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Cleanskin Cowgirls
A rollickingly good new novel from the bestselling and much loved author of The Farmer's Wife and Fifty Bales of Hay .On the surface Elsie Jones, country music superstar, has it all. But after a brush with death she is forced to re-evaluate her life. Events soon take her back to her home town in the wheat belt of western NSW, where she reconnects with her childhood friend tara Green. Elsie and tara were misfits together, eventually running away from their small town to muster cattle. After a terrible betrayal came between them, Elsie moved on to material success but she soon realises that tara is the one who has managed to overcome her traumatic childhood and find inner peace - lessons Elsie needs to learn. the must-read novel from Australia's no.1 female fiction author.
418 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2014
42 people are currently reading
295 people want to read
About the author
Rachael Treasure
23 books308 followersRachael Treasure lives in southern rural Tasmania with her two young children. She is passionate about encouraging non-readers to read, inspiring farmers to consider regenerative agricultural practices and animal handlers to better understand their dogs and livestock. She is a graduate of Orange Agricultural College and has a Bachelor of Arts (Communication) from Charles Sturt University, Bathurst. She has worked as a jillaroo, rural journalist, ABC radio broadcaster, professional woolclasser, part-time vet nurse, family farm manager, drover and stock camp cook. She has written 4 novels and a short story collection, all bestsellers.
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www.facebook.com/rach.treasure
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
January 25, 2015
Another great unable-to-put down novel. However the mentioning of either better farming techniques or vibrations, energies and angels on basically every third page made me cringe. I am all with Rachael Treasure on both topics, but it really got a bit much. I loved the characters and felt they could have had even more story added to them instead. Maybe it's time for Rachael to let her ideas of better farming flow into a different kind of work. Maybe non-fiction. So it could reach a bigger audience. Cause I don't think many Aussie blokes read novels. On the healing and energies stuff there is already heaps out there. Btw thanks to Rachael for including a further reading list at the end. Anyway I am nonetheless looking forward to reading future novels of Rachael, but with hopefully a bit less 'pointing out the right way a million times' and more of good old Aussie outback life.
September 9, 2018
I bought this for $2 on a second-hand book stall. I thought it might be light and fun - and in parts it was.
However - easy to read does not mean easy to believe. I don't know if the author had her editor and publisher on her case - but the ending was ridiculous and seemed rushed.
I'm currently marking Year 8 English creative writing - and half of them can nail a better resolution than this author can.
However - easy to read does not mean easy to believe. I don't know if the author had her editor and publisher on her case - but the ending was ridiculous and seemed rushed.
I'm currently marking Year 8 English creative writing - and half of them can nail a better resolution than this author can.
October 10, 2014
Elsie Jones wants to be famous – the only thing is she’s not entirely sure what for. She lives in the wheat-growing town of Culvert in New South Wales and feels the pressure to live up to her mother’s lofty standards. Elsie has to fight to be allowed to ride her pony to school, or to hang out with her friend Tara and the new kids in town, Zac and Amos Smith. Looming is the threat of a posh Sydney boarding school, where Elsie will go to finish her education, become a proper young lady and the future bride of some farmer.
At sixteen, Elsie and Tara escape Culvert in a clapped out ute with only a small amount of cash and an elderly dog for company. They make their way north, joining a team mustering cleanskin cattle in the outback. From there a devastating betrayal tears them apart and sets them on very different paths – Elsie to America and a country singing career and Tara stays in Australia to set up her own business, having discovered something that she’s very good at.
A decade down the track and their paths are about to meet again. Can get they get past everything that has happened and find their way home, back to each other and the boys they left behind?
This is the first Rachael Treasure book I’ve ever read and I’m really quite conflicted about it. To be honest, I almost gave up on it a dozen times in the first 100 pages, which deals with Elsie and Tara when they are quite young. If you don’t find poo jokes funny, then this is perhaps not the book for you. I don’t particularly find them funny and the constant mention and referencing of poo got on my nerves. But I persevered because I was curious and because this book had several good ratings on Goodreads and because people sing the praises of Rachael Treasure, who is often credited with the rise of the rural romance genre. I have to say that when Elsie and Tara leave Culvert, the book gets a lot better. For a while it’s really pretty good and I was almost enjoying it but then towards the end, I found that I lost my way again with it.
Cleanskin Cowgirls makes a lot of referencing to sustainable agriculture and searching for alternative methods of fuel. Elsie lives on a farm that is slowly turning to dust and she thinks that there are much kinder, gentler ways of farming the land that would reap better rewards, not that her arrogant and pompous father would ever listen to her, or put them into practice should she suggest it. Also, the Smith twins, the intelligent but perhaps slightly socially backward Amos and Zac have been researching an alternative in fuel with their father. I don’t know the ins and outs of the legitimacy of this particular method that they are researching and developing in a shed in their backyard (I’ll give you a hint – it has much to do with the abundance of jokes mentioned above) but I do know that I did find it well, a bit hard to buy in the way in which it was presented. And I did find the way in which it dominated the story a bit tedious. I didn’t really care about the ins and outs of the production and how it could basically be used to change the world from one tiny town in Australia, it all felt really easy and simple and if it is so easy, why hasn’t this been done decades ago?
I feel as though too much of the story is devoted to this particular plot and not enough is really given to flesh out core characters, especially Elsie once she and Tara separate after the incident of betrayal (which is resolved later in a way that feels lazy and convenient). Such a lot happens to Elsie in the years after that and the reader barely gets a glimpse into it, other than to have Elsie’s poor choices in men reiterated. At times Elsie was a very difficult character to read about, despite gaining her freedom in leaving Culvert she seemed to get less likable the further away from the property she went. Tara on the other hand, seemed to thrive but the jump forward in years means that you miss out on a large chunk of her life too and it might’ve been nice to experience her growth and journey.
I see glimpses in this book, of things that I could’ve really enjoyed. Unfortunately the first section is far too long and too bogged down in establishing a tenuous connection between Elsie, Tara, Amos and Zac that is far too reliant on making jokes about poo rather than just allowing the fact that they’re all outcasts for various reasons, to really shine. The second section shows promise but again, doesn’t dive in as deep as I’d like and the ending seems to focus with such zeal on the alternative farming that other important threads aren’t given the attention they need.
If you’re a passionate conservationist or really interested in alternative fuel sources then no doubt you’ll enjoy this book much more than I did and I’m sure it has a large audience out there that will receive it well. I expected more romance and more relationship and character development and the constant skipping in time, which allowed the author to gloss over important life stories, didn’t really work for me.
At sixteen, Elsie and Tara escape Culvert in a clapped out ute with only a small amount of cash and an elderly dog for company. They make their way north, joining a team mustering cleanskin cattle in the outback. From there a devastating betrayal tears them apart and sets them on very different paths – Elsie to America and a country singing career and Tara stays in Australia to set up her own business, having discovered something that she’s very good at.
A decade down the track and their paths are about to meet again. Can get they get past everything that has happened and find their way home, back to each other and the boys they left behind?
This is the first Rachael Treasure book I’ve ever read and I’m really quite conflicted about it. To be honest, I almost gave up on it a dozen times in the first 100 pages, which deals with Elsie and Tara when they are quite young. If you don’t find poo jokes funny, then this is perhaps not the book for you. I don’t particularly find them funny and the constant mention and referencing of poo got on my nerves. But I persevered because I was curious and because this book had several good ratings on Goodreads and because people sing the praises of Rachael Treasure, who is often credited with the rise of the rural romance genre. I have to say that when Elsie and Tara leave Culvert, the book gets a lot better. For a while it’s really pretty good and I was almost enjoying it but then towards the end, I found that I lost my way again with it.
Cleanskin Cowgirls makes a lot of referencing to sustainable agriculture and searching for alternative methods of fuel. Elsie lives on a farm that is slowly turning to dust and she thinks that there are much kinder, gentler ways of farming the land that would reap better rewards, not that her arrogant and pompous father would ever listen to her, or put them into practice should she suggest it. Also, the Smith twins, the intelligent but perhaps slightly socially backward Amos and Zac have been researching an alternative in fuel with their father. I don’t know the ins and outs of the legitimacy of this particular method that they are researching and developing in a shed in their backyard (I’ll give you a hint – it has much to do with the abundance of jokes mentioned above) but I do know that I did find it well, a bit hard to buy in the way in which it was presented. And I did find the way in which it dominated the story a bit tedious. I didn’t really care about the ins and outs of the production and how it could basically be used to change the world from one tiny town in Australia, it all felt really easy and simple and if it is so easy, why hasn’t this been done decades ago?
I feel as though too much of the story is devoted to this particular plot and not enough is really given to flesh out core characters, especially Elsie once she and Tara separate after the incident of betrayal (which is resolved later in a way that feels lazy and convenient). Such a lot happens to Elsie in the years after that and the reader barely gets a glimpse into it, other than to have Elsie’s poor choices in men reiterated. At times Elsie was a very difficult character to read about, despite gaining her freedom in leaving Culvert she seemed to get less likable the further away from the property she went. Tara on the other hand, seemed to thrive but the jump forward in years means that you miss out on a large chunk of her life too and it might’ve been nice to experience her growth and journey.
I see glimpses in this book, of things that I could’ve really enjoyed. Unfortunately the first section is far too long and too bogged down in establishing a tenuous connection between Elsie, Tara, Amos and Zac that is far too reliant on making jokes about poo rather than just allowing the fact that they’re all outcasts for various reasons, to really shine. The second section shows promise but again, doesn’t dive in as deep as I’d like and the ending seems to focus with such zeal on the alternative farming that other important threads aren’t given the attention they need.
If you’re a passionate conservationist or really interested in alternative fuel sources then no doubt you’ll enjoy this book much more than I did and I’m sure it has a large audience out there that will receive it well. I expected more romance and more relationship and character development and the constant skipping in time, which allowed the author to gloss over important life stories, didn’t really work for me.
August 9, 2024
Following Elsie and Tara through their childhood upbringing, leaving their hometown, working on a Station to finally going their own ways only to find each other in the end!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2019
This book was about two female school friends in a small town who became friends with twin brothers newly moved into town. The story line follows these four people and their families throughout many decades of their lives which lead in different directions all over the world. I guess the moral to the story is if you believe in something don't give up until you succeed. A fantastic read with many surprises, twists and turns.
March 28, 2016
Got half way through, then realised it wasn't going to get any better - gave up on it, didn't finish.
January 12, 2020
Fantastic book.. includes love, friendships, loyalty, integrity, a bit of romance, Australian outback.. loved it. Highly recommend.. have to agree with others a bit much politics and how to use poo!!
January 19, 2021
Another great Australian read by Rachael Treasure. An easy, feel good, read.
Read
January 28, 2025Could not get past the way fat characters were described in this book
February 4, 2023
The story commences in the fictitious Australian wheat belt town of Culvert. Elsie Jones and her best friend Tara Green come from very different backgrounds. Elsie's family own a rural property, her father holds a respectable position in the small local council and her mother runs a good home. On the other hand Tara lives with her mother and stepfather and life is anything but kind to Tara. Elsie rides her pony to school and Tara joins her on foot as Elsie passes her house.
A new family has purchased the run down service station on a large property close by and the girls become friends with the family. Life is happy in their home even though Elvis Smith is gravely ill. He and his wife Gwinnie and twin sons Zac and Amos, have a positive outlook on life and the girls love to spend time with them. It is through this family that the author has cleverly written an entire subplot on the potential of human methane as an energy source.
At age sixteen Elsie and Tara have had enough of their unhappy home life where all is not as rosy as it seems. With little money they hit the open road eventually finding a job mustering cleanskin cattle. Elsie has a beautiful voice and starts singing and strumming her guitar wherever and whenever she gets the opportunity. She is determined to become famous one day. Tara has a natural talent for feng shui and all that is associated with it. This shines through in her beautiful personality.
With both of them dreaming of the future they want, they eventually part ways and learn that life can happen the way you want it to, but you have to take risks and sometimes this means being untrue to the real person you are.
It is a lovely story with much humour around the sub-plot, sadness, betrayal, happiness and true self discovery.
A new family has purchased the run down service station on a large property close by and the girls become friends with the family. Life is happy in their home even though Elvis Smith is gravely ill. He and his wife Gwinnie and twin sons Zac and Amos, have a positive outlook on life and the girls love to spend time with them. It is through this family that the author has cleverly written an entire subplot on the potential of human methane as an energy source.
At age sixteen Elsie and Tara have had enough of their unhappy home life where all is not as rosy as it seems. With little money they hit the open road eventually finding a job mustering cleanskin cattle. Elsie has a beautiful voice and starts singing and strumming her guitar wherever and whenever she gets the opportunity. She is determined to become famous one day. Tara has a natural talent for feng shui and all that is associated with it. This shines through in her beautiful personality.
With both of them dreaming of the future they want, they eventually part ways and learn that life can happen the way you want it to, but you have to take risks and sometimes this means being untrue to the real person you are.
It is a lovely story with much humour around the sub-plot, sadness, betrayal, happiness and true self discovery.
February 19, 2019
This book was an easy read. I found I got into the story quickly and I enjoyed getting to know the characters and following the storyline in the beginning. Toward the end I got a little bit tired of the details in regard to the science and the politics. There was a bit too much summary and simple retelling of action for my liking. The character LC was reasonably likeable however I felt she didn't have a lot of substance and I wasn't rooting for her very much. I preferred the character of Tara and felt for her situation. She had a lot more growth throughout the story and she was inspirational I suppose. I also loved Gwinnie the mother of the twins. She was exactly what the two girls needed and she was a solid rock for her family. She may have been my favourite character. The ending was ok it was a little bit too much of a happy ending in my opinion it seemed to be fake and unlikely, like a fairy tale but there was a definite conclusion. All in all it was a good book to listen to and I finished it quite quickly but I won't be searching for more of her books at this point in time.
April 5, 2021
I enjoyed this novel. I believe in caring for our environment with a similar passion and loved this emphasis and would like to believe that it is achievable for us all.
Although, I am trying to be more discerning in my reading nowadays, and not get weighed down by dark issues, I enjoyed the journey these ‘cleanskin cowgirls’ went on as they tried to leave the ugliness of their pasts behind them, particularly the cattle station experience as it was a time when the characters started to develop more fully and in circumstances that were positively formative. It was interesting that the characters returned to their hometown where they were instrumental in achieving positive change for their town.
I loved the warm, zany family of Smith’s who gave support to the girls and enjoyed how they went from being regarded as odd troublemakers to assisting the regrowth and development of the struggling town. Sometimes, you need to embrace change despite how different it is.
Some minor things jarred in the dialogue where characters’ humour about the sewage product was over used but it did not detract from the skilful crafting of the story. I gave this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
Although, I am trying to be more discerning in my reading nowadays, and not get weighed down by dark issues, I enjoyed the journey these ‘cleanskin cowgirls’ went on as they tried to leave the ugliness of their pasts behind them, particularly the cattle station experience as it was a time when the characters started to develop more fully and in circumstances that were positively formative. It was interesting that the characters returned to their hometown where they were instrumental in achieving positive change for their town.
I loved the warm, zany family of Smith’s who gave support to the girls and enjoyed how they went from being regarded as odd troublemakers to assisting the regrowth and development of the struggling town. Sometimes, you need to embrace change despite how different it is.
Some minor things jarred in the dialogue where characters’ humour about the sewage product was over used but it did not detract from the skilful crafting of the story. I gave this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
January 11, 2022
Loved this book, Elsie and Tara take off on a whim, having escaped the school formal and spent an evening around a bonfire with friends not realising that the township was looking for them, they head off in a rusty ute, with Tara's cleaning supplies and Elsies guitar and amp along with Elsies dog they go on a road trip. With only $74.85 between them they are not going to get far.... they use Elsies credit card (payed for by Dad) to get a change of clothes and some food and head off on an adventure. They fall out along the way but Tara (who has since established a business) feels a call to go home and bring their little township out of the doldrums, Elsie who is a country music superstar has a near death experience and quits stardom to go into rehab, where she is rescued by her 3 friends, Tara, Zac and Amos; together they are shaping up to put their little hometown of Culvert on the map and waken up the locals to change and growth in their small township.
November 23, 2019
I bought this book as I love stories based in country Australia.
Although the author conjured up some great images of the outback with her descriptive story telling I found that a lot of the novel just didn’t ‘sit right’.
Following the lives of twin brothers and two girls who are close friends, the book weaves its way through their life’s paths.
I enjoyed reading Elsie’s journey and felt this was a big part of the book that could have been elaborated on more as well as Tara’s life story.
The Smith family characters were great but most of the time with them I felt like I was reading a thesis on poo and it’s sustainability. It got very tiring and tedious towards the end of the book and I found myself getting bored with it.
I would have liked the story line to focus more on station life as suggested by the title instead of learning about different ways to recycle sewerage.
I’m giving this book a 3 instead of a 2 purely because it includes a song by the Wolfe Bros.
Although the author conjured up some great images of the outback with her descriptive story telling I found that a lot of the novel just didn’t ‘sit right’.
Following the lives of twin brothers and two girls who are close friends, the book weaves its way through their life’s paths.
I enjoyed reading Elsie’s journey and felt this was a big part of the book that could have been elaborated on more as well as Tara’s life story.
The Smith family characters were great but most of the time with them I felt like I was reading a thesis on poo and it’s sustainability. It got very tiring and tedious towards the end of the book and I found myself getting bored with it.
I would have liked the story line to focus more on station life as suggested by the title instead of learning about different ways to recycle sewerage.
I’m giving this book a 3 instead of a 2 purely because it includes a song by the Wolfe Bros.
August 22, 2018
This is not what I expected! For starters I didn’t expect the girls to still be teens when they took off on their road trip. Had I known that I probably wouldn’t have picked the book up, but I just wanted something light & easy to read. Cleanskin Cowgirls fits that brief.
In relation to the storyline, I became a bit bored & was disappointed that everything was so neatly taken care of by the end of the book. Some interesting topics covered including fame, the environment, healthy living & rural life but I wouldn’t rush out to read another by this author in a hurry. There are just other books & writers I would prefer to devour first.
In relation to the storyline, I became a bit bored & was disappointed that everything was so neatly taken care of by the end of the book. Some interesting topics covered including fame, the environment, healthy living & rural life but I wouldn’t rush out to read another by this author in a hurry. There are just other books & writers I would prefer to devour first.
March 12, 2023
This was a big fat DNF for me. I was struggling with the constant poo jokes and the fact that nothing seemed to be happening and then there were some stylistic issues with POV. Content and slow moving plot is one thing, but I hate when books have one main character POV but they throw in random scenes from other characters because the author can't figure out how to share the information any other way. Either commit to having multiple POV and give them mostly equal time or figure out a different way to share the information.
August 14, 2020
All of Rachel's books I liked this one both the most and the least. The story of the Culvert Poo Crew and their journeys was great: warm, engaging and the characters were loveable and well drawn, albeit a little shallow for my liking. But the incessant babble about her life philosophy of the universe being love and our embrace of life now was OTT in this one. I can handle a little undercurrent, but this was just everywhere and all the time.
February 2, 2019
Balling my eyes out
Five stars for another whirlwind book from Rachael Treasure. I didn't see it coming but the punches were thick and fast. Congrats on another truly worthy page-turner.
Five stars for another whirlwind book from Rachael Treasure. I didn't see it coming but the punches were thick and fast. Congrats on another truly worthy page-turner.
June 13, 2020
Totally predictable. But I loved it, the science type stuff towards the end gets a bit much and the rekindling relationships could've been a little more indepth but all round it was a fabulous story... next!
May 26, 2017
There were some good parts to this book but the breaking of bonds was pretty severe and i wasnt satisfied by the glossy ending.
April 12, 2018
fun easy read!
March 7, 2021
Some obviously not funny moments but some absolute laugh out loud moments!
August 2, 2023
Not one of her better books I actually found this one very uninteresting
January 1, 2024
Great read with yet another strong female protagonist navigating her way through the masculine agricultural industry, sprinkled with some good Aussie humour.
February 11, 2024
Yes loved this. But not quite 5 stars sorry
March 13, 2024
Absolutely loved it. My first Rachael Treasure book, but definitely not my last. Great characters, interesting plots. I laughed. I cried. Fabulous read.
September 15, 2024
Ok, the same formula as her others think I'm over it now!
June 30, 2015
*3.5 stars
Cleanskin Cowgirls, written by popular Australian author Rachael Treasure, is much more than a simple outback romance. The book goes that one step further by covering issues at the heart of rural farming communities. These include finding sustainable farming practices, dealing with the impacts of drought and the rising costs associated with running a farm equitably. Also compounded within the book are the themes of female friendship, class divisions, the country music scene, child abuse, obesity, spiritualism and a dash of romance. Cleanskin Cowgirls opens as the reader meets Elise, now a superstar in the country music world, who has suffered a drug overdose. The overdose opens her eyes to her need to reconnect with her Australian country roots and she makes her way back home. The book moves backwards 14 years, as we read about Elise as a young girl growing up in her small country town. The scenes of the past also introduce the reader to the other heroine of the book, Tara. Again the time period of the book moves ahead 4 years, looking at Elise and Tara as teens, as events culminate in the girls running away from home together. The best part of the book comes as the girls take a road trip and eventually end up as jillaroos on a large, mainly cleanskin, cattle station. The narrative then shifts back to the present, as Elise tries to make her way back home to the people and the place that mean the most to her.
I have been a big fan of Rachael Treasure’s writing for some time, Jillaroo is a standout book for me. As with her last book, The Farmer’s Wife, Cleanskin Cowgirls takes a slightly different slant on her earlier works. Treasure clearly writes from the heart and her personal passion for rural issues and the recognition of Australian country music is evident in her latest book. At its core, Cleanskin Cowgirls is a book about self belief and female friendship. There are also number of subplots within the book, mainly that of sustainable or renewable energy sources. This is where secondary characters and love interests, twins, Amos and Zac come in to the book. Much of the narrative is focussed on the boy’s pet project to create energy for their farm and community using human waste. Treasure deals with this subplot in a light hearted manner. Treasure’s characters are distinct and well described, but for the most part of the book I found it hard to like Elise or Tara. I found myself feeling dreadfully sorry for Tara’s sad upbringing, but couldn’t connect to the spiritualism element that seemed to define Tara’s personality. I found myself frustrated with Elise for much of the book. Elise’s treatment of friend Tara was appalling and self centred. It was hard to like the heroine of the book. Although I had a hard time with the characters, what I did love was the setting. The wonderful descriptions of the small country town and Elise’s family farm, the road trip scenes and cattle station were wonderfully vivid.
In short, Cleanskin Cowgirls was definitely an escapist read that combines rural issues with life lessons. Fans of Treasure and the rural genre can expect a fairly good yarn.
Cleanskin Cowgirls, written by popular Australian author Rachael Treasure, is much more than a simple outback romance. The book goes that one step further by covering issues at the heart of rural farming communities. These include finding sustainable farming practices, dealing with the impacts of drought and the rising costs associated with running a farm equitably. Also compounded within the book are the themes of female friendship, class divisions, the country music scene, child abuse, obesity, spiritualism and a dash of romance. Cleanskin Cowgirls opens as the reader meets Elise, now a superstar in the country music world, who has suffered a drug overdose. The overdose opens her eyes to her need to reconnect with her Australian country roots and she makes her way back home. The book moves backwards 14 years, as we read about Elise as a young girl growing up in her small country town. The scenes of the past also introduce the reader to the other heroine of the book, Tara. Again the time period of the book moves ahead 4 years, looking at Elise and Tara as teens, as events culminate in the girls running away from home together. The best part of the book comes as the girls take a road trip and eventually end up as jillaroos on a large, mainly cleanskin, cattle station. The narrative then shifts back to the present, as Elise tries to make her way back home to the people and the place that mean the most to her.
I have been a big fan of Rachael Treasure’s writing for some time, Jillaroo is a standout book for me. As with her last book, The Farmer’s Wife, Cleanskin Cowgirls takes a slightly different slant on her earlier works. Treasure clearly writes from the heart and her personal passion for rural issues and the recognition of Australian country music is evident in her latest book. At its core, Cleanskin Cowgirls is a book about self belief and female friendship. There are also number of subplots within the book, mainly that of sustainable or renewable energy sources. This is where secondary characters and love interests, twins, Amos and Zac come in to the book. Much of the narrative is focussed on the boy’s pet project to create energy for their farm and community using human waste. Treasure deals with this subplot in a light hearted manner. Treasure’s characters are distinct and well described, but for the most part of the book I found it hard to like Elise or Tara. I found myself feeling dreadfully sorry for Tara’s sad upbringing, but couldn’t connect to the spiritualism element that seemed to define Tara’s personality. I found myself frustrated with Elise for much of the book. Elise’s treatment of friend Tara was appalling and self centred. It was hard to like the heroine of the book. Although I had a hard time with the characters, what I did love was the setting. The wonderful descriptions of the small country town and Elise’s family farm, the road trip scenes and cattle station were wonderfully vivid.
In short, Cleanskin Cowgirls was definitely an escapist read that combines rural issues with life lessons. Fans of Treasure and the rural genre can expect a fairly good yarn.
January 23, 2016
Cleanskin Cowgirls had me hooked very early on.
Who hasn't dreamt, at one point in their life, of running away to start fresh? And what better way to do it, than to run to the Australian outback?
I thoroughly enjoyed the development of the various characters throughout the story. Each turn of the page added another dimension to EJ, Tara, Zac, Amos, their families, neighbours and those encountered through their journeys.
The idea behind the story of the Smith's extra business activities was extremely interesting and thought provoking. Once the initial shock of the venture had passed, I found myself quite intrigued, and wondered if something like this could eventually make a difference in the world.
The idea of environmental issues, holistic solutions, love and friendship being strong enough to bind friends for eternity made Cleanskin Cowgirls a favourite for me.
The added bonus of a fabulous song by the Wolfe Bros. was a very welcome surprise.
Congratulations to Rachael Treasure on a fabulous novel.
Who hasn't dreamt, at one point in their life, of running away to start fresh? And what better way to do it, than to run to the Australian outback?
I thoroughly enjoyed the development of the various characters throughout the story. Each turn of the page added another dimension to EJ, Tara, Zac, Amos, their families, neighbours and those encountered through their journeys.
The idea behind the story of the Smith's extra business activities was extremely interesting and thought provoking. Once the initial shock of the venture had passed, I found myself quite intrigued, and wondered if something like this could eventually make a difference in the world.
The idea of environmental issues, holistic solutions, love and friendship being strong enough to bind friends for eternity made Cleanskin Cowgirls a favourite for me.
The added bonus of a fabulous song by the Wolfe Bros. was a very welcome surprise.
Congratulations to Rachael Treasure on a fabulous novel.
January 24, 2015
It was good to see Treasure back to writing like she used to. Having read The Farmers Wife and really disliking it, I was very hesitant to read this new novel, in spite of LOVING her early books. However, The Clearskin Cowgirls is a great read, back to the nice rural romance.
However, I do have some issues with the storyline, particularly in the fact that she likes to put her opinion across as an author (which of course she is allowed to do), but as a reader I felt alienated by the overwhelming discussion of angels and spirits and I got lost as a non farmer when it came to endless pages of discussion of biofuel (although I did learn a few things).
There was certainly room for less of this kind of discussion and more about the characters whom I loved. I found the big time leaps in the story leaving me with unanswered questions about Elsie and Tara.
However, I do have some issues with the storyline, particularly in the fact that she likes to put her opinion across as an author (which of course she is allowed to do), but as a reader I felt alienated by the overwhelming discussion of angels and spirits and I got lost as a non farmer when it came to endless pages of discussion of biofuel (although I did learn a few things).
There was certainly room for less of this kind of discussion and more about the characters whom I loved. I found the big time leaps in the story leaving me with unanswered questions about Elsie and Tara.
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