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Zenna Dare
What sort of life did Jenefer's great-great-great-grandmother lead? And what connection did she have to Zenna Dare? Could a mother of nine have led a double life and, if so, why?
- GenresYoung AdultHistorical
Paperback
First published July 1, 2002
36 people want to read
About the author
Rosanne Hawke
60 books95 followersWhen little I ran around with a jotter and a pencil, pretending to write a story but not knowing how to spell any words except Dick, Dora and cat. My mother asked me to tell stories. A lot of my stories stayed in my head, as being the youngest and living in the country didn't bring many opportunities for an audience. I was born in Penola, in South Australia. We had a sheep farm until I was six, then we moved to a property in Central Queensland. I went to school at a one-teacher school in Banana, a little country town named after a bullock.
My first short story was published in the Moura State School magazine in 1967 when I was in grade 8. At 14 years, I moved back to South Australia and attended Gawler High School where I won an Arts Scholarship to complete Years 11 & 12. I started a romantic novel when I was 17 but I burnt it later.
It wasn't until I was working in the Middle East and Pakistan, teaching ESL, bringing up kids, when I started to write seriously. My kids loved the story game we played and one night after telling a story, my daughter asked me to write it down.
I have a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Adelaide and teach Creative Writing at Tabor Adelaide, South Australia, a Christian accredited tertiary institution. I have researched Cornish identity in Australian children's literature and enjoy writing about culture, faith, relationships, displacement and belonging, music and cats.
My first short story was published in the Moura State School magazine in 1967 when I was in grade 8. At 14 years, I moved back to South Australia and attended Gawler High School where I won an Arts Scholarship to complete Years 11 & 12. I started a romantic novel when I was 17 but I burnt it later.
It wasn't until I was working in the Middle East and Pakistan, teaching ESL, bringing up kids, when I started to write seriously. My kids loved the story game we played and one night after telling a story, my daughter asked me to write it down.
I have a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Adelaide and teach Creative Writing at Tabor Adelaide, South Australia, a Christian accredited tertiary institution. I have researched Cornish identity in Australian children's literature and enjoy writing about culture, faith, relationships, displacement and belonging, music and cats.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 7, 2014
This great story is set in the Barossa Valley area in South Australia. When Jenefer and her family move away from the city to this small town and into an old family home, built in the 1850s, Jenefer is sure she is going to be miserable. She is not at all prepared for the fascinating journey she embarks on after discovering a secret room in the house and a box filled with intriguing hints about the life of her triple great grandmother. Nor is she prepared for the relationship which developed between her and Caleb, whose mother was one of the stolen generation and whose indigenous background has set him apart from much of the local community in ways that Jenefer finds disturbing.
Rosanne Hawke really captures all the intrigue of family history research in this story; the mystery, the possibilities, the excitement of discovery, the images of past lives, the thrill of walking where ones ancestors have walked. The truth unfolds at a great pace – not too much at once and plenty of anticipation about what’s ahead.
The issues around Jenefer’s relationship with Caleb are also explored sensitively and provocatively. Caleb’s background and his character help the reader to consider what it truly means to be Australian, and to reflect on how to deal with prejudice against indigenous Australians. The love that develops between Caleb and Jenefer is touching and powerful.
I found Rosanne’s writing style engaging, her characters believable and likeable, the issues she raises compelling and inspiring. I believe this story will appeal to readers who enjoy history, family intrigues, romance and current issues around prejudice and acceptance. I look forward to reading other stories by Rosanne Hawke.
Rosanne Hawke really captures all the intrigue of family history research in this story; the mystery, the possibilities, the excitement of discovery, the images of past lives, the thrill of walking where ones ancestors have walked. The truth unfolds at a great pace – not too much at once and plenty of anticipation about what’s ahead.
The issues around Jenefer’s relationship with Caleb are also explored sensitively and provocatively. Caleb’s background and his character help the reader to consider what it truly means to be Australian, and to reflect on how to deal with prejudice against indigenous Australians. The love that develops between Caleb and Jenefer is touching and powerful.
I found Rosanne’s writing style engaging, her characters believable and likeable, the issues she raises compelling and inspiring. I believe this story will appeal to readers who enjoy history, family intrigues, romance and current issues around prejudice and acceptance. I look forward to reading other stories by Rosanne Hawke.
August 23, 2014
This book took me over two weeks to read - it wasn't that it didn't grip me... it did. It had me constantly thinking about the characters and the threads and layers and how Rosanne has created such an awesome story. I found it interesting, even with around 20 pages to go, I wasn't urgently needing to know the ending. This is a story worth savouring every minute. It's been a while since I had that feeling while reading a book. The only thing I didn't like was that it was written in first person present tense ... that took a little while to get used to. Recommend this one for everyone!
November 17, 2015
This new edition of Rosanne Hawke’s YA mystery Zenna Dare has has so many fine interwoven layers it’s hard to know where to begin appreciating its nuances and textures. The blurb suggests a pretty ordinary book but it’s far from that.
Jenefer Tremayne is aghast when her father decides to move back to the small country town he lived in as a kid. She’s in her last year at school and she’s got friendships and an education that have been ruptured in a flash.
But almost at once her attitude changes: the house they’re moving to has an underground room and she covets it from the moment she sees it. A sly bit of manipulation and it’s hers. She regrets the impulse almost at once as it’s so hard to sleep there: the sound of ‘knocking’ and ‘tapping’ in the quietness of the night scare her with thoughts of ghosts and spectres. Realising the house is near the tunnels delved by the Cornish copper miners from the early days of Kapunda, she wonders if the ‘knockers’ of folklore are disturbing her sleep.
Her dad is horrified when she finally admits to hearing noises in the night. She thinks he knows of the ‘knockers’—pixies too good for hell and too bad for heaven, doomed to a twilight existence. But no. He realises at once that what she’s heard are termites!
On Jenefer’s first trip to town, a boy waves at her. She’s mortified by his pushiness. Later when they meet on her first day at a new school, he helps her find her classes. Caleb is a member of the Nunga people and, within a short time, they are friends. Not before overcoming the awkwardness caused by her first impression of him: in the city where she’s grown up, no one waves at strangers. In the country, it’s the friendly thing to do.
Jenefer feels a curious prompting to let him in on her secret, one she hasn’t even revealed to her family. There are several hidden rooms which can be accessed through her underground room and, in one of them, she has found a finely-crafted wooden replica of a house and mill, complete with wheel. The wheel doesn’t rotate properly, catching on a part she can’t locate.
Caleb helps her find the concealed latches to release the hidden drawers and open the house. Inside she discovers a beautiful old dress, some pages torn from what looks like a diary over 150 years old and some ancient daguerreotypes, the expensive precursor to photography. Jenefer is soon absorbed in the mystery of Zenna Dare and her relationship to Jenefer’s own great-great-great-grandmother, Gwenifer Rundle. Was the acclaimed songstress who dazzled London society for several seasons before disappearing utterly without trace the same as the simple hardworking mother-of-nine who lived in this strange house over a century previously? What caused her to vanish?
Jenefer finds herself changing so fast in her attitudes she is startled at her own self-absorbed oblivion before coming to Kapunda. A trip with Caleb to Adelaide opens her eyes to the prejudice he experiences, especially when she meets up with old friends who eye her with undisguised suspicion as she introduces him.
Gradually, with trips to the local historical society, talks to old relatives, serendipitous finds of ancient photos on Caleb’s part, trips to the state library and emails to Cornwall, the pieces of the Zenna Dare puzzle start to fall into place.
Perhaps the biggest clue comes in her English class where she’s studying Tess of the d’Urbervilles. What was it really like in nineteenth century England for an innocent young girl ravished by an accomplished seducer?
Perhaps – Jenefer decides – despite sharing so much with her family, there’s one secret that should remain hidden forever.
This is a truly lovely book that, despite its overt Christian themes of reconciliation and forgiveness, may not appeal to all Christians. It has a couple of swear words and an inter-racial romance. It touches lightly and deftly on shameful aspects of Australia’s past, including the Stolen Generation. Jenefer’s story is alternated with that of Gwenifer’s and, though they never intersect, there is a continual bridge between them.
Quoting liberally from old poems and hymns, this is a book to savour.
Jenefer Tremayne is aghast when her father decides to move back to the small country town he lived in as a kid. She’s in her last year at school and she’s got friendships and an education that have been ruptured in a flash.
But almost at once her attitude changes: the house they’re moving to has an underground room and she covets it from the moment she sees it. A sly bit of manipulation and it’s hers. She regrets the impulse almost at once as it’s so hard to sleep there: the sound of ‘knocking’ and ‘tapping’ in the quietness of the night scare her with thoughts of ghosts and spectres. Realising the house is near the tunnels delved by the Cornish copper miners from the early days of Kapunda, she wonders if the ‘knockers’ of folklore are disturbing her sleep.
Her dad is horrified when she finally admits to hearing noises in the night. She thinks he knows of the ‘knockers’—pixies too good for hell and too bad for heaven, doomed to a twilight existence. But no. He realises at once that what she’s heard are termites!
On Jenefer’s first trip to town, a boy waves at her. She’s mortified by his pushiness. Later when they meet on her first day at a new school, he helps her find her classes. Caleb is a member of the Nunga people and, within a short time, they are friends. Not before overcoming the awkwardness caused by her first impression of him: in the city where she’s grown up, no one waves at strangers. In the country, it’s the friendly thing to do.
Jenefer feels a curious prompting to let him in on her secret, one she hasn’t even revealed to her family. There are several hidden rooms which can be accessed through her underground room and, in one of them, she has found a finely-crafted wooden replica of a house and mill, complete with wheel. The wheel doesn’t rotate properly, catching on a part she can’t locate.
Caleb helps her find the concealed latches to release the hidden drawers and open the house. Inside she discovers a beautiful old dress, some pages torn from what looks like a diary over 150 years old and some ancient daguerreotypes, the expensive precursor to photography. Jenefer is soon absorbed in the mystery of Zenna Dare and her relationship to Jenefer’s own great-great-great-grandmother, Gwenifer Rundle. Was the acclaimed songstress who dazzled London society for several seasons before disappearing utterly without trace the same as the simple hardworking mother-of-nine who lived in this strange house over a century previously? What caused her to vanish?
Jenefer finds herself changing so fast in her attitudes she is startled at her own self-absorbed oblivion before coming to Kapunda. A trip with Caleb to Adelaide opens her eyes to the prejudice he experiences, especially when she meets up with old friends who eye her with undisguised suspicion as she introduces him.
Gradually, with trips to the local historical society, talks to old relatives, serendipitous finds of ancient photos on Caleb’s part, trips to the state library and emails to Cornwall, the pieces of the Zenna Dare puzzle start to fall into place.
Perhaps the biggest clue comes in her English class where she’s studying Tess of the d’Urbervilles. What was it really like in nineteenth century England for an innocent young girl ravished by an accomplished seducer?
Perhaps – Jenefer decides – despite sharing so much with her family, there’s one secret that should remain hidden forever.
This is a truly lovely book that, despite its overt Christian themes of reconciliation and forgiveness, may not appeal to all Christians. It has a couple of swear words and an inter-racial romance. It touches lightly and deftly on shameful aspects of Australia’s past, including the Stolen Generation. Jenefer’s story is alternated with that of Gwenifer’s and, though they never intersect, there is a continual bridge between them.
Quoting liberally from old poems and hymns, this is a book to savour.
February 23, 2017
Zenna Dare is my favourite book by Rosanne Hawke so far. It's a YA parallel narrative, set in contemporary South Australia (Kapunda & Adelaide) and in Cornwall, London and Kapunda in the mid-19th century.
Jenefer Tremayne is aggrieved at being dislocated from Adelaide to the small town of Kapunda for her final year of High School, even if the historical town settled by Cornish miners in the 19th century has been the home of her father's family for five or six generations. She is slightly mollified when her step-mother Steffi allows her to have the magical underground room. Then she discovers a mysterious locked box and begins exploring its contents with the help of a fellow student, a local Nunga, Caleb. Who is the mysterious Zenna Dare and how is she related to Jenefer's great-great-great-grandmother? In exploring her roots, Jenefer gains a greater understanding both of the original inhabitants of land, Caleb's people, and of her own family and place in the world.
Heart-warming, enlightening and intriguing; Rosanne Hawke leads us gently as we discover the implications of Australia’s settlement and Zena Dare's secrets through discovered photographs, journals, letters (some torn), playbills, newspapers, genealogical records - a story of passion and tragedy - which leads to surprising connections, forgiveness and restoration in two time periods. No sudden twists and turns, but Hawke kept my attention right to the end. And I enjoyed the references to the Camel Farm (where Caleb works part-time), tying in with another of Hawke’s books, Taj and the Great Camel Trek.
Jenefer Tremayne is aggrieved at being dislocated from Adelaide to the small town of Kapunda for her final year of High School, even if the historical town settled by Cornish miners in the 19th century has been the home of her father's family for five or six generations. She is slightly mollified when her step-mother Steffi allows her to have the magical underground room. Then she discovers a mysterious locked box and begins exploring its contents with the help of a fellow student, a local Nunga, Caleb. Who is the mysterious Zenna Dare and how is she related to Jenefer's great-great-great-grandmother? In exploring her roots, Jenefer gains a greater understanding both of the original inhabitants of land, Caleb's people, and of her own family and place in the world.
Heart-warming, enlightening and intriguing; Rosanne Hawke leads us gently as we discover the implications of Australia’s settlement and Zena Dare's secrets through discovered photographs, journals, letters (some torn), playbills, newspapers, genealogical records - a story of passion and tragedy - which leads to surprising connections, forgiveness and restoration in two time periods. No sudden twists and turns, but Hawke kept my attention right to the end. And I enjoyed the references to the Camel Farm (where Caleb works part-time), tying in with another of Hawke’s books, Taj and the Great Camel Trek.
April 30, 2017
I really enjoyed this YA novel by Rosanne Hawke. Jenefer, one of the protagonists, is well developed as a character, which I always appreciate. Part of her character development comes through her relationship with Caleb, whom she meets after her reluctant but necessary move to Kapunda. In her new (old) house, Jenefer has an underground bedroom and discovers a secret box. The contents lead her on a quest to discover things about her ancestors, especially her 'triple great grandmother', the beautiful Gweniver. And who was Zenna Dare?
The novel deals with many contemporary issues in an easy-to-read way. I really liked the portrayal of Christianity, of the real, forgiven and forgiving, sort.
I feel this is a book many young people would enjoy and benefit from reading.
Thanks, Rosanne!
The novel deals with many contemporary issues in an easy-to-read way. I really liked the portrayal of Christianity, of the real, forgiven and forgiving, sort.
I feel this is a book many young people would enjoy and benefit from reading.
Thanks, Rosanne!
March 20, 2019
Learning that her comfortable life is about to be upended and that she has to go to a new school, Jennifer Tremayne is desperate for a distraction from this village to which her father has dragged them all. She hardly expects what comes knocking. Delving into a puzzle from years gone by, Jennefer finds more than she bargains for. And strangely, in putting all the pieces of the conundrum together, she learns that secrets can be a learning curve, a time to grow in wisdom, and that sometimes passages of the past never really die.
December 10, 2014
When Year 12 student Jenefer has to move from Adelaide to the country town of Kapunda with her father, step-mother and younger siblings, she's not too keen. However, she soon discovers there's more to tie her to the town than she thought. In a secret room in the ancestral home where she now lives, she finds a box than contains secrets about her triple great grandmother Gweniver. What was the mystery surrounding Gweniver's move from Cornwall to Australia in the mid 19th century and what does that have to do with acclaimed opera sensation Zenna Dare? As Jenefer researches her family history, she comes to realise the importance of family bonds and how her ancestors have helped shape the person she is today. Her search also parallels her growing relationship with Caleb, a young indigenous man.
There is much to like about this young adult novel by Rosanne Hawke. Although Zenna Dare was originally published in 2002, this new edition from Rhiza Press has been updated to include more recent technology. We see a real change in Jenefer as she grapples with her own identity and place in history and comes to appreciate her family background and younger siblings more. Her relationship with Caleb is a sweet romance that helps break down stereotypes and shows her what is most important in life. Issues like prejudice, the Stolen Generation, and the relationship indigenous people have with the land are all dealt with sensitively. The mystery regarding Gweniver and Zenna Dare wasn't too hard to work out, but I really liked the way the historical information unfolded gradually through letters, emails, and newspaper extracts as Jenefer continued her research and deciphered more of the contents of the box. The book also contains some faith elements, particularly concerning reconciliation and forgiveness, which are woven into the story well.
It's great to see a YA book that contains positive values without being preachy. The characters are well drawn and the issues they face make you think about deeper issues. If you want a change from the darker YA fiction around, try this book. You won't be disappointed.
There is much to like about this young adult novel by Rosanne Hawke. Although Zenna Dare was originally published in 2002, this new edition from Rhiza Press has been updated to include more recent technology. We see a real change in Jenefer as she grapples with her own identity and place in history and comes to appreciate her family background and younger siblings more. Her relationship with Caleb is a sweet romance that helps break down stereotypes and shows her what is most important in life. Issues like prejudice, the Stolen Generation, and the relationship indigenous people have with the land are all dealt with sensitively. The mystery regarding Gweniver and Zenna Dare wasn't too hard to work out, but I really liked the way the historical information unfolded gradually through letters, emails, and newspaper extracts as Jenefer continued her research and deciphered more of the contents of the box. The book also contains some faith elements, particularly concerning reconciliation and forgiveness, which are woven into the story well.
It's great to see a YA book that contains positive values without being preachy. The characters are well drawn and the issues they face make you think about deeper issues. If you want a change from the darker YA fiction around, try this book. You won't be disappointed.
January 23, 2015
I don't read much young adult but did enjoy this. Well structured in a herringbone style, this switches between South Australia and Cornwall of the 1800s.
April 13, 2018
Zenna Dare is a sweet and gentle book about family, history and the things that tie us to our ancestors. It is aimed at young teenagers, but I enjoyed it as an adult reader. As a fan of 'Who Do You Think You Are' type TV shows, this was right up my alley.
It is set in Kapunda, South Australia and that was an added bonus - it is always so interesting to read about unknown places, and although I've been to Kapunda many times, I saw a completely different side to the town.
The exploration of links to ancestors is cleverly played out in the relationship between Jenefer and her boyfriend, Caleb, whose family was part of the Stolen Generations. Caleb helps Jenefer understand the importance of understanding your history, a lesson he learnt through his family's trauma. Their relationship is lovely - respectful and sweet, but still passionate - and it was a pleasure to read about a functional teenage relationship (don't get me wrong, they have their moments, but it never dissolves into an angsty abyss).
Zenna Dare is a delightful book, and I will be putting it in my daughters hands in a couple of years, when she's just a little older.
It is set in Kapunda, South Australia and that was an added bonus - it is always so interesting to read about unknown places, and although I've been to Kapunda many times, I saw a completely different side to the town.
The exploration of links to ancestors is cleverly played out in the relationship between Jenefer and her boyfriend, Caleb, whose family was part of the Stolen Generations. Caleb helps Jenefer understand the importance of understanding your history, a lesson he learnt through his family's trauma. Their relationship is lovely - respectful and sweet, but still passionate - and it was a pleasure to read about a functional teenage relationship (don't get me wrong, they have their moments, but it never dissolves into an angsty abyss).
Zenna Dare is a delightful book, and I will be putting it in my daughters hands in a couple of years, when she's just a little older.
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March 20, 2019Learning that her comfortable life is about to be upended and that she has to go to a new school, Jennifer Tremayne is desperate for a distraction from this village her father has dragged them all. She hardly expects what comes knocking. Delving into a puzzle, Jennefer finds more than she bargains for. And strangely, in putting all the pieces of the conundrum together, she learns that secrets can be a learning curve, a time to grow in wisdom, and that passages of the past never really die.
June 17, 2018
I love books where a house is a character all on its own, and this book is certainly no exception. What a wonderful story of exploring your self in light of your family history, of reconciliation, and of the true meaning of forgiveness. This was so much fun to read!
September 17, 2023
7/10, I picked this up from one of the two libraries I go to and this book is 20 years old now, wow throwback to the books in the 2000s, and this had a lower than 4-star rating so I went in with pretty low expectations considering that I've never read from this author before and this might be her debut book however it was interesting though certainly not one of the best historical books out there so where do I even begin? Did I mention that it's so obscure only a few people know of this book? The two stories within this novel were disconnected from each other at first, but they became related as I read through the book. There were two main characters, Zenna, and Jenefer, but Zenna for me was the better main character, since she experienced struggles such as finding a boyfriend, performing, and moving to Australia, but she overcame those challenges, it showed how resilient and perseverant she was, but Jenefer was rather flat in contrast if she wasn't, maybe this book would have received a higher score, but that issue is rather glaring and prevents me from rating this book any higher than that. It's such a shame that this book is so obscure therefore more people need to know about this book since it's a good one. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed this book, if you like a quick read about family relationships and relatives, and historical theatre, this is the book for you, but if you want an in-depth look into historical theatre, I suggest you research it instead of reading this.
October 8, 2010
Zenna Dare by Rosanne Hawke (2002)
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews