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Sara Dane
The international bestselling rags to riches saga of a convict woman's ambition and courage in colonial Australia. A gripping page-turner - over 2 million copies sold worldwide.Sara Dane is an eighteenth-century young Englishwoman, unjustly sentenced and transported to the penal colony of Australia. Follow Sara's struggle to raise herself from the status of a convict to a position of wealth and power.‘A grand story.’ Yorkshire Evening PostSara faces many challenges, from the savage voyage aboard a convict ship to the corruption and prejudice rife in New South Wales. Life in the Colony is harsh, and Sara has to contend with natural disasters and convict outbreaks, as well as the snobbery of the high society she wishes to enter.Sara's life is also influenced in often surprising ways by the men who love her, childhood sweetheart Richard Barwell, ship's officer-turned-landowner Andrew Maclay, Frenchman Louis de Bourget and the Irish political prisoner Jeremy Hogan.A compelling historical novel full of adventure, romance, rivalries, tragedies and triumphs, also broadcast as a popular TV mini-series and radio series.Praise for Sara ‘... a fine sweep of urgent vitality ...’ The Times‘A magnificent piece of evocative writing.’ Glasgow Herald‘The Queen of Storytellers’ Catherine Gaskin has sold more than 40 million books worldwide.
572 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1954
213 people are currently reading
552 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Gaskin
94 books71 followersCatherine Gaskin (2 April 1929 – 6 September 2009) historical fiction and romantic suspense.
She was born in Dundalk Bay, Louth, Ireland in 1929. When she was only three months old, her parents moved to Australia, settling in Coogee, a suburb of Sydney, where she grew up. Her first novel This Other Eden, was written when she was 15 and published two years later. After her second novel, With Every Year, was published, she moved to London. Three best-sellers followed: Dust in Sunlight (1950), All Else is Folly (1951), and Daughter of the House (1952). She completed her best known work, Sara Dane, on her 25th birthday in 1954, and it was published in 1955. It sold more than 2 million copies, was translated into a number of other languages, and was made into a television series in Australia in 1982. Other novels included A Falcon for the Queen (1972) and The Summer of the Spanish Woman (1977).
Catherine Gaskin moved to Manhattan for ten years, after marrying an American. She then moved to the Virgin Islands, then in 1967 to Ireland, where she became an Irish citizen. She also lived on the Isle of Man. Her last novel was The Charmed Circle (1988). She then returned to Sydney, where she died in September 2009, aged 80, of ovarian cancer.
She was born in Dundalk Bay, Louth, Ireland in 1929. When she was only three months old, her parents moved to Australia, settling in Coogee, a suburb of Sydney, where she grew up. Her first novel This Other Eden, was written when she was 15 and published two years later. After her second novel, With Every Year, was published, she moved to London. Three best-sellers followed: Dust in Sunlight (1950), All Else is Folly (1951), and Daughter of the House (1952). She completed her best known work, Sara Dane, on her 25th birthday in 1954, and it was published in 1955. It sold more than 2 million copies, was translated into a number of other languages, and was made into a television series in Australia in 1982. Other novels included A Falcon for the Queen (1972) and The Summer of the Spanish Woman (1977).
Catherine Gaskin moved to Manhattan for ten years, after marrying an American. She then moved to the Virgin Islands, then in 1967 to Ireland, where she became an Irish citizen. She also lived on the Isle of Man. Her last novel was The Charmed Circle (1988). She then returned to Sydney, where she died in September 2009, aged 80, of ovarian cancer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
April 3, 2016
I recently rediscovered an old friend. I hadn’t seen her for over thirty years, but I recognised her instantly. Her name is Sara Dane, and with more than 2 million copies sold, she became the most acclaimed novel of 20 authored by Catherine Gaskin (1929 – 2009). Needless to say, our friendship had stood the test of time, and our meeting again resulted in another reading of this very memorable book.
The novel, Sara Dane is a romance (historical), published in 1954. It’s the story about a young convict woman, sentenced to transportation to Port Jackson, in 1792 (for nothing more than would be considered a child’s prank in modern times) and the hardships she endures in overcoming the stigma of her conviction, before rising to a position of wealth and prominence among the citizens of early New South Wales.
This book appealed to me for several reasons back in the 1980’s; it was most likely the very first novel (fiction) I had ever read on British settlement in Australia, and as an Australian, why I found it especially interesting. It also appealed to me because Sara Dane is an unforgettable character with a great deal of backbone, unlike many heroines in earlier romance novels.
However, the reason I consider the novel Sara Dane to be an old friend, is quite frankly because the author Catherine Gaskin is such a wonderful story teller. Well written stories aren’t easily forgotten, and the memories of them often remain in both a readers mind and heart. It wasn’t at all surprising after reading Sara Dane to learn that many of Catherine Gaskins novels became best sellers, and earned her such titles as ‘the girl with the golden pen’ and ‘the queen of storytellers’.
Jan Reid - J M Lennox
The novel, Sara Dane is a romance (historical), published in 1954. It’s the story about a young convict woman, sentenced to transportation to Port Jackson, in 1792 (for nothing more than would be considered a child’s prank in modern times) and the hardships she endures in overcoming the stigma of her conviction, before rising to a position of wealth and prominence among the citizens of early New South Wales.
This book appealed to me for several reasons back in the 1980’s; it was most likely the very first novel (fiction) I had ever read on British settlement in Australia, and as an Australian, why I found it especially interesting. It also appealed to me because Sara Dane is an unforgettable character with a great deal of backbone, unlike many heroines in earlier romance novels.
However, the reason I consider the novel Sara Dane to be an old friend, is quite frankly because the author Catherine Gaskin is such a wonderful story teller. Well written stories aren’t easily forgotten, and the memories of them often remain in both a readers mind and heart. It wasn’t at all surprising after reading Sara Dane to learn that many of Catherine Gaskins novels became best sellers, and earned her such titles as ‘the girl with the golden pen’ and ‘the queen of storytellers’.
Jan Reid - J M Lennox
May 20, 2015
I read all of Catherine Gaskin’s books years and years ago. I can’t remember which one I read first, but I do remember that I loved it and that I sought out all of her other books. Some I liked more than others, but I grew to love the author and so I was always happy to find a new title and I was sorry when, one day, there were no more titles to find.
All of this came back to me when I was given the chance to read a new edition, published by Corazon Books, I had to say yes, and I am so glad that I did.
‘Sara Dane’ is a very fine historical romance. The kind that makes me think that its author grew up loving the great Victorian novelists and the other wonderful storytellers of the twentieth century who followed in their footsteps; that she loved and was interested in people, and in the world and its history; and that she loved the art of storytelling, and being a storyteller.
‘Sara Dane’ was Catherine Gaskin’s greatest success, selling in excess of 2 million copies since its first publication in the 1950s, and becoming a television mini-series in the 1980s.
This is a story built on fact: on the story of Mary Reibey, a woman convict who married an officer while travelling to Australia, went on to become a successful businesswoman in her own right. And its clear that Catherine Gaskin researched that story and the history of Australia meticulously, and used what she learned with the greatest of respect as she spun a wonderful fiction around those facts.
The story opens in 1792; on a ship transporting goods, livestock, and a convicts, who are to populate the colony and provide a workforce for the new colonial farmers. A couple who planned to become farmers were on board with their young family, looking for a new life and a stake in a new world. When their servant fell ill and died they told the captain that, before they left England, friends had told them of a former servant who was being transported. Might she be on board? Might she take the place of their servant?
Her name was Sara Dane, and of course she was on board. She was found in the prisoners’ hold, she was set to work, and the family – parents and children – came to love her, and she came to love them.
Sara had been destined for greater things, her widowed father was a tutor, but his fondness of drink, his unexpected death left her alone in the world; her love for one of his students made her vulnerable; and an impulsive action – made with no criminal intent – leads to a criminal conviction and transportation.
Her history made a wonderful story, and she became a wonderful character. I saw echoes of Becky Sharp, echoes of Bathsheba Everdene, but Sara was entirely her own woman, and the more I read that more I understood how she became the person that she was.
A young naval officer who fell in love with Sara during the voyage. He told her of his plans to settle in Australia and farm, and he asked her to be his wife. Sara had misgivings. It wasn’t that she didn’t care, but she knew that as convict she would always carry a stigma, and she knew that might affect him and his future and, in time, his feelings about her. But he had an argument to match every one of hers, and it wasn’t long before he won her over.
Andrew Maclay was the right man in the right place at the right time. He was a shrewd businessman, and an excellent judge of character. He was ambitious, and he saw how much was possible. And Sarah matched him. They were so alike, they understood each other, and together they faced natural disasters, social approbation, convict rebellions, and more besides, as they raised a family and built formidable farming, shipping and trading businesses.
Sara plays her part, as a businesswoman, as a wife, as a mother; but she cannot escape the stigma of having been a convict. She is accepted by society only when her husband is by her side. And she knows she must keep that position, to assure her children’s futures.
Over the years she will cross paths with her childhood sweetheart, with an aristocratic French landowner, and with a principled Irish political prisoner. She is drawn to them all, for different reason, and they to her, and they will all influence a future.
Always her goal is to maintain the empire she and her husband built, and to maintain their position in society, because that will be her legacy to her children – and to the future.
But is that what they want? Is Sara blind to other possibilities?
So much happens over the years. Triumph and disaster. Joy and tragedy. Often I could see what was coming, but it was lovely to see events play out.
This is not a deep or complex story, but it rings true.
The historical details were fascinating, and they were woven into the story wonderfully well. And that story is so very well told.
I’d shelve Catherine Gaskin’s books alongside Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt. Three very different writers, but there is a thread that links them, and if you like one there is every chance you will like the others ….
All of this came back to me when I was given the chance to read a new edition, published by Corazon Books, I had to say yes, and I am so glad that I did.
‘Sara Dane’ is a very fine historical romance. The kind that makes me think that its author grew up loving the great Victorian novelists and the other wonderful storytellers of the twentieth century who followed in their footsteps; that she loved and was interested in people, and in the world and its history; and that she loved the art of storytelling, and being a storyteller.
‘Sara Dane’ was Catherine Gaskin’s greatest success, selling in excess of 2 million copies since its first publication in the 1950s, and becoming a television mini-series in the 1980s.
This is a story built on fact: on the story of Mary Reibey, a woman convict who married an officer while travelling to Australia, went on to become a successful businesswoman in her own right. And its clear that Catherine Gaskin researched that story and the history of Australia meticulously, and used what she learned with the greatest of respect as she spun a wonderful fiction around those facts.
The story opens in 1792; on a ship transporting goods, livestock, and a convicts, who are to populate the colony and provide a workforce for the new colonial farmers. A couple who planned to become farmers were on board with their young family, looking for a new life and a stake in a new world. When their servant fell ill and died they told the captain that, before they left England, friends had told them of a former servant who was being transported. Might she be on board? Might she take the place of their servant?
Her name was Sara Dane, and of course she was on board. She was found in the prisoners’ hold, she was set to work, and the family – parents and children – came to love her, and she came to love them.
Sara had been destined for greater things, her widowed father was a tutor, but his fondness of drink, his unexpected death left her alone in the world; her love for one of his students made her vulnerable; and an impulsive action – made with no criminal intent – leads to a criminal conviction and transportation.
Her history made a wonderful story, and she became a wonderful character. I saw echoes of Becky Sharp, echoes of Bathsheba Everdene, but Sara was entirely her own woman, and the more I read that more I understood how she became the person that she was.
A young naval officer who fell in love with Sara during the voyage. He told her of his plans to settle in Australia and farm, and he asked her to be his wife. Sara had misgivings. It wasn’t that she didn’t care, but she knew that as convict she would always carry a stigma, and she knew that might affect him and his future and, in time, his feelings about her. But he had an argument to match every one of hers, and it wasn’t long before he won her over.
Andrew Maclay was the right man in the right place at the right time. He was a shrewd businessman, and an excellent judge of character. He was ambitious, and he saw how much was possible. And Sarah matched him. They were so alike, they understood each other, and together they faced natural disasters, social approbation, convict rebellions, and more besides, as they raised a family and built formidable farming, shipping and trading businesses.
Sara plays her part, as a businesswoman, as a wife, as a mother; but she cannot escape the stigma of having been a convict. She is accepted by society only when her husband is by her side. And she knows she must keep that position, to assure her children’s futures.
Over the years she will cross paths with her childhood sweetheart, with an aristocratic French landowner, and with a principled Irish political prisoner. She is drawn to them all, for different reason, and they to her, and they will all influence a future.
Always her goal is to maintain the empire she and her husband built, and to maintain their position in society, because that will be her legacy to her children – and to the future.
But is that what they want? Is Sara blind to other possibilities?
So much happens over the years. Triumph and disaster. Joy and tragedy. Often I could see what was coming, but it was lovely to see events play out.
This is not a deep or complex story, but it rings true.
The historical details were fascinating, and they were woven into the story wonderfully well. And that story is so very well told.
I’d shelve Catherine Gaskin’s books alongside Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt. Three very different writers, but there is a thread that links them, and if you like one there is every chance you will like the others ….
March 25, 2014
A historical novel about a woman who is initially transported to Australia as a convict, but through an advantageous marriage comes to play a legendary role in the development of the new colony. 1954.
Full review (and book recommendations!) at Another look book
Quality historical fiction--don't let a questionable cover lead you to think otherwise! If you're looking for a historical romance bodice-ripper, this isn't the book. There's not even any allusions to sex! But if you like learning about a time and place very different from yours, and you enjoy books with historical accuracy and strong leading women, my guess is you'll enjoy this as much as I did. I think the memory of this book will be staying with me for a long time yet...And for all the right reasons!
Full review (and book recommendations!) at Another look book
Quality historical fiction--don't let a questionable cover lead you to think otherwise! If you're looking for a historical romance bodice-ripper, this isn't the book. There's not even any allusions to sex! But if you like learning about a time and place very different from yours, and you enjoy books with historical accuracy and strong leading women, my guess is you'll enjoy this as much as I did. I think the memory of this book will be staying with me for a long time yet...And for all the right reasons!
June 12, 2011
Loved this book as a teenager, so returning to it was like encountering an old friend. It's an epic, romantic story of Sara Dane - sent as a convict to Australia and the penal colony of New South Wales in the late 1700s early 1800s. Written in the sweeping purple prose typical of Gaskin, but not at the expense of a rollicking good yarn, Sara Dane is one of those tales that lingers with you long after you put it down.
Sara is, of course, impossibly beautiful, feisty, smart and so often the victim of circumstance... Mostly male circumstance as she attracts the good, bad and ugly... But not for long. Able to inspire great passion and loyalty, she turns her conviction and early hard days in Australia into an experience that helps her, through every trauma you can imagine - from fire, convict uprisings, slaughter, death and uncontrolled lust - to rise up the social hierarchy and prove that you can survive. She also finds love - a few times - and the great debate is which of her men do you prefer and why? :)
Suspend your disbelief, be prepared to have your heart broken and reset, and enjoy the vivid descriptions of early Australia: the hardship, the landscape, the bitterness, the hope. But most of all, enjoy Sara Dane.
Sara is, of course, impossibly beautiful, feisty, smart and so often the victim of circumstance... Mostly male circumstance as she attracts the good, bad and ugly... But not for long. Able to inspire great passion and loyalty, she turns her conviction and early hard days in Australia into an experience that helps her, through every trauma you can imagine - from fire, convict uprisings, slaughter, death and uncontrolled lust - to rise up the social hierarchy and prove that you can survive. She also finds love - a few times - and the great debate is which of her men do you prefer and why? :)
Suspend your disbelief, be prepared to have your heart broken and reset, and enjoy the vivid descriptions of early Australia: the hardship, the landscape, the bitterness, the hope. But most of all, enjoy Sara Dane.
March 26, 2010
(3.5) "I was not made to sit over a piece of needlework all day."
With her father dead and her mother long *disappeared* Sara Dane falls in love with Richard Barwell, the younger son of a minor baronet. Thing go awry and she soon runs afoul of the law is unfairly convicted of petty theft and transported via prison ship to New South Wales (Australia). While on board, Sara hits a bit of luck when one of the lady's maids dies and she's chosen for the position - and once cleaned up the beauteous Sara attracts the attention of all the men, including Andrew Maclay who is willing to give up his future to marry Sara and settle in the new colony.
Once wed, Sara is pardoned but the closely knit community continues to shun the former convict despite her and Andrew's growing success and fortune. Not one to sit at home doing needlepoint, Sara is actively involved in Andrew's business interests and the growing prosperity of the colony. The novel covers about a twenty year period in Sara's life as she struggles to keep her independence and freedom as well as her relationships with the four men who loved her but could never control her. Who will win her heart in the end - her first love Richard? The ambitious Andrew? The Irish rebel/convict Jeremy? Or the ever so smooth Frenchman Louis de Borget who would rather have his wife at home raising babies?
All in all a pretty entertaining read and I learned a lot about the early days of what would eventually become Australia. I found it a bit predictable at times (you could always tell when one of Sara's husbands was going to bite the dust...), and things really started to drag on a bit at the end, but still a worthwhile read - especially for those preferring a heroine with a bit more backbone and less helpless victim mentality. 3.5/5 stars.
With her father dead and her mother long *disappeared* Sara Dane falls in love with Richard Barwell, the younger son of a minor baronet. Thing go awry and she soon runs afoul of the law is unfairly convicted of petty theft and transported via prison ship to New South Wales (Australia). While on board, Sara hits a bit of luck when one of the lady's maids dies and she's chosen for the position - and once cleaned up the beauteous Sara attracts the attention of all the men, including Andrew Maclay who is willing to give up his future to marry Sara and settle in the new colony.
Once wed, Sara is pardoned but the closely knit community continues to shun the former convict despite her and Andrew's growing success and fortune. Not one to sit at home doing needlepoint, Sara is actively involved in Andrew's business interests and the growing prosperity of the colony. The novel covers about a twenty year period in Sara's life as she struggles to keep her independence and freedom as well as her relationships with the four men who loved her but could never control her. Who will win her heart in the end - her first love Richard? The ambitious Andrew? The Irish rebel/convict Jeremy? Or the ever so smooth Frenchman Louis de Borget who would rather have his wife at home raising babies?
All in all a pretty entertaining read and I learned a lot about the early days of what would eventually become Australia. I found it a bit predictable at times (you could always tell when one of Sara's husbands was going to bite the dust...), and things really started to drag on a bit at the end, but still a worthwhile read - especially for those preferring a heroine with a bit more backbone and less helpless victim mentality. 3.5/5 stars.
June 13, 2019
Couldn't get into some of her other books...but this one worked for me :)
July 16, 2024
This is a Sweeping Historical Epic all about how one beautiful woman navigates significant turning points of her country's development, very much in the style of Gone with the Wind. And it's actually a lot better written than the very stereotypical period cover would make you think.
Sara Dane is a more sympathetic character than the anti-heroine Scarlett O'Hara, although she leaves a similar train of pragmatically married husbands in her wake and similarly nurses the image of her first love through the years; she cares in different ways for all her men, and while she is fiercely independent and ambitious she is not as a rule selfish in her desires. It was interesting to read this after the real-life account of Rachel Henning, although the latter took place sixty years later, albeit under similar conditions, on a frontier that had by that stage moved well into the interior. Nice also to see poor old Captain Bligh get a sympathetic note!
What I liked about this book, I think, was that even though it is "women's fiction" it steered clear of the predictability of the usual conventions. Everyone warns Sara that her remarriage, undertaken for all the 'wrong' reasons, is going to be as predictably disastrous as Scarlett's match with Frank Kennedy, but actually, despite this clear telegraphing in the narrative, it turns out to work out pretty well. She is shamed and humiliated at the prospect of her wastrel former lover turning up after he abandoned her to be unjustly convicted and transported, but in fact it transpires that he has spent the intervening years moving heaven and earth to try to find her again. Her husband's right-hand man falls in love with her (I did start to raise my eyebrows halfway through when every male character seemed to fall for her), but they don't end up paired off.
Ultimately perhaps this book has what comes across as a positive view of human nature while portraying its protagonists warts and all. In addition it doesn't have any obvious moral agenda; for example, Sara is a Strong Female Character, but she isn't invariably right, and the men in her life are allowed to tell her so without being Wicked and Oppressive as a result. Not an author I have ever consciously come across before, and not a book I would have picked up other than at random, but I enjoyed it.
Sara Dane is a more sympathetic character than the anti-heroine Scarlett O'Hara, although she leaves a similar train of pragmatically married husbands in her wake and similarly nurses the image of her first love through the years; she cares in different ways for all her men, and while she is fiercely independent and ambitious she is not as a rule selfish in her desires. It was interesting to read this after the real-life account of Rachel Henning, although the latter took place sixty years later, albeit under similar conditions, on a frontier that had by that stage moved well into the interior. Nice also to see poor old Captain Bligh get a sympathetic note!
What I liked about this book, I think, was that even though it is "women's fiction" it steered clear of the predictability of the usual conventions. Everyone warns Sara that her remarriage, undertaken for all the 'wrong' reasons, is going to be as predictably disastrous as Scarlett's match with Frank Kennedy, but actually, despite this clear telegraphing in the narrative, it turns out to work out pretty well. She is shamed and humiliated at the prospect of her wastrel former lover turning up after he abandoned her to be unjustly convicted and transported, but in fact it transpires that he has spent the intervening years moving heaven and earth to try to find her again. Her husband's right-hand man falls in love with her (I did start to raise my eyebrows halfway through when every male character seemed to fall for her), but they don't end up paired off.
Ultimately perhaps this book has what comes across as a positive view of human nature while portraying its protagonists warts and all. In addition it doesn't have any obvious moral agenda; for example, Sara is a Strong Female Character, but she isn't invariably right, and the men in her life are allowed to tell her so without being Wicked and Oppressive as a result. Not an author I have ever consciously come across before, and not a book I would have picked up other than at random, but I enjoyed it.
May 24, 2018
As I am fascinated by Australia, it's history, and even the more "recent" history when convicts of all sorts got sent there during the 18th century, this book was interesting. In general or over all I think it was okay/good. But it lacked something.. The author did many jumps in the book; suddenly a year had passed, or two, etc. And also, it lacked a lot of emotions; the characters felt a bit flat, without depth or real reactions to things and situations. Also, the ending wasn't bad; but I felt it needed a few more pages, that would have made the book better.
August 31, 2009
Fun read about Australia in the 1800's. Moves quickly, but I wanted it to end differently.
April 19, 2018
I have a paperback copy that I will keep forever. Probably can't read it now.
October 31, 2020
This book needs to be remarketed for a new generation. As a teacher I would love to see it on the reading list of Australian high schools. Sara Dane is to Catherine Gaskin what Pride and Prejudice was to Jane Austen. It is so much more than a romance- it's a thoroughly researched historical record of early Australia based on the life of Mary Reiby. History comes alive as familiar landmarks and names of Sydney streets are given context. Just fabulous, and although I found the ending a little underwhelming, the rest of the book made up for it. The mini series didn't do the book justice. I'd love to see a tasteful remake
July 4, 2022
This book falls under the category of “misleading cover” as it totally looks like a simmering romance but it’s actually a historical fiction. Better in my opinion, as I liked the drama of the story, the characters were interesting, and I learned a lot about the colonization of Australia. It’s a fairly long book but there wasn’t extra fluff. For a random book I got from my grandparents’ house it was pretty decent.
March 15, 2015
I enjoyed reading it in general, though there were times when I just wanted to skip through some pages and get to something more interesting. I didn't empathise with the heroine very much and would've liked to see it end differently. There's a phrase in Spanish that perfectly describes my thoughts on the ending: "Tanto pedo para cagar aguado."
September 5, 2018
The story seemed slow but half way through, I couldn’t put the book down. It left me with a smile. I’ve come to appreciate these older novels. My librarian offers me older bindings with yellowed pages. There you find the best treasures!
November 21, 2025
Oh, I do love books with a strong woman character who battles difficulties and comes out on top. I also liked the family values within and the stark realities of colonial Australia.
December 14, 2022
*reread in 2022 after 10-ish years. upgraded from 4 to 5 stars (°◡°♡) ~
November 18, 2025
Sara Dane, a young woman from Kent, is convicted of theft based on flimsy circumstantial evidence. Sentenced to seven years of hard labor, she's on her way to Botany Bay aboard the Georgette. A sudden opportunity to work for the migrating Ryder family brings her out from the squalid hold full of feral female prisoners. Sara quickly captures the heart of a young sailor named Andrew Maclay, a restless dreamer with the instincts of an entrepreneur. Andrew sees vast potential in the harsh new land and vows to quit the nautical life and make Sara his wife.
The pair of them are soul mates with a prosperous touch, but at a high social cost. Sara fits in nowhere. Snobbish free citizens suspect her of angling for Andrew, while in reality she urged him to consider carefully before marrying a convict. And although they're building their fortune, it's still a penal colony. Servants are invariably former-convicts, who regard Sara with envy and resentment. The possible threat of sudden revolts from discontented staff members simmers away everywhere, not just on Andrew and Sara's property.
Then surprising news arrives. You might expect the opposite side of the world would be far enough away for somebody's past not to catch up with her, especially in the early 1800s. This is not the case for Sara. Her childhood crush, Richard Barwell, arrives in Sydney Town, along with his wife. Richard was always a bit of an unwise brat, and if he still possesses this quality things could turn pear-shaped for Sara in any number of ways.
An elegant dilletante named Louis deBourget, who survived the French Revolution, also shows up. And overlooking it all is political convict Jeremy Hogan, Andrew Maclay's faithful right-hand man. He burns with love for Sara but is far too loyal not to keep a lid on it. And without Jeremy's input, things might often turn bottom up very fast.
This is our very own Regency Era colonial novel. It's Jane Austen's own time period, but set in Sydney. Sara is comparable with strong and determined classics heroines such as Becky Sharp and Scarlett O'Hara, who understand that they'll have to look out for themselves rather than wait for anyone else to do it. But she's a far kinder and more loving mother than either of those two. Indeed, concern for her childrens' welfare guides her to make questionable decisions. Since she's willing to think of long term consequences and sacrifice her personal happiness for her sons' sakes, I prefer Sara hands down over those others, even though her reasoning sometimes makes me groan.
The Australian setting is well-utilized. Occasional paragraphs like this are delightful.
'As she rode along, she noticed the curved, prominent heads of a dozen or more kookaburras perched on a high bough of a ragged gum on her left. They remained motionless until she drew level; then their heads went back, beaks opened, and the bush for a mile around was abruptly regaled with their mad, wild laughter. Not in all the years that she'd been familiar with this sound had Sara been able to accept it as natural, nor had she schooled herself not to laugh with them. Her mouth curved delightedly; she threw her head back as they did and laughed inelegantly and without restraint. The noise they made followed her down the road, infectious, mocking; as strange and different as the country that had bred it.'
Overall, a good Aussie novel by a talented storyteller. When you think about it, Sara is in love with four men, sometimes simultaneously, yet somehow we're willing to nod along with it. She is definitely the sort of heroine who is adored by men and tolerated by women. If there'd been a sequel featuring the following generation, I'd grown invested enough in David, Duncan, Elizabeth, and Henriette to read it. However, given Gaskin's way of suddenly killing off good characters, perhaps it's a good thing there wasn't. My poor nerves couldn't take anymore.
3.5 stars
The pair of them are soul mates with a prosperous touch, but at a high social cost. Sara fits in nowhere. Snobbish free citizens suspect her of angling for Andrew, while in reality she urged him to consider carefully before marrying a convict. And although they're building their fortune, it's still a penal colony. Servants are invariably former-convicts, who regard Sara with envy and resentment. The possible threat of sudden revolts from discontented staff members simmers away everywhere, not just on Andrew and Sara's property.
Then surprising news arrives. You might expect the opposite side of the world would be far enough away for somebody's past not to catch up with her, especially in the early 1800s. This is not the case for Sara. Her childhood crush, Richard Barwell, arrives in Sydney Town, along with his wife. Richard was always a bit of an unwise brat, and if he still possesses this quality things could turn pear-shaped for Sara in any number of ways.
An elegant dilletante named Louis deBourget, who survived the French Revolution, also shows up. And overlooking it all is political convict Jeremy Hogan, Andrew Maclay's faithful right-hand man. He burns with love for Sara but is far too loyal not to keep a lid on it. And without Jeremy's input, things might often turn bottom up very fast.
This is our very own Regency Era colonial novel. It's Jane Austen's own time period, but set in Sydney. Sara is comparable with strong and determined classics heroines such as Becky Sharp and Scarlett O'Hara, who understand that they'll have to look out for themselves rather than wait for anyone else to do it. But she's a far kinder and more loving mother than either of those two. Indeed, concern for her childrens' welfare guides her to make questionable decisions. Since she's willing to think of long term consequences and sacrifice her personal happiness for her sons' sakes, I prefer Sara hands down over those others, even though her reasoning sometimes makes me groan.
The Australian setting is well-utilized. Occasional paragraphs like this are delightful.
'As she rode along, she noticed the curved, prominent heads of a dozen or more kookaburras perched on a high bough of a ragged gum on her left. They remained motionless until she drew level; then their heads went back, beaks opened, and the bush for a mile around was abruptly regaled with their mad, wild laughter. Not in all the years that she'd been familiar with this sound had Sara been able to accept it as natural, nor had she schooled herself not to laugh with them. Her mouth curved delightedly; she threw her head back as they did and laughed inelegantly and without restraint. The noise they made followed her down the road, infectious, mocking; as strange and different as the country that had bred it.'
Overall, a good Aussie novel by a talented storyteller. When you think about it, Sara is in love with four men, sometimes simultaneously, yet somehow we're willing to nod along with it. She is definitely the sort of heroine who is adored by men and tolerated by women. If there'd been a sequel featuring the following generation, I'd grown invested enough in David, Duncan, Elizabeth, and Henriette to read it. However, given Gaskin's way of suddenly killing off good characters, perhaps it's a good thing there wasn't. My poor nerves couldn't take anymore.
3.5 stars
January 27, 2024
Sara Dane, daughter of Sebastian, well liked when sober but an on and off drunk and gambler. He and Sara were sent to Romney Marsh where she had a happy childhood and schooled with Richard Barwell, with whom they were in childish love. He gave her a ring and the local squire gave her some money to buy decent clothes. She was a servant and wanted better: she ran away at night, but was caught with the ring and money, presumed stolen. For that she was convicted, imprisoned on a hulk, then sent to NSW in the stinking hold of a convict ship. Passengers on the ship were the Ryder family whose daughter’s maid died; they needed a trustworthy replacement. Sara’s name came up: was she in the hold? Officer Andrew Maclay was sent to find her. He was astonished to find this tall beautiful 18 yr old in filthy rags. Tidied up, she stole his heart and contrary to all the mores of the time and to the disgust of his peers, he announced he was marrying her. This was a common story of that time, early in Sydney’s settlement; convicts were regarded as semi human and to be treated accordingly. The historical case of Mary Reibey is said to be the general framework for this novel, but the details were different – Sara was beautiful and slim but according to the back of the Australia $20, Mary Reibey was stout and anything but beautiful, but she did became a very important person in Sydney society, widowed, she was manager of several businesses and finally accepted into Sydney’s high society. Andrew was wealthy through unlikely luck in gambling; he was very canny and soon built up three farms, shops and three supply ships, making him one of the richest and most admired person in Sydney. But his ex-convict wife? She was accepted eventually as she was recognised successful as Andrew in her business dealings. They installed a manager Jeremy Hogan a convict who eventually served his time. Sara had a close business relationship with him, but he was deeply in love with her. In the Paramatta uprising Andrew was shot and killed. Sara then ran the mighty empire on her own.
The rest of the story, interesting although not historical, creates the manners and events of the times. The writing is a bit too detailed, inviting skipping. The Richard angle, who comes to Sydney for Sara, is rather strained psychologically. The unlikely Louis de Bourget is a bit of a ring in . At this this time, around the turn of the 19th century, the frontier wars were raging particularly around the Hawkesbury where Sara had a farm. Gaskin barely mentions First Nations people, nothing at all about the wars between settlers and Aboriginals. Nevertheless, the story of Sara Dane is interesting, and apart from the aboriginal question, is nested well in what we know of the characters and events of the early settlement of NSW: the descriptions and characters of the governors, Philip, Hunter, King, Bligh and Macquarie, rang true, even that Bligh was given a humanity and competence that belied the myths of a tyrant skulking under a bed when the Rum Corps struck. Sara Dane was Gaskin’s best seller, and it became a popular TV series – I would have liked to seen that.
The rest of the story, interesting although not historical, creates the manners and events of the times. The writing is a bit too detailed, inviting skipping. The Richard angle, who comes to Sydney for Sara, is rather strained psychologically. The unlikely Louis de Bourget is a bit of a ring in . At this this time, around the turn of the 19th century, the frontier wars were raging particularly around the Hawkesbury where Sara had a farm. Gaskin barely mentions First Nations people, nothing at all about the wars between settlers and Aboriginals. Nevertheless, the story of Sara Dane is interesting, and apart from the aboriginal question, is nested well in what we know of the characters and events of the early settlement of NSW: the descriptions and characters of the governors, Philip, Hunter, King, Bligh and Macquarie, rang true, even that Bligh was given a humanity and competence that belied the myths of a tyrant skulking under a bed when the Rum Corps struck. Sara Dane was Gaskin’s best seller, and it became a popular TV series – I would have liked to seen that.
March 26, 2019
I just finished reading this book for school, and I loved it. But the rating was such a toss up for me. Sara is an amazing character who is so strong. She is the epitome of girl power. Australia is such an amazing setting for this book as well. In that time period, it gives the story a kind of other-worldly feel and a new element. Each of the characters' different and well portrayed personalities gave the story depth. This novel was simply fascinating. It would have been a five star book review if not for some disturbing things that made me decide to make it a three star review. First of all, there was some infrequent swearing that I wish wasn't there. Secondly, Richard was an infuriating character. His infidelity made me wish he wasn't a character in this book at all. However, Sara's final decisions about him were right and just, and nothing immoral on his part was described or detailed at all. I pitied Alison the whole time. Also, I had mixed feelings about Jeremy. As a whole, he was usually so loyal to Andrew and Sara. However, there were times where you felt like at any moment he could and would turn on them or ruin Andrew and Sara's relationship with each other. Finally, the few times that men tried to take advantage of Sara were also disturbing. I'm thankful they all came to nothing and she was able to escape, but it was still a disturbing add in. As a whole though, this was an amazing and realistic story of adventures and struggles and how one amazing woman conquered them all. The ending is very satisfying, although honestly I wish we could have kept the book going so that I can see what happens next. That is a good sign though that I wanted more. :-)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2025
Story loosely based on the life of the lady who is on our $20 notes, Mary Reiby.
I should be interested in it because I am from Sydney and convicts but it is not that engaging. I think I looked up the real Mary Reiby and thought she sounded more interesting than the book. She steals a horse! She pretends to be a boy. I can't imagine how that worked out for her when they found her out, that must have been nasty. She didn't get picked out to be a servant during her voyage, she was stuck as a convict the whole time. Her real life sounds much more dangerous and terrifying than the fictional Sara Dane.
I think this is always the problem with historical fiction. If you are going to take liberties with the stories and people, then you had better make your stories more sensational and dramatic, and the characters more heroic and intrepid.
Instead all she does is make the character into a beautiful white blonde girl who men are constantly falling in love with and sometimes trying to assault. Also there is a bit of class snobbery where she makes the character into this educated gentleman's daughter (great granddaughter of a baronet..) instead of a commoner. This is kind of cringe but also funny because the real Mary Reiby pretended later in life to have arrived to Sydney a free settler, so I guess both the subject and the author have the same class sensibilities.
The pacing is good, maybe it had to be because she must have written it with a type writer? And the historical research seems good too.
I should be interested in it because I am from Sydney and convicts but it is not that engaging. I think I looked up the real Mary Reiby and thought she sounded more interesting than the book. She steals a horse! She pretends to be a boy. I can't imagine how that worked out for her when they found her out, that must have been nasty. She didn't get picked out to be a servant during her voyage, she was stuck as a convict the whole time. Her real life sounds much more dangerous and terrifying than the fictional Sara Dane.
I think this is always the problem with historical fiction. If you are going to take liberties with the stories and people, then you had better make your stories more sensational and dramatic, and the characters more heroic and intrepid.
Instead all she does is make the character into a beautiful white blonde girl who men are constantly falling in love with and sometimes trying to assault. Also there is a bit of class snobbery where she makes the character into this educated gentleman's daughter (great granddaughter of a baronet..) instead of a commoner. This is kind of cringe but also funny because the real Mary Reiby pretended later in life to have arrived to Sydney a free settler, so I guess both the subject and the author have the same class sensibilities.
The pacing is good, maybe it had to be because she must have written it with a type writer? And the historical research seems good too.
March 23, 2018
En février Yasemin m'a envoyé des romans en français et allemand qui eurent appartenu à sa mère et son père défunts et Sara Dane était un de ces livres. Sa mère l'eût du acheter pendent les années 60's à Paris quand ils habitaient là-bas pour quelques mois. Je trouvai des notes contenant les mots inconnus que sa mère eût pris avec une écriture élégante. Je me rappelais une série adapté de ce roman qu'on regardais à la debut des années 80's et c'était jolie de penser sur mon enfance même si les détails me manquent. Le livre était déchiré et avec une amie, on le répara et je me suis rendu compte que environ cents pages sont perdus mais ça devint pas de problème pour comprendre l'écoulement d'histoire. Après tout, c'était un vieux exemplaire du genre de chick flick. Mais à cause de ses simplicité ce type des bouquins sont bons à lire dans cette période pendant laquelle j'essais de concentrer à lire en allemande.
November 30, 2025
Old-fashioned saga about Sara Dane, a young girl transported to Australia following a misunderstanding. This sweeping novel not only follows Sara's life and loves over twenty years, but also has a fascinating backdrop of the penal colony's early years. We're introduced to the miserable conditions of convicts, the growth of Sydney and its surrounding areas, its society, the opportunities for profit, and the struggles of the first settlers and farmers.
I found this small-print, small-format book lodged at the back of the bookshelf. Reading it made me realise how much I loved and missed these multi-generational historical sagas, which were everywhere once upon a time. Such a shame these densely printed, intricately plotted novels have fallen out of fashion.
I found this small-print, small-format book lodged at the back of the bookshelf. Reading it made me realise how much I loved and missed these multi-generational historical sagas, which were everywhere once upon a time. Such a shame these densely printed, intricately plotted novels have fallen out of fashion.
March 4, 2019
I’m surprised at the high reviews. I found the book insipid. Characters, especially the main character, seemed flat. The main character became more unlikeable as the book went on and I couldn’t stand her snobbish hypocrisy. At least one plot point seemed unfinished (unless you count Sarah and Jeremy’s last interaction of essentially “F you” and “F you, too” as satisfactory resolution).
It is not a rounded depiction of Australia and as others have noted, doesn’t have any aborigine characters. I found it disappointing.
It is not a rounded depiction of Australia and as others have noted, doesn’t have any aborigine characters. I found it disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2018
A finely crafted story, with an unforgettable heroine. I don't usually go for straight romance novels, but the historical setting and the details of daily life and society in the colony of New South Wales, Australia had me fascinated from the start.
I've read this book 3 or 4 times since I was in my teens; that's about 35 years. ;)
Hard to put down, and highly recommended for historical fiction lovers.
I've read this book 3 or 4 times since I was in my teens; that's about 35 years. ;)
Hard to put down, and highly recommended for historical fiction lovers.
December 6, 2020
Excellent
Whilst this is a very long book it gives a wonderful insight to the growth of a new colony in Australia. It highlights the ups and downs of all newcomers in what was then an unknown and untamed country. This is a must read for all those who love family sagas that is spread out over a number decades.
Whilst this is a very long book it gives a wonderful insight to the growth of a new colony in Australia. It highlights the ups and downs of all newcomers in what was then an unknown and untamed country. This is a must read for all those who love family sagas that is spread out over a number decades.
August 2, 2020
Absolutely luved this book! My first by this author and definitely going to read more of hers. If you enjoy historical fiction and epic family sagas with a strong woman at the helm I highly recommend this book.
March 17, 2021
Had this coverless book for a while, a 2nd bookshop gift from my niece, finally decided to give it a go and really enjoyed it. A wee glimpse of back in the day colony life. Imagine my delight when I googled it to find some loose truths around Mary Reiby from Australia's $20 note. Escapism gem.
May 5, 2022
I’m sure I had read this book as a teen and loved the mini series but sadly the book no matter how well written did not excite me so much anymore. Mind you I now had more appreciation for the history of Australia than the on going love story.
August 8, 2022
The story of Emma Brown is written amazingly. Even if you are not a fan of love novels this one can change that. I definitely recommend it to everyone mostly young women. This story shows that you don't have to be beautiful to get who you want.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2023
Skip this one
The first 300 or so pages were very interesting. However, it’s all downhill from there. Endless and boring descriptions of life in 1800 Australia, with some unnecessary, romantic entanglements. Pretty much unreadable.
The first 300 or so pages were very interesting. However, it’s all downhill from there. Endless and boring descriptions of life in 1800 Australia, with some unnecessary, romantic entanglements. Pretty much unreadable.
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