Daughter is about life and suffering. It's about a young girl's navigation towards losing her sense of naivety and her foolish belief in the goodness of people.
Henry's Daughter is about life and suffering. It's about a young girl's navigation towards losing her sense of naivety and her foolish belief in the goodness of people.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews