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Araluen
Opulence... Corruption... Movie-making.
Judy Nunn weaves an intricate web of characters and locations in this spellbinding saga of the Ross family and its inescapable legacy of greed and power.
Judy Nunn weaves an intricate web of characters and locations in this spellbinding saga of the Ross family and its inescapable legacy of greed and power.
624 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1994
53 people are currently reading
258 people want to read
About the author
Judy Nunn
48 books336 followersJudy Nunn (born 13 April 1945) is an Australian actress and author.
Judy Nunn's career has been long, illustrious and multifaceted. After combining her internationally successful acting career with scriptwriting for television and radio, Judy decided in the 80s to turn her hand to prose. The result was two adventure novels for children, EYE IN THE STORM and EYE IN THE CITY, which remain extremely popular, not only in Australia but in Europe. Embarking on adult fiction in the early 90s, Judy's three novels, THE GLITTER GAME, CENTRE STAGE and ARALUEN, set respectively in the worlds of television, theatre and film, became instant bestsellers. Her subsequent bestsellers, KAL, BENEATH THE SOUTHERN CROSS, TERRITORY, PACIFIC, HERITAGE and FLOODTIDE confirm her position as one of Australia’s leading popular novelists.
Judy Nunn's career has been long, illustrious and multifaceted. After combining her internationally successful acting career with scriptwriting for television and radio, Judy decided in the 80s to turn her hand to prose. The result was two adventure novels for children, EYE IN THE STORM and EYE IN THE CITY, which remain extremely popular, not only in Australia but in Europe. Embarking on adult fiction in the early 90s, Judy's three novels, THE GLITTER GAME, CENTRE STAGE and ARALUEN, set respectively in the worlds of television, theatre and film, became instant bestsellers. Her subsequent bestsellers, KAL, BENEATH THE SOUTHERN CROSS, TERRITORY, PACIFIC, HERITAGE and FLOODTIDE confirm her position as one of Australia’s leading popular novelists.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
February 2, 2015
I love the first half of the book, classic Judy Nunn tale through the generations but once it got to Michael Ross' story and career it sort of lost me. His character was abhorrent and it kind of lost me in the second half of this book. I wanted to like this more but this one just let me down.
August 22, 2023
A Spellbinding saga!
Movie-making 📽 👏🏻
Wealth 💰
Obsession 😵💫
Gripping until the very end.
Narrator was awesome! 🫶🏻
Listened to the audio via BorrowBox
Published by Penguin Random House Australia Audio
Narrated by John Derum
Duration: 14 hrs 1.25x Speed
Movie-making 📽 👏🏻
Wealth 💰
Obsession 😵💫
Gripping until the very end.
Narrator was awesome! 🫶🏻
Listened to the audio via BorrowBox
Published by Penguin Random House Australia Audio
Narrated by John Derum
Duration: 14 hrs 1.25x Speed
January 30, 2015
Unfortunately I found this book more like a sad soap opera full of drama and predictability.
I wanted to like it, I honestly did. Judy Nunn is a wonderful author and I have enjoyed all her other books immensely, however this particular one did not do it for me.
I wanted to like it, I honestly did. Judy Nunn is a wonderful author and I have enjoyed all her other books immensely, however this particular one did not do it for me.
October 29, 2017
Not my favourite Judy Nunn book - I felt like it concentrated far too much on Michael Ross & the movie world of America more than Australian history, which is what attracts me to her novels.
Still a good story though.
Still a good story though.
July 3, 2023
This family saga begins in mid 1849 when George and Richard Ross's father sends them ship bound to the colony of New South Wales for five years. He is tired of bailing them out of financial situations at home in England. Three months after their arrival in Australia, George and Richard Ross buy fifty acres of green land not far from Adelaide.
George works very hard to build a home he names Araluen but Richard whinges about the hard work and initially reverts to his old ways of visiting brothels and gambling. To try and keep Richard busy, George asks him to study up on what they can grow on the fertile land. "We'll plant vines!" was the response.
Some ten years later with vines growing successfully, Richard becomes ill and George writes to his father in England for some funds from their inheritance to buy labour saving devices instead of Richard trying to work with George in the vineyards. Their father disinherits them both because he believes they have both reverted to their old ways. He sends nothing. When Richard dies five years later, George feels angry and a loneliness he has never felt before. He feels Richard has died needlessly. Money would have enabled him to be hospitalised thus saving him from working so hard.
George decides he will restart the Ross family in Australia and sets about marrying Sarah, the only daughter of strict Methodists. George wants sons. Sarah gives him a daughter, a son and then another daughter but is told she can have no more children because of complications with the third birth. George then receives a letter from England advising him and Richard that their father is on his death bed and if both sons can make their way home to his death bed he will reinstate them in his will. George replies saying that his younger brother has been dead for eight years, and he as the second youngest son, hereby severs all ties with his father. He says he has new Ross stock, bred from the colonies and will accept nothing from his father.
Five grandchildren are eventually born into the colonial Ross family, with Franklin being the youngest grandchild. George then passes away. The remainder of the book centres on Franklin the youngest grandchild who heads off to Sydney to try and retail some of Araluen's wines. His errant ways and relationships with other family members, particularly that of his grandson Michael, will shock the reader as the plot moves from the vineyards in South Australia to one of greed and power including movie making in New York, Hollywood corruption, the excitement of the America's Cup and murder.
I enjoyed this 619 page book very much.
George works very hard to build a home he names Araluen but Richard whinges about the hard work and initially reverts to his old ways of visiting brothels and gambling. To try and keep Richard busy, George asks him to study up on what they can grow on the fertile land. "We'll plant vines!" was the response.
Some ten years later with vines growing successfully, Richard becomes ill and George writes to his father in England for some funds from their inheritance to buy labour saving devices instead of Richard trying to work with George in the vineyards. Their father disinherits them both because he believes they have both reverted to their old ways. He sends nothing. When Richard dies five years later, George feels angry and a loneliness he has never felt before. He feels Richard has died needlessly. Money would have enabled him to be hospitalised thus saving him from working so hard.
George decides he will restart the Ross family in Australia and sets about marrying Sarah, the only daughter of strict Methodists. George wants sons. Sarah gives him a daughter, a son and then another daughter but is told she can have no more children because of complications with the third birth. George then receives a letter from England advising him and Richard that their father is on his death bed and if both sons can make their way home to his death bed he will reinstate them in his will. George replies saying that his younger brother has been dead for eight years, and he as the second youngest son, hereby severs all ties with his father. He says he has new Ross stock, bred from the colonies and will accept nothing from his father.
Five grandchildren are eventually born into the colonial Ross family, with Franklin being the youngest grandchild. George then passes away. The remainder of the book centres on Franklin the youngest grandchild who heads off to Sydney to try and retail some of Araluen's wines. His errant ways and relationships with other family members, particularly that of his grandson Michael, will shock the reader as the plot moves from the vineyards in South Australia to one of greed and power including movie making in New York, Hollywood corruption, the excitement of the America's Cup and murder.
I enjoyed this 619 page book very much.
January 1, 2023
Araluen really hooked me in with the first half of the book being excellent.
That being said, the second half just didn't live up to it with the action moving away from Australia and it seems that "Araluen", important enough to be the title becomes a mere afterthought as the story moves to Sydney and New York. Then suddenly it reappears as a place critical to the ending.
I felt there were some plot holes that I was left wondering about which included what happened to Millie's daughter/grandson, and what happened to Emma's families?
I was also disappointed in the ending where Franklin becomes a totally different character and performs an about face on everything prior in the book. Surely if it had become acceptable to Franklin to allow an heiress to inherit he would have sought out his first born daughter??
What a shame because the start showed such promise.
That being said, the second half just didn't live up to it with the action moving away from Australia and it seems that "Araluen", important enough to be the title becomes a mere afterthought as the story moves to Sydney and New York. Then suddenly it reappears as a place critical to the ending.
I felt there were some plot holes that I was left wondering about which included what happened to Millie's daughter/grandson, and what happened to Emma's families?
I was also disappointed in the ending where Franklin becomes a totally different character and performs an about face on everything prior in the book. Surely if it had become acceptable to Franklin to allow an heiress to inherit he would have sought out his first born daughter??
What a shame because the start showed such promise.
September 7, 2019
I was disappointed in this story. The 2 historical howlers were terrible; ONLY General Bridges' body was bought back to Australia from Gallipoli and he was buried overlooking Duntroon in Canberra. Robert Menzies DID NOT announce the end of the war, that was the Prime Minister of the day Ben Chifley. Menzies was only leader of the opposition.
Far too much space was taken up by the horrible character of Michael, what had happened to Millie's grandson?
Far too much space was taken up by the horrible character of Michael, what had happened to Millie's grandson?
January 18, 2020
Not my book
I forced myself to finish this book. Was disappointed with the first book I read of JN but decided to try again. I thought it would portray a lot more about South Australia and the wineries area but it detoured to Sydney and New York and became a story of a talented girl who had all the male characters in love with her. The rich family saga became predictable.
I forced myself to finish this book. Was disappointed with the first book I read of JN but decided to try again. I thought it would portray a lot more about South Australia and the wineries area but it detoured to Sydney and New York and became a story of a talented girl who had all the male characters in love with her. The rich family saga became predictable.
May 12, 2020
Swirling family history story spanning generations of the Ross family from 1800s to late 1900s. Start is the Araluen vineyard in SA winemaking area and comes back to that. Power, determination contrasted with piss weak and drug gripped members of filthy rich family.
A good read with stories within and uses Judy Nunn’s acting experience to colour characters and storyline.
A good read with stories within and uses Judy Nunn’s acting experience to colour characters and storyline.
November 2, 2018
Having just completed reading a book with 1322 pages, a book with only 619 pages was a breeze. Much intrigue associated in building a family empire. A curious ending for a novel concerned about male heirs.
September 22, 2019
A Classic human story
Entwined with the ageless vines the family evolves in an endless struggle between destiny and ambition revealing the trade off between right and wrong in human relationships
Entwined with the ageless vines the family evolves in an endless struggle between destiny and ambition revealing the trade off between right and wrong in human relationships
January 7, 2022
Really long generational saga. Nunn is an excellent writer and this story kept me engaged as an audio book over a few days in the studio. I do like her historical fiction.
More a 3.5
Mind you I have my own system of all stars for my own purposes so ....
More a 3.5
Mind you I have my own system of all stars for my own purposes so ....
April 9, 2018
Reads like an 80’s miniseries on channel 10.
November 29, 2018
If only it could of lasted that little bit longer x
August 23, 2019
Nice historical novel with some interesting insights and twists. Easy read. enjoyable.
December 5, 2019
Once more a good book - fantastic tale and keeps you guessing all the time. Now onto the next Judy Nunn book
July 28, 2020
Judy Nunn writes a fantastic story and this would have to be her best. I couldn’t put the book down, loved it.
September 19, 2020
Oh dear looks like I picked the wrong Judy Nunn book as my first taste of this author. I read it but for the most part wanted it to hurry up and end. It was tedious.
July 13, 2021
Well written and a great story. I really enjoyed reading this book and loved the characters.
August 28, 2021
I didn't like the ending. Interesting though.
August 23, 2024
While I enjoyed the first part of the book I found the last half too contrived and it fell into a soap opera.
March 10, 2017
Captivating characters, entwined story lines through generations of characters from the same family.
March 20, 2010
Franklin Ross will ganz nach oben. In Sydney erwirbt er Macht und Einfluss, heiratet die schöne Penelope, die als Schauspielerin in Hollywood Erfolge feiert. Aber bei allem Glanz ist Franklin einsam. Seine wahre Liebe hat er als junger Mann verraten. Nun setzt er alle Hoffnungen auf seine Familie, besonders auf seinen Enkel Terence. Gutaussehend, wild und furchtlos, scheint er das Glück ergreifen zu können. Auf Frauen wirkt er unwiderstehlich bis auf die junge Künstlerin Emma. Sie weist ihn zurück, spürt, dass ein Geheimnis zwischen ihr und Terence steht. Sie macht sich auf, das Rätsel ihrer eigenen Familiengeschichte zu enthüllen und gerät dabei in höchste Gefahr. Wird sie die Schatten, die über der Ross-Dynastie liegen, vertreiben können?
December 30, 2012
Judy Nunn at her finest :)
Spanning different centuries and generations this book travels from England to South Australian Wine Country, Sydney & LA.
The characters were lovable, with the few rouges appearing throughout the book, that you just wanted to punch in the face ;)
An annoying matriarch who was up herself, and a lad and lady who you knew from the moment they met that there was some inexplicable reason that would hold them back from falling in love.
Yet, same said lad made it impossible for the lass to have any other relationship, as even though he couldn't have her he didn't want anyone else to.
Enjoyed this book tremendously.
Spanning different centuries and generations this book travels from England to South Australian Wine Country, Sydney & LA.
The characters were lovable, with the few rouges appearing throughout the book, that you just wanted to punch in the face ;)
An annoying matriarch who was up herself, and a lad and lady who you knew from the moment they met that there was some inexplicable reason that would hold them back from falling in love.
Yet, same said lad made it impossible for the lass to have any other relationship, as even though he couldn't have her he didn't want anyone else to.
Enjoyed this book tremendously.
July 18, 2013
All the way through this book, I couldn't help feeling a sense of deja vu, in a Colleen McCullough kind of way. Or a Dynasty kind of way. Or a Sons and Daughters kind of... Well anyway. I felt it had sections that were vaguely tedious, balanced by sections that I thirsted for. And what of Millie's bastard daughter's son? is there a sequel?
November 8, 2013
Judy Nunn didn't disappoint with this family saga, it kept me interested from page one to the end. Set in the vineyard "Araluen" not far from Adelaide in South Australia in the 1850s to modern-day New York. In this novel Judy wove an intricate web of characters, the Ross family and its legacy of greed and power resulting from an attempt to build a family empire no matter what the cost.
December 28, 2013
Loved it! I think as I progress through Judy Nunn's novels her writing just gets better and better, can't wait to read the next one. The ending of Araluen for me started to become a bit predictable but still enjoyed the read.
May 6, 2014
I actually wanted to give this more of a 2.5 than three. She can write, thats for sure but it was all over the place as a family drama is concerned. The ending was good but the twenty pages before the end was a little contrived. The men were unlikable.
July 29, 2016
thoughly loved it ...
the storyline was wonderful and the setting was very Australian and made me appreciate and love our country even more .. the rich sets life is not always the best. .
love this author now and will definitely be reading more of her
the storyline was wonderful and the setting was very Australian and made me appreciate and love our country even more .. the rich sets life is not always the best. .
love this author now and will definitely be reading more of her
August 10, 2016
I really liked this book, perhaps it was tyhe right book for the time. A good easy read, fast paced page turner.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews