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An Uncommon Woman
Inspired by a real newspaper story from 1933, An Uncommon Woman is an epic tale of duty, ambition, prejudice and love, from the pen of bestselling author Nicole Alexander.
A new world is waiting for her . . .
It’s 1929, and the world is changing. Cars are no longer the privilege of the rich. Hemlines are rising. Movies are talking. And more and more women are entering the workforce.
For Edwina Baker, however, life on her family’s farm in Western Queensland offers little opportunity to be anything other than daughter, sister and, perhaps soon, wife.
But Edwina wants more. She wants to see the world, meet new people, achieve things. For while she has more business sense than her younger brother, it will be Aiden who one day inherits the farm.
Then the circus comes to town. Banned from attending by her father, Hamilton, Edwina defiantly rides to the showground dressed as a boy. There she encounters two men who will both inadvertently alter the course of her life: pastoralist Mason with his modern city friends; and Will, a labourer who also dreams of escape.
And when the night ends in near-disaster, this one act of rebellion strikes at the heart of the Baker family. Yet it also offers Edwina the rare chance to prove herself in a man’s world. The question is, how far is she prepared to go, and how much is she prepared to risk?
A new world is waiting for her . . .
It’s 1929, and the world is changing. Cars are no longer the privilege of the rich. Hemlines are rising. Movies are talking. And more and more women are entering the workforce.
For Edwina Baker, however, life on her family’s farm in Western Queensland offers little opportunity to be anything other than daughter, sister and, perhaps soon, wife.
But Edwina wants more. She wants to see the world, meet new people, achieve things. For while she has more business sense than her younger brother, it will be Aiden who one day inherits the farm.
Then the circus comes to town. Banned from attending by her father, Hamilton, Edwina defiantly rides to the showground dressed as a boy. There she encounters two men who will both inadvertently alter the course of her life: pastoralist Mason with his modern city friends; and Will, a labourer who also dreams of escape.
And when the night ends in near-disaster, this one act of rebellion strikes at the heart of the Baker family. Yet it also offers Edwina the rare chance to prove herself in a man’s world. The question is, how far is she prepared to go, and how much is she prepared to risk?
392 pages, Paperback
Published July 3, 2017
41 people are currently reading
289 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Alexander
36 books189 followersNicole Alexander is the author of eleven novels: The Bark Cutters, A Changing Land, Absolution Creek, Sunset Ridge, The Great Plains, Wild Lands, River Run, An Uncommon Woman, Stone Country, The Cedar Tree and The Last Station.
The Limestone Road will be published March 2025.
Awards: The Bark Cutters - short-listed for an Australian Book Industry Award.
Non-fiction includes;
Poetry: Divertissements: Love. War. Society. - a Anthologies: Dear Mum / Great Australian Writers
Nicole lives in north-west NSW, Australia
The Limestone Road will be published March 2025.
Awards: The Bark Cutters - short-listed for an Australian Book Industry Award.
Non-fiction includes;
Poetry: Divertissements: Love. War. Society. - a Anthologies: Dear Mum / Great Australian Writers
Nicole lives in north-west NSW, Australia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
June 25, 2017
Edwina Baker and her younger brother Aiden were working the farm together, although it was a rare occurrence. Edwina was sick of hanging around the farmhouse; she needed to be busy and applying her thoughts to their land, as well as acting on them was what she wanted to do. But her father Hamilton was a strict and ruthless man, moreso since his wife and children’s mother had passed away. He refused to let Edwina leave the farm unless accompanied – he also refused to listen to her ideas at improving their land. She was intensely frustrated as well as horrified that Aiden appeared to agree with their father.
Therefore when the circus was in town, Edwina defied her father and, dressed as a boy, rode her horse to see the event. But it was while she was in attendance that she met the two men who would feature in her future in a big way. While she needed to hide her visit to town from her father, she feared what would happen should he find out…
As Edwina continued to put her ideas to her father, Hamilton was having troubles of his own. His anger and displeasure at his daughter continued to irritate – but it was what was happening in his background which was building the resentment in his heart. What would happen in the family’s future? Would Edwina be able to prove her ability and worth? She could only try…
An Uncommon Woman by Aussie author Nicole Alexander is another epic historical fiction novel which I thoroughly enjoyed. Set in 1929 and into the 1930s in the dusty, drought stricken land of Western Queensland, the vivid descriptions of the land, the prickly pear and the rivalries between property owners is all too real. With Aboriginal stockmen, men searching for work that just wasn’t available, the harsh living on the land – all combined to make this another winner for this author. I have no hesitation in recommending An Uncommon Woman highly.
With thanks to Penguin Random House AU for my ARC to read and review.
Therefore when the circus was in town, Edwina defied her father and, dressed as a boy, rode her horse to see the event. But it was while she was in attendance that she met the two men who would feature in her future in a big way. While she needed to hide her visit to town from her father, she feared what would happen should he find out…
As Edwina continued to put her ideas to her father, Hamilton was having troubles of his own. His anger and displeasure at his daughter continued to irritate – but it was what was happening in his background which was building the resentment in his heart. What would happen in the family’s future? Would Edwina be able to prove her ability and worth? She could only try…
An Uncommon Woman by Aussie author Nicole Alexander is another epic historical fiction novel which I thoroughly enjoyed. Set in 1929 and into the 1930s in the dusty, drought stricken land of Western Queensland, the vivid descriptions of the land, the prickly pear and the rivalries between property owners is all too real. With Aboriginal stockmen, men searching for work that just wasn’t available, the harsh living on the land – all combined to make this another winner for this author. I have no hesitation in recommending An Uncommon Woman highly.
With thanks to Penguin Random House AU for my ARC to read and review.
September 20, 2017
Edwina Baker felt restless and wanted more input when it came to working on the farm with her younger brother, Aiden. But since their mother passed away Edwina found any suggestions or thoughts she shared with her father, Hamilton were ignored and her brother always sided with their father.
Knowing all too well how tough her father was when it came to letting Edwina go places on her own she knew there was no chance he would allow her to see the circus that had arrived in town. So as long as he didn't find out she couldn't get into trouble or so she believed. Whilst attending the circus, Edwina crosses paths with two men who could alter her life. How would this impact on her and her family?
Aussie author Nicole Alexander has written a truly enjoyable and remarkable historical fiction novel that is set in 1929. Highly recommended.
Knowing all too well how tough her father was when it came to letting Edwina go places on her own she knew there was no chance he would allow her to see the circus that had arrived in town. So as long as he didn't find out she couldn't get into trouble or so she believed. Whilst attending the circus, Edwina crosses paths with two men who could alter her life. How would this impact on her and her family?
Aussie author Nicole Alexander has written a truly enjoyable and remarkable historical fiction novel that is set in 1929. Highly recommended.
February 12, 2020
I was really excited to read this book, it was actually my choice for a book reading club. The description sounds right up my alley;
Inspired by a real newspaper story from 1933, An Uncommon Woman is an epic tale of duty, ambition, prejudice and love, from the pen of bestselling author Nicole Alexander.
It’s 1929, and the world is changing. Cars are no longer the privilege of the rich. Hemlines are rising. Movies are talking. And more and more women are entering the workforce.
For Edwina Baker, however, life on her family’s farm in Western Queensland offers little opportunity to be anything other than daughter, sister and, perhaps soon, wife.
But Edwina wants more. She wants to see the world, meet new people, achieve things. For while she has more business sense than her younger brother, it will be Aiden who one day inherits the farm.
Historical fiction inspired by real events, a strong woman challenging roles... Written by an Australia author with a solid number of books under her belt; it all sounded so good. But for me, it did not come through on the promises.
The planning, premises and the whole 'feel' of the book were still things I liked. There are parts of the setting, descriptions of locations and historical events that all were really good. I liked that prickly pears and Cactoblastis were used, they were a big deal in the era. I liked the way the daily concerns of the rural community were touched on (not developed, mind you, but touched upon).
However, there was a lot more that I didn't like at all. This book promises a number of things without delivering, the title promises an uncommon woman and the back blurb promises that this will be the subject of the novel. Not true. There are 392 pages in this book, and for most of them what we get is pages and pages of Edwina and her brother being downtrodden by her father, alternating with Edwina being looked down on by her father and brother.
The father and the brother are terrible characters, they are so bad I can't even quite imagine what the author thought she was doing there. Both are beyond routine harshness, chauvinism and misogyny that was present in the era. They go beyond stereotypical into farcical pretty much every time you encounter them and they never recover. I liked Edwina! Of course I did! I can relate to her, she is a perfect 21st century woman. She wants to see the world, is worried about the environment, she does not like killing trees or wallabies, knows that wheat is not going to work, economically speaking.... In fact she is a complete anachronism.
Much like the descriptions of their characters, the relationships between these three are never anything other than clumsy. In the early part of the book, Edwina and her brother Aiden are companionable, then they are randomly not. Hamilton totally ignores his kids, he lies to them, keeps them in poverty, does the most bizarre things and then latter all of a sudden values them. you can't follow it, you can just ignore it or shrug it off because you want to see how it turns out, but you can't enjoy it.
Now, as I have said I find the the planning of the book good but the execution clumsy and the characters anachronistic. But with all that unchanged, in my opinion this could still have been a good novel if it had been trimmed. Trimmed a LOT. As I say in the spoiler, there are 392 pages of this book, three quarters of which is repetitive and is NOT what is promised by the cover or the description. For over 200 of those pages, all we get is the clumsily written nastiness of the father and brother, with Edwina fretting inside her skull anachronistically. That is a lot to wade through before the promised plot begins. I guess the author thought she was setting us up for how difficult Edwina's life was and how hard for her to break out of it? Maybe? If that was the aim, it was poorly done for too long.
The last quarter of the book was the only part that measured up to the description. By then I disliked the book, the plot, all and sundry characters in it. the romantic subplots for Edwina were remarkably unromantic, enticing and embarrassingly predictable. I might have cared about them more if I had cared about Edwina more, but by the last quarter of the book she was just as annoying as everyone else in it. The actual part of Edwina actually doing something toward the end was not too bad, all 80 pages of it, having sat through over 300 pages to get there.
Regarding the way the author inserts 'blacks' into the story. Not too poorly done, with Hamilton and Aiden, she accurately reflects the way white European pastoralist regarded them (though not Edwina of course, being as how she is a 21st century woman). However, just putting it out there that by page 120, I was thoroughly over the phrase "It's for their own good..." about the way the state deals with 'aboriginals'. Yes, this was the prevailing attitude, many people did believe it. Pretty sure though, they didn't go around thinking it five times a day. Not sure why the author needs to insert this catch phrase every chapter at least once. set my teeth on edge after a while. I am not sure how I feel about the treatment of the 'Chinese', still thinking that over.
All in all, sadly, a disappointing read.
Inspired by a real newspaper story from 1933, An Uncommon Woman is an epic tale of duty, ambition, prejudice and love, from the pen of bestselling author Nicole Alexander.
It’s 1929, and the world is changing. Cars are no longer the privilege of the rich. Hemlines are rising. Movies are talking. And more and more women are entering the workforce.
For Edwina Baker, however, life on her family’s farm in Western Queensland offers little opportunity to be anything other than daughter, sister and, perhaps soon, wife.
But Edwina wants more. She wants to see the world, meet new people, achieve things. For while she has more business sense than her younger brother, it will be Aiden who one day inherits the farm.
Historical fiction inspired by real events, a strong woman challenging roles... Written by an Australia author with a solid number of books under her belt; it all sounded so good. But for me, it did not come through on the promises.
The planning, premises and the whole 'feel' of the book were still things I liked. There are parts of the setting, descriptions of locations and historical events that all were really good. I liked that prickly pears and Cactoblastis were used, they were a big deal in the era. I liked the way the daily concerns of the rural community were touched on (not developed, mind you, but touched upon).
However, there was a lot more that I didn't like at all. This book promises a number of things without delivering, the title promises an uncommon woman and the back blurb promises that this will be the subject of the novel. Not true. There are 392 pages in this book, and for most of them what we get is pages and pages of Edwina and her brother being downtrodden by her father, alternating with Edwina being looked down on by her father and brother.
The father and the brother are terrible characters, they are so bad I can't even quite imagine what the author thought she was doing there. Both are beyond routine harshness, chauvinism and misogyny that was present in the era. They go beyond stereotypical into farcical pretty much every time you encounter them and they never recover. I liked Edwina! Of course I did! I can relate to her, she is a perfect 21st century woman. She wants to see the world, is worried about the environment, she does not like killing trees or wallabies, knows that wheat is not going to work, economically speaking.... In fact she is a complete anachronism.
Much like the descriptions of their characters, the relationships between these three are never anything other than clumsy. In the early part of the book, Edwina and her brother Aiden are companionable, then they are randomly not. Hamilton totally ignores his kids, he lies to them, keeps them in poverty, does the most bizarre things and then latter all of a sudden values them. you can't follow it, you can just ignore it or shrug it off because you want to see how it turns out, but you can't enjoy it.
Now, as I have said I find the the planning of the book good but the execution clumsy and the characters anachronistic. But with all that unchanged, in my opinion this could still have been a good novel if it had been trimmed. Trimmed a LOT. As I say in the spoiler, there are 392 pages of this book, three quarters of which is repetitive and is NOT what is promised by the cover or the description. For over 200 of those pages, all we get is the clumsily written nastiness of the father and brother, with Edwina fretting inside her skull anachronistically. That is a lot to wade through before the promised plot begins. I guess the author thought she was setting us up for how difficult Edwina's life was and how hard for her to break out of it? Maybe? If that was the aim, it was poorly done for too long.
The last quarter of the book was the only part that measured up to the description. By then I disliked the book, the plot, all and sundry characters in it. the romantic subplots for Edwina were remarkably unromantic, enticing and embarrassingly predictable. I might have cared about them more if I had cared about Edwina more, but by the last quarter of the book she was just as annoying as everyone else in it. The actual part of Edwina actually doing something toward the end was not too bad, all 80 pages of it, having sat through over 300 pages to get there.
Regarding the way the author inserts 'blacks' into the story. Not too poorly done, with Hamilton and Aiden, she accurately reflects the way white European pastoralist regarded them (though not Edwina of course, being as how she is a 21st century woman). However, just putting it out there that by page 120, I was thoroughly over the phrase "It's for their own good..." about the way the state deals with 'aboriginals'. Yes, this was the prevailing attitude, many people did believe it. Pretty sure though, they didn't go around thinking it five times a day. Not sure why the author needs to insert this catch phrase every chapter at least once. set my teeth on edge after a while. I am not sure how I feel about the treatment of the 'Chinese', still thinking that over.
All in all, sadly, a disappointing read.
February 24, 2020
2.5★
I found this really difficult to get into. Such a slow start, and rather irritating characters. It's not my first book by this author, and I remember being a bit underwhelmed by the other one I read as well.
I quite enjoyed the ending, although it seemed rather implausible given the rest of the book.
I loved the outback Queensland setting, and the use of the cactoblastis insects to control the prickly pear (although I've still seen prickly pear around the outback, so obviously it wasn't a complete success!), and I loved how the book was partly inspired by an article about a Queensland woman in a Tasmanian newspaper!
I found this really difficult to get into. Such a slow start, and rather irritating characters. It's not my first book by this author, and I remember being a bit underwhelmed by the other one I read as well.
I quite enjoyed the ending, although it seemed rather implausible given the rest of the book.
I loved the outback Queensland setting, and the use of the cactoblastis insects to control the prickly pear (although I've still seen prickly pear around the outback, so obviously it wasn't a complete success!), and I loved how the book was partly inspired by an article about a Queensland woman in a Tasmanian newspaper!
September 17, 2017
4.5 stars
My first read by this author and by no means my last. I have all of Nicole Alexander’s backlist titles sitting on my bookshelf but due to winning this book I had no choice but to read An Uncommon Woman first, I take great pleasure reading in published order even if they don’t run in a series. Even so, I’m very happy to have now read one of Nicole Alexander’s books as she is a wonderful storyteller and this was such a fabulous story. I’ll be whipping out her first book very very soon.
The title An Uncommon Woman matches the protagonist Edwina perfectly for she surely was an uncommon woman back in the 1920s. Sassy and strong who knows her mind and goes for it. Edwina wants more out of life than living on her family’s farm with her controlling father, a father who wants her married to man with a firm hand.
I’m crazy about historical fiction, it brings history to life that I would not normally read about anywhere else. This gorgeous tale set in Western Queensland, a part of QLD I’m yet to investigate, had me totally hooked from beginning to end.
A fascinating read. Highly recommended
Thanks to the author and Goodreads giveaways for this review copy.
My first read by this author and by no means my last. I have all of Nicole Alexander’s backlist titles sitting on my bookshelf but due to winning this book I had no choice but to read An Uncommon Woman first, I take great pleasure reading in published order even if they don’t run in a series. Even so, I’m very happy to have now read one of Nicole Alexander’s books as she is a wonderful storyteller and this was such a fabulous story. I’ll be whipping out her first book very very soon.
The title An Uncommon Woman matches the protagonist Edwina perfectly for she surely was an uncommon woman back in the 1920s. Sassy and strong who knows her mind and goes for it. Edwina wants more out of life than living on her family’s farm with her controlling father, a father who wants her married to man with a firm hand.
I’m crazy about historical fiction, it brings history to life that I would not normally read about anywhere else. This gorgeous tale set in Western Queensland, a part of QLD I’m yet to investigate, had me totally hooked from beginning to end.
A fascinating read. Highly recommended
Thanks to the author and Goodreads giveaways for this review copy.
September 3, 2017
This is my fifth Nicole Alexander novel and what a great read!
An Uncommon Woman is set in south western Queensland in 1929. The story revolves around one family, Hamilton Baker and his two young adult children, Edwina and Aiden. Hamilton is a formidable character and refuses to let Edwina leave their property by herself.
I like the style of writing and there seems to be so much packed into this book. I need to take time to savour it and think about what I read. The characters all seem to be bigger than life and I do not necessarily like them all the time. The sense of place and description of the landscape is exquisite.
Thanks to Nicole Alexander for the gift of this book, which I won in a giveaway.
An Uncommon Woman is set in south western Queensland in 1929. The story revolves around one family, Hamilton Baker and his two young adult children, Edwina and Aiden. Hamilton is a formidable character and refuses to let Edwina leave their property by herself.
I like the style of writing and there seems to be so much packed into this book. I need to take time to savour it and think about what I read. The characters all seem to be bigger than life and I do not necessarily like them all the time. The sense of place and description of the landscape is exquisite.
Thanks to Nicole Alexander for the gift of this book, which I won in a giveaway.
October 1, 2017
Nicole Alexander is an automatic buy for me and I count down the days when her books are being released she is such a treasure – and I am happy to say An Uncommon Woman is another great read. For me, not as good as some of her other books, but still 5 stars for sure. Maybe because I cannot say if I actually liked the main characters or not, but the setting in rural Australia 1929 is beautiful and in usual Nicole fashion her descriptive writing can take you to another time and place. A very captivating read set in the era of Australian Pastoralists at a time when a woman is trying to be heard.
July 17, 2017
Another brilliant tale set in the Australian bush by Nicole Alexander. I loved this book and couldn't stop reading!
July 13, 2018
Beautiful story. Loved the presentation of Edwina Baker!
Read
September 19, 2017Great story of our outback heritage. Takes the reader on an adventure through the eyes of this uncommon woman.
LOVED IT!!!
LOVED IT!!!
September 4, 2018
I've just bought Nicole Alexander's latest novel. Whoo hoo!
Historical fiction based on a 1933 newspaper article in the Tasmanian press.
Edwina and her brother Aiden live with their domineering father on a property in Western Queensland. At this time husbands had the right to confine their wives in mental asylums, which is what Hamilton did to Edwina and Aiden's mother and is where she died. It was then left to Edwina and Aiden to work relentlessly on the property. Hamilton, their father refuses to let Edwina go to town, telling her she was not yet ready to go into society but really it was because he had rooms where he meets his lover. Edwina was sick of the day-in day-out life she was living, did the unthinkable; dressed as a boy she rode into town to see the circus. It was here that she met other young, modern people, drank alcohol and realising she'd made a big mistake, leaves quickly with Will, who she had just met and who stupidly stole a lion cub. I realise that Nicole Alexander's late father really wanted a lion cub but I felt a bit uncomfortable about it being in this story and was anxious in case it escaped into the Australian bush.
Hamilton has a dreadful 'accident' and while he is in bed, unable to speak or move Edwina took control of the property herself because Aiden was so under his father's thumb was content to go on the way things were going.
This book was worth the wait. Loved it!
Historical fiction based on a 1933 newspaper article in the Tasmanian press.
Edwina and her brother Aiden live with their domineering father on a property in Western Queensland. At this time husbands had the right to confine their wives in mental asylums, which is what Hamilton did to Edwina and Aiden's mother and is where she died. It was then left to Edwina and Aiden to work relentlessly on the property. Hamilton, their father refuses to let Edwina go to town, telling her she was not yet ready to go into society but really it was because he had rooms where he meets his lover. Edwina was sick of the day-in day-out life she was living, did the unthinkable; dressed as a boy she rode into town to see the circus. It was here that she met other young, modern people, drank alcohol and realising she'd made a big mistake, leaves quickly with Will, who she had just met and who stupidly stole a lion cub. I realise that Nicole Alexander's late father really wanted a lion cub but I felt a bit uncomfortable about it being in this story and was anxious in case it escaped into the Australian bush.
Hamilton has a dreadful 'accident' and while he is in bed, unable to speak or move Edwina took control of the property herself because Aiden was so under his father's thumb was content to go on the way things were going.
This book was worth the wait. Loved it!
August 27, 2017
Nicole Alexander’s eighth novel, An Uncommon Woman is about a determined and ambitious girl who defies the conventions of her time. Alexander in good company because the idea of an independent woman living and making her own way in a man’s world is not a new one. Authors like Pamela Hart and Natasha Lester have explored this theme with characters living in the city. Tricia Stringer also had an entire trilogy about Australian pastoralists with a couple of female characters that fit this role.
To read the rest of this review please visit: http://magazine.100percentrock.com/re...
To read the rest of this review please visit: http://magazine.100percentrock.com/re...
September 1, 2017
As always with Nicole’s books, An Uncommon Woman is a blend of family history, Australian pastoral history and romance. It was deeply absorbing, with enough plot twists to keep the reader guessing all the way to the end.
Edwina is a great central character; smart and anxious to be treated seriously. It’s easy to both respect and like her. Out of the supporting cast, Davidson was by far the most interesting, but all were well drawn.
I really enjoyed the read, and look forward to the next one.
Edwina is a great central character; smart and anxious to be treated seriously. It’s easy to both respect and like her. Out of the supporting cast, Davidson was by far the most interesting, but all were well drawn.
I really enjoyed the read, and look forward to the next one.
August 19, 2017
Probably a true picture of the times. Women weren't expected to have minds of their own. Hamilton was a mean spirited, miserly. controlling parent except in matters relating to himself. Edwina was expected to OBEY her father, eventually make a good marriage and OBEY her husband. Her unusual upbringing and her intellect wasn't at all content to do so. She worked like a man on a failing property , she had ideas for improvement but no one would listen. She was only a woman. She began to kick over the traces and take risks with unlikely consequences. She had a few adventures that angered her father but when he had what appeared to be a stroke she took control. She discovered that they were actually wealthy and shouldn't have had to live in the squalor she was used to. Angered she plotted to change her life and control her own destiny.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2017
Just loved it. Liked the way the characters developed and their relationship to each other. And as a Queenslander loved that it was set in Queensland. Thank you for the book. I will pass it on at my book club for others to read.
October 18, 2017
I have read all of Nicole Alexanders books and this one didn't let me down. I always seem to be taken into character with her story telling. Can't wait for the next one Nicole
September 10, 2017
Loved it! The description of the times though made me feel as though it was set earlier than the 1930's, but that's probably just how my minds eye pictured it :-P
April 5, 2021
A little bit different from the normal story line. All ok.
September 26, 2017
This is the first time I have read one of Nicole Alexander's books and I loved it. The characters are so real and story was really well put together. I found it hard to put down, I look forward to reading more of this author's books. I would love to see a sequel, continuing Edwina's story.
September 13, 2017
Loved this!! NA you have again produced a truly beautiful story! I so enjoy your storytelling & how you capture the essence of the Australian landscape 😘😘
December 25, 2017
‘An Uncommon Woman’ by Nicole Alexander is historical fiction at its best. I enjoy novels set in the late twenties and the thirties a period when the world was changed forever by the First World War and the Great Depression. Edwina Baker and her younger brother Aiden work together on the family property in the drought stricken land of Western Queensland. But with more business sense than her brother who will one day inherit the farm Edwina wants to do more than marry. Her father Hamilton is a strict man but what is in his past that makes him stop Edwina from leaving the farm unless accompanied? Hamilton bans Edwina from going to the circus that has come to town. She defies him and her life changes forever when she meets pastoralist, Mason, and also labourer Will, a man who shares her dreams of escape. The harsh land of Western Queensland is brought to life , the era is evoked with great skill, the character of Edwina shines, and the story makes you want to keep turning the pages. Highly recommended.
August 25, 2018
After reading this book I have a new author to follow. Loved this story. Nicole Alexander has a way of drawing you into the era.
March 10, 2022
For a book titled "An Uncommon Woman", it is filled with the most outdated and frustrating cliches. The premise seemed good - a young woman (Edwina) underestimated and held down by her overbearing father, dramatic circumstances lead her to rise above societies expectations and prove herself in the male dominated farming world. A bit cliche, but I was into it. Except that's not the story we got.
The majority of the book Edwina spends being pushed around by her father and brother, and reacting to this by complaining, sighing, and stamping her feet. She constantly guards her behaviour because it "wouldn't be proper" and would "shame" her family, at odds with her apparent title of "uncommon woman". This isn't the strong female lead I was looking for in this book. Edwina is a decidedly weak character.
The main reason I hated this book is the unnecessary and terribly written romance element. Edwina falls for not one but two men, who both have a serious case of 'Han Solo Syndrome'. They both aggressively pursue Edwina by lying, manipulating, and negging her into situations that she clearly does not want to be in. But women don't really know what they want, so they continue to pursue her even though they are putting her in more and more awkward and sometimes dangerous situations. And all a strong woman needs is a man to control her, so Edwina frets about how improper the situations are but just lets them do what they want without repercussions because "love", you know that's all women really want right? This cliche style of romance writing needs to die.
I did see a glimmer of hope towards the end of the book, when both love interests had left the picture and I thought, "hmmm, maybe this is a twist on the old cliche romance story? Maybe Edwina will ride off into the sunset alone, to prove herself as in independent woman?" That would have been great. But no. Both love interests pop up in the final chapters to basically convince her she can't achieve her goals without them. Will (the king of negging) whines about how she thinks she's too good for him now, attempting to manipulate her into staying or at least letting him come with. Will is actually the worst, and I lost all respect for Edwina when she fell for his BS. He then also reveals that he attacked her father and left him for dead earlier in the book, RED FLAG! She reacts by letting him kiss her, and then protecting him from her father when he finds out. Then Mason pops up uninvited to join Edwina on her new farming venture. He kisses her uninvited (an issue she had earlier in the book, which he is choosing to ignore and literally tells her to "get over" it), says he is coming "whether you like it or not", then patronises her until she agrees (it doesn't take long). They then ride off into the sunset together, yuck.
Oh yes, and there was a lion. But I think the writer forgot about it for a good portion of the book so don't worry about it too much.
To say I was disappointed by this book is an understatement. This should have been a story about a heroine who rises above the stereotypes and cliches of women in literature, a true strong female lead. Instead we got Edwina, weak willed and easily manipulated with terrible taste in men, really the worst stereotype of women in literature.
The majority of the book Edwina spends being pushed around by her father and brother, and reacting to this by complaining, sighing, and stamping her feet. She constantly guards her behaviour because it "wouldn't be proper" and would "shame" her family, at odds with her apparent title of "uncommon woman". This isn't the strong female lead I was looking for in this book. Edwina is a decidedly weak character.
The main reason I hated this book is the unnecessary and terribly written romance element. Edwina falls for not one but two men, who both have a serious case of 'Han Solo Syndrome'. They both aggressively pursue Edwina by lying, manipulating, and negging her into situations that she clearly does not want to be in. But women don't really know what they want, so they continue to pursue her even though they are putting her in more and more awkward and sometimes dangerous situations. And all a strong woman needs is a man to control her, so Edwina frets about how improper the situations are but just lets them do what they want without repercussions because "love", you know that's all women really want right? This cliche style of romance writing needs to die.
I did see a glimmer of hope towards the end of the book, when both love interests had left the picture and I thought, "hmmm, maybe this is a twist on the old cliche romance story? Maybe Edwina will ride off into the sunset alone, to prove herself as in independent woman?" That would have been great. But no. Both love interests pop up in the final chapters to basically convince her she can't achieve her goals without them. Will (the king of negging) whines about how she thinks she's too good for him now, attempting to manipulate her into staying or at least letting him come with. Will is actually the worst, and I lost all respect for Edwina when she fell for his BS. He then also reveals that he attacked her father and left him for dead earlier in the book, RED FLAG! She reacts by letting him kiss her, and then protecting him from her father when he finds out. Then Mason pops up uninvited to join Edwina on her new farming venture. He kisses her uninvited (an issue she had earlier in the book, which he is choosing to ignore and literally tells her to "get over" it), says he is coming "whether you like it or not", then patronises her until she agrees (it doesn't take long). They then ride off into the sunset together, yuck.
Oh yes, and there was a lion. But I think the writer forgot about it for a good portion of the book so don't worry about it too much.
To say I was disappointed by this book is an understatement. This should have been a story about a heroine who rises above the stereotypes and cliches of women in literature, a true strong female lead. Instead we got Edwina, weak willed and easily manipulated with terrible taste in men, really the worst stereotype of women in literature.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2017
Book blurb...
Inspired by a real newspaper story from 1930, An Uncommon Woman is an epic tale of duty, ambition, prejudice and love, from the pen of bestselling author Nicole Alexander.
It's a man's world - but not for long . . .
It’s 1929, and the world is changing. Cars are no longer the privilege of the rich. Hemlines are rising. Movies are talking. And more and more women are entering the workforce.
For Edwina Baker, however, life on her family’s farm in Western Queensland offers little opportunity to be anything other than daughter, sister and, perhaps soon, wife.
But Edwina wants more. She wants to see the world, meet new people, achieve things. For while she has more business sense than her younger brother, it will be Aiden who one day inherits the farm.
Then the circus comes to town. Banned from attending by her father, Hamilton, Edwina defiantly rides to the showground dressed as a boy. There she encounters two men who will both inadvertently alter the course of her life: pastoralist Mason with his modern city friends; and Will, a labourer who also dreams of escape.
And when the night ends in near-disaster, this one act of rebellion strikes at the heart of the Baker family. Yet it also offers Edwina the rare chance to prove herself in a man’s world. The question is, how far is she prepared to go, and how much is she prepared to risk?
My thoughts…
Every Nicole Alexander novel I’ve had the pleasure of reading has taken me on a journey: to an earlier era, to the country and to the heart of believable and loveable characters. An Uncommon Woman is set in a place and time and provides a journey into the outback of Queensland and into a time period where women were not forthright and were treated more like property than equals.
A great read yet again from Nicole Alexander, you put me so much in the picture that I could almost feel the prickly pear.
Edwina is a great character and I am sure every reader will be wondering throughout the book if she, as an uncommon woman wins in the end.
Nicole Alexander gets to the heart of Australian storytelling with all of her books and this is no exception.
This review is also published on http://www.readroundoz.wordpress.com and Australian Women writers challenge http://australianwomenwriters.com
Inspired by a real newspaper story from 1930, An Uncommon Woman is an epic tale of duty, ambition, prejudice and love, from the pen of bestselling author Nicole Alexander.
It's a man's world - but not for long . . .
It’s 1929, and the world is changing. Cars are no longer the privilege of the rich. Hemlines are rising. Movies are talking. And more and more women are entering the workforce.
For Edwina Baker, however, life on her family’s farm in Western Queensland offers little opportunity to be anything other than daughter, sister and, perhaps soon, wife.
But Edwina wants more. She wants to see the world, meet new people, achieve things. For while she has more business sense than her younger brother, it will be Aiden who one day inherits the farm.
Then the circus comes to town. Banned from attending by her father, Hamilton, Edwina defiantly rides to the showground dressed as a boy. There she encounters two men who will both inadvertently alter the course of her life: pastoralist Mason with his modern city friends; and Will, a labourer who also dreams of escape.
And when the night ends in near-disaster, this one act of rebellion strikes at the heart of the Baker family. Yet it also offers Edwina the rare chance to prove herself in a man’s world. The question is, how far is she prepared to go, and how much is she prepared to risk?
My thoughts…
Every Nicole Alexander novel I’ve had the pleasure of reading has taken me on a journey: to an earlier era, to the country and to the heart of believable and loveable characters. An Uncommon Woman is set in a place and time and provides a journey into the outback of Queensland and into a time period where women were not forthright and were treated more like property than equals.
A great read yet again from Nicole Alexander, you put me so much in the picture that I could almost feel the prickly pear.
Edwina is a great character and I am sure every reader will be wondering throughout the book if she, as an uncommon woman wins in the end.
Nicole Alexander gets to the heart of Australian storytelling with all of her books and this is no exception.
This review is also published on http://www.readroundoz.wordpress.com and Australian Women writers challenge http://australianwomenwriters.com
July 31, 2025
In the 1930s, West Queensland was a popular destination for circuses, particularly Perry and Bullen Bros. Circuses, who were known for their high-jumping horses, ponies and roller skates, and expanding menagerie. The circus played a vital role in providing entertainment and a sense of wonder to communities across West Queensland during the challenging economic times of the Great Depression.
While often overlooked in historical narratives, Australian women, both European and Aboriginal, were actively involved in various aspects of pastoral life, from managing properties to working as stockwomen. Some European women, like Anne Drysdale and Caroline Newcomb, were landowners and squatters in their own right. Janet Biddlecombe took over management of her father's property, Golf Hill, and established a Hereford stud.
Aboriginal women contributed to various aspects of station life, including yard building, fencing, gardening, and animal care. They participated in mustering, boundary riding, and even droving. They possessed extensive knowledge of the local environment, including water sources, food availability, and animal behaviour.
Women's work, especially within the family farm or station, was often unpaid and therefore “invisible” to census takers. Women managed the home, including cooking, cleaning, and childcare, often under challenging conditions with limited resources.
Ringbarking, aka girdling, is the process of removing a complete ring of bark from around the circumference of a tree's trunk or branch. This disrupts the flow of water and nutrients between the roots and the leaves, potentially leading to the death of the tree above the ring or the branch it encircles. The bark of a tree contains layers like the phloem and cambium, which are crucial for transporting nutrients and facilitating growth. Ringbarking can also occur naturally, with animals chewing on bark, potentially causing significant damage to the tree. Ringbarking is also used in forestry to create standing deadwood, which serves as a habitat for wildlife. Additionally, it can be a horticultural technique used to increase fruit production in some trees.
While often overlooked in historical narratives, Australian women, both European and Aboriginal, were actively involved in various aspects of pastoral life, from managing properties to working as stockwomen. Some European women, like Anne Drysdale and Caroline Newcomb, were landowners and squatters in their own right. Janet Biddlecombe took over management of her father's property, Golf Hill, and established a Hereford stud.
Aboriginal women contributed to various aspects of station life, including yard building, fencing, gardening, and animal care. They participated in mustering, boundary riding, and even droving. They possessed extensive knowledge of the local environment, including water sources, food availability, and animal behaviour.
Women's work, especially within the family farm or station, was often unpaid and therefore “invisible” to census takers. Women managed the home, including cooking, cleaning, and childcare, often under challenging conditions with limited resources.
Ringbarking, aka girdling, is the process of removing a complete ring of bark from around the circumference of a tree's trunk or branch. This disrupts the flow of water and nutrients between the roots and the leaves, potentially leading to the death of the tree above the ring or the branch it encircles. The bark of a tree contains layers like the phloem and cambium, which are crucial for transporting nutrients and facilitating growth. Ringbarking can also occur naturally, with animals chewing on bark, potentially causing significant damage to the tree. Ringbarking is also used in forestry to create standing deadwood, which serves as a habitat for wildlife. Additionally, it can be a horticultural technique used to increase fruit production in some trees.
October 13, 2019
I enjoyed this book as it shone a light on the past and how females were treated back in the earlier years. The males ran the properties and the females ran the house and did farm chores.
In this book it is 1929 and Edwina Baker lived on the land with her father and brother. Her father would not allow her to go anywhere as he was keeping her reputation in tact so he could marry her off to an honorable suitor.
When the circus came to town Edwina wanted to go but was ordered not to. Both her father and brother were in town and were at the circus so she rode her horse to the circus dressed up as a male. From here things happened out of her control and she was mistakenly identified as an accomplice to the theft of a lion cub from the circus.
At the end of the night a chain of events happen to the Baker family, but also a chance to prove herself in a male-dominated world opens up.
This is well worth the read to find out how this young woman changes her life and the final outcome for her is revealed!
In this book it is 1929 and Edwina Baker lived on the land with her father and brother. Her father would not allow her to go anywhere as he was keeping her reputation in tact so he could marry her off to an honorable suitor.
When the circus came to town Edwina wanted to go but was ordered not to. Both her father and brother were in town and were at the circus so she rode her horse to the circus dressed up as a male. From here things happened out of her control and she was mistakenly identified as an accomplice to the theft of a lion cub from the circus.
At the end of the night a chain of events happen to the Baker family, but also a chance to prove herself in a male-dominated world opens up.
This is well worth the read to find out how this young woman changes her life and the final outcome for her is revealed!
August 10, 2024
My second DNF. It was incredibly slow & difficult to get into IMO.
While I feel this book had amazing potential for a great storyline, I got halfway through and realised there was no real plot to the storyline.
The authors writing style didn’t grab me, spent lots of time writing about the intricate details about the landscape (so many prickly pears) but when it came to major plot themes or ‘important’ subjects, the information had to be pieced together by the reader themselves as information was skimmed over.
I did love imagining the beautiful landscape & imagery which I think was set up beautifully.
I feel like the author mentioning such sensitive topics such as the abuse the indigenous community suffered, more information could have been in place for readers from other countries to understand some background information.
Clearly not the book for me, and that’s okay!
While I feel this book had amazing potential for a great storyline, I got halfway through and realised there was no real plot to the storyline.
The authors writing style didn’t grab me, spent lots of time writing about the intricate details about the landscape (so many prickly pears) but when it came to major plot themes or ‘important’ subjects, the information had to be pieced together by the reader themselves as information was skimmed over.
I did love imagining the beautiful landscape & imagery which I think was set up beautifully.
I feel like the author mentioning such sensitive topics such as the abuse the indigenous community suffered, more information could have been in place for readers from other countries to understand some background information.
Clearly not the book for me, and that’s okay!
April 15, 2019
An interesting story of the failed attempt of a father to protect his daughter's reputation by limiting her contact with those outside the farm. Set around the time of the Great Depression and in outback Queensland, a circus comes to town and a girl dresses as a boy to visit while her father and brother are away from the property.
The consequence of her escapade has ongoing repercussions and the tale told is well woven. I enjoyed the ending of this book, and would love to read a follow on. A newspaper article that the author read led to her writing this book, and I would love to find the article.
The consequence of her escapade has ongoing repercussions and the tale told is well woven. I enjoyed the ending of this book, and would love to read a follow on. A newspaper article that the author read led to her writing this book, and I would love to find the article.
February 6, 2020
After a slowish start I found myself quite engrossed in the life and struggles of the talented determined heroine Edwina Baker. She lived in the early 1900s with her social climbing father Hamilton, and brother Aidan on a cactus infested small holding in outback Queensland. Her father was a hard opinionated man of his era, intent on implementing and enforcing his patriarchal expectations on his family.
This is a well told story about early settler life in the bush, full of interesting colourful characters with just enough optimism to bring hope to an otherwise desolate existence.
Carinya
This is a well told story about early settler life in the bush, full of interesting colourful characters with just enough optimism to bring hope to an otherwise desolate existence.
Carinya
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