Facing the Flame

The Matilda Saga #7

by Jackie French

There have been fires before, but not like this.

In 1978, as the hot wind howls and the grass dries, all who live at Gibber's Creek know their land can burn. But when you love your land, you fight for it.

For Jed Kelly, an even more menacing danger looms: a man from her past determined to destroy her. Finding herself alone, trapped and desperate to save her unborn child, Jed's only choice is to flee - into the flames.

Heartbreaking and powerful, FACING THE FLAME is a story of the triumph of courage and community, and a love for the land so deep that not even bushfire can erode it.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Australia, Fiction, Romance

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Jackie is an award-winning writer, wombat negotiator and the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2014-2015. She is regarded as one of Australia’s most popular children’s authors, and writes across all genres - from picture books, history, fantasy, ecology and sci-fi to her much loved historical fiction. In her capacity as Australian Children’s Laureate, ‘Share a Story’ will be the primary philosophy behind Jackie’s two-year term.

Reviews

[Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
Jackie French, the author of Facing the Flame, is a national treasure. She is an author of an extensive range of books, across a variety of genres. I know her work best through her children’s picture books that I have read both to my children and my kindergarten students. Her latest, Facing the Flame, is the 7th instalment in the popular Matilda saga. Although I have only read one other book in this saga, I firmly believe this book does stand on its own and can easily be read in isolation to the previous books in the series.

Facing the Flame takes the reader to the year 1978, in a bush township called Gibber’s Creek. The locals know that with the hot winds and dry land, a bushfire is imminent. Fighting to save the beloved township of Gibber’s Creek and its surrounds are a band of women, each with their own challenges. Lu is an aspiring jockey but her plans of making it to the professional riding circuit have been derailed by her loss of sight. Scarlett is another key figure fighting the flames that have come for Gibber’s Creek. Scarlett is a medical school student, who risks her career and the love of her life to save the life of child in the wake of the bushfires. Then there is Flinty, who is determined to protect that land that means so much to her, using her first hand knowledge and techniques from the generations that came before her. The final pivotal character to round up the proceedings of the story is Jed, a young woman expecting a baby. Jed faces the fight of her life, against the fire and a man from her past, who seems absolutely determined to kill her. Facing the Flame follows these courageous women as they battle to come out on the other side of this deadly fire, which is steadily ripping apart their community.

My immediate impression of this novel was that it is one very well researched book and a powerful yarn, clearly drawn from French’s first hand experiences. In fact, I recently read an interview with the author to celebrate the publication of this novel in a popular Australian magazine. I discovered a number of noteworthy facts about the author of Facing the Flame from this article that certainly extended my reading of this novel. I discovered that Facing the Flame is based on French’s personal and own father’s experiences dealing with bushfires. It is clear the land and the bush runs through French’s roots. Facing the Flame is a novel that is unafraid to show the reader the raw truth to the devastation caused by one of our nation’s biggest threats, fire.

French is a novelist who has a firm handle on her character list. Facing the Flame features an array of characters, both main and periphery, who all contribute well to this compelling story. It took me awhile to get a firm handle on who was who character wise, but once I had this set the story flowed. As a suggestion, I would have liked a character list in the front of the book to assist me in the early stages of reading this novel. For me personally, I developed an attachment to the character of Jed. Her story was quite incredible! Jed’s story also allows French to incorporate a side theme of suspense. The villain of the story is introduced to the fold through Jed’s narrative and this story thread encouraged me to flick through the pages of Facing the Flame quickly indeed. I also feel I must acknowledge the presence of the bushfire in this novel, it is quite overwhelming. At the close of most chapters in this book, there is a reference to the encroaching fire. It made me feel a strong sense of unease, through French’s vivid prose and at the same time, it gave me an appreciation of the full force of fire, especially in our bush areas.

Facing the Flame is a book defined by many moments of stunning prose and realistic dialogue. The pace is steady throughout, with the action building nearer the close of the novel. In terms of setting, French is able to bring the time frame (late 1970’s) to the audience very well indeed. Her main locale, a fictional bush based township named Gibber’s Creek, came alive before my eyes while reading this novel. This indicates the talent and power of French’s writing. Finally, Facing the Flame is a very accessible book that I encourage both adults and younger readers (14+) to take up to read, you will not be disappointed.

My final word on Facing the Flame is that I appreciated this novel very much. I felt moved by the intensity of the subject area – bushfires and the endurance, as well as the heroism, displayed by the characters of Gibber’s Creek. Facing the Flame is an inspiring and rousing novel that served to remind me of the powerful inferno force of Mother Nature – bushfire. My reading of Facing the Flame has promoted me to check my sagging book shelves, to see if I can catch up on the previous stories in this addictive historical fiction series over the summer holiday period.

*Please note that a free copy of this book was provided to me for review purposes through Beauty and Lace and Harper Collins Books Australia.

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four and a half stars
The year is 1978, a time of severe drought that poses a threat to all who live at Gibber’s Creek. For Jed Kelly it is not just the threat of bush fires that is the problem as a figure from her past re-emerges. How did he find her? And what does he want with her? As well as Jed, we have the story of Lu who was an aspiring jockey till the car accident that killed her mother and left Lu blind. The elderly Flinty and Scarlett a medical student are the other two women who feature in this story. Chapters rotate between their stories as well as that of a couple of the men in town and the evil man who is a danger to Jed and her future.
Although this is part of a series, I had not read the other books. It made no difference. Jackie French has such a firm grip on her characters that she soon drew me into their problems. The image of the threatening fire pervades every chapter. So real you can just about smell the smoke and see that glowing sky. It brought back many images from the recent summer bush fires that threatened NSW south coast and Victoria. Tension escalates as the flames and danger to Jed moves closer.
A gripping read, wonderfully researched and the setting evocatively conveyed with true to life characters that draw the reader into the situation. From the talented and prolific Jackie French, this is another gem. I was engrossed from start to finish. The Spirit of community and the way people risk their lives to help or save others comes out very strongly. Recommended read for all who like strong authentic Aussie fiction with characters guaranteed to win your heart and admiration as it did mine

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger warnings: bushfire, death of a loved one, rape (in the past), sexual assault by a step-parent (in the past), loss of a pregnancy/death of a baby (in the past), animal death, mentions of war.

This book hit me in the feels way harder than I expected it to, and I think it's at least in part because the 2020 bushfire season was so catastrophic that reading a book where a country town full of characters that I've followed and loved through the better part of 50 years is threatened by a bushfire was a kick in the guts.

Anyway. That aside, this was a solid read. Yes, it jumped around between an almost staggering number of characters. But it did a fabulous job at telling their stories through the course of an emergency while also emphasising that the fire is effectively a character in the story, the villain of the piece to those fighting the blaze, but also something that just wants to LIVE.

In the past I haven't enjoyed Jed's books as much as the previous books in this series, but this one was pretty solid.

[n. · Rating 5 out of 5]

the absolute chokehold this series has over me

[Julie Garner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced reading copy of this book.
Jackie French certainly knows Australia and the country. This is another excellent story about our country and the people who live within it.
Facing the Flames is a book about many individuals who make up a community. It is about the ways in which those people band together (or in some cases separately) to survive one of Australia's biggest threats - a country bushfire. How would you react if your family, your home or your town was threatened? What these people do is heroic and it makes you appreciate those who choose to live in the bush a little bit more.
Excellent read. Although there are some tough issues dealt with, it is what I consider an easy read. Even though we have multiple voices throughout, the story flows and follows, taking the reader from one place to another.

[Susan C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book equals "To Love A Sunburnt Country" in narrative power. Jackie French's description of battling a bushfire put me in a place where I could feel the heat, smell the smoke, hear the crackle of burning trees and cries from injured animals. Written before the 2019 bushfires, I am sure that this will bring buried memories to the surface for those who lived it.

I remember reading something written by the author after those most recent bushfire, and have an understanding on just how personal it is for her.

All throughout reading this series, I've acknowledged that I started with the last book, so while I knew who still lived in the later book; the narrative was such that I felt fear for those beloved characters.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is part of a series but thankfully works as a stand alone. There is a lot in here - how we respond to adversity, to others, to a crisis, to pain, to evil.
Jackie’s descriptions are rich and complete. You can feel and hear and taste the experiences of her characters.
There was something about the book that held me at arms distance emotionally which was a little weird.
There were a few poignant quotes, including, “bushfires burned you down to your essence” which, reading on the 22nd anniversary of the fire which touched our lives, completely rang true for me.

[Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is so real the plot gives me anxiety

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's something about the way that Jackie French writes that gives me goosebumps, the way she injects so much love into her writing and lets it glow through her characters excites me. This novel made me feel a whole new depth of appreciation, not only for the author's hard work, but for the Australian landscape and our spirit, it's a humbling perspective. French's ability to evoke such emotion through the meticulous editing and time that each character's development and landscape descriptions need is beautiful and magic. I couldn't help but be drawn so fully into the lives and thoughts of Jed, Scarlet and the darling doberperson. So too, did I feel loathing for the lowlife characters that intend to inflict pain upon them and that, to me, is the epitome of a very great author and an equally as incredible book, seventh in the outstanding and captivating series. So special is it, that my grandmother seeing me read this novel, and then picking up 'A Waltz for Matilda' herself, calling me and telling me how fabulous and special it is, gives immense credit to the relevancy and love-ability of Jackie French's writing, spanning 64 years, between granddaughter and gran. An author that makes a reader feel is something I hope never to take for granted.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jackie French is a prolific Australian author talented across a number of genres, a number of very different genres. I haven’t read a lot of her work but hers is certainly a name that I know well.

Facing The Flame is a story targeted to both teens and adults. I thought this was a stand alone genre crossover novel set in the late 1970s. It turns out that it is a book connected to the Matilda Saga, I think the next in the series, but I don’t think that is going to matter. I haven’t read the Matlida Saga, though I have read book four which we book clubbed back in 2015; To Love A Sunburnt Country was set in 1942, in the midst of a war. The books in the Matilda Saga take a look at Australia’s history and are named for iconic songs. The last book was supposed to be the last of the series so this may well be a stand alone book featuring the places and the characters of the Matilda Saga.

I truly believe that Facing the Flame is going to stand convincingly regardless of how familiar you are with the series.

Facing The Flame is a story of strong and courageous characters that feel a deep connection to their community, their family, their friends and the land. They are in touch with their history and are connected to the land through teachings passed down through the generations. The characters have faced hardship, some will always have to work harder than most to achieve their dreams, and they come from a very multi-cultural background. We only find out what French tells us about the characters so on more than one occasion we got almost halfway through the book before we discovered the racial heritage of a character; sometimes that is because we are coming in at the end of the series but I think I found it the same in To Love a Sunburnt Country. I think I loved this about the writing style because it showed that French didn’t allow her characters to be defined by their racial history. In a time in history that race was an important defining factor of people and what they could achieve French chooses to write characters that aren’t defined by their race.

The stories are fiction but I’m sure that French has kept the characters historically accurate in what they could achieve while still downplaying their race. It is very late so I apologise if this is a little rambly, I can’t quite find the words to explain what I’m trying to say so perhaps I will just move along.

Gibber’s Creek 1977 and 1978, the land is dry and those with a deep connection can see the signs. The land is ripe for bushfire and though the area has seen fires before this is something new, this is long going to leave it’s mark.

Jackie French has spent time fighting bushfires personally and spent a lot of time talking to people in the wake of the Canberra fires in 2003. French’s characters have seen their share of fires and the older generations have watched the land come back rejuvenated after fire but none have seen anything like the fires that threaten their homes, their quiet valleys and their loved ones in the summer of ’78.

Gibber’s Creek is a collector of special souls from all over; characters with drive and determination. There is a home that was begun to as a facility to help with those affected by polio but now it caters to all sorts of people who need rehabilitation. River View is a facility that offers a future to people who don’t feel like they have one and when it is threatened by flames it’s a hard loss to comtemplate.

French has written her characters beautifully, and they aren’t all human. There is a beautiful dog who is a character in her own right but the most intriguing character was that of the fire itself, written with personality and a life of its own.

Facing The Flame is a story of courage and determination; a story of community and refusing to give up. It’s certainly appropriate for both a teen and adult audience, and my 14yr old has her eye on this one to pick up next.

[Shreema · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC kindly provided by A&R in exchange for an honest review.
My rating: 5/5 stars
This isn’t your average novel, just the way Jackie French isn’t your average author.
This novel is full of deep connections between an individual and their land. Between an individual and their community. It is a novel full of love and sacrifice. Comfort and suffering. With each of the individuals with their own past and story to tell. There were many aspects of this book that I adored and this was one of them – how each character had their own bit, their own parting message, to share in the story, with the reader, making it even more gratifying and fulfilling.
What made this fact even better was that all the characters were unique, no one was perfect and they all had their flaws. And even their flaws weren’t your typical cliché flaws either, like a really long nose or anger management issues, or – you get what I mean. No, the characters had serious flaws that you would find in real people in the real world, take for example Scarlett and her wheelchair, Jed and her scarring past, Andy and his dementia, Nicholas and his metal legs and Lu with her broken dreams.
Sure, it was confusing at first with at least eight different perspectives, but that was another element of the novel that made the story, as a whole, much more pleasurable, you know; figuring out a person without everything in front of you at once – you had to pick up bits and pieces from here and there throughout the novel and VOILA! You discovered a whole new person!
Multiple perspectives made the events of the story more realistic as well, because they added real depth and a variety of emotions to the story. It helped me – the reader – understand the characters’ struggle more personally, allowing me to connect with them on a more personal level too.
French also used the many perspectives in the novel to her benefit and ended a character’s view when things got really intense and then continued the story from another character’s point of view. This made the story more suspenseful and addictive. It was absolutely impossible for me to tear my eyes away from the words!
I also loved how deeply and realistically French explored community; what it is and what it’s worth in the eyes of Australians. After witnessing how tight-knit the Gibber’s Creek community was, I realised that community can be like family and it highlights the fact that you don’t always have to be bound by blood to call someone your family. This was effectively explored through Jed and Scarlett’s relation. They were sisters bound not by blood, but by love, which is even stronger.
I found it interesting, the way French talked about the fire from the very beginning of the novel; right from the fire’s birth to its rightful death. I felt like it added more suspense to the story.
There was only one part of the book that I didn’t like – Merv. As well as evoking, in me, hatred for him, French also made me involuntarily pity him. Pity him and how he won’t ever be able to experience what it is like to be a part of a community, or feel the love and togetherness that comes with it in Gibber’s Creek, or any other community.
The factor that made me love this book the most is that, in her novel, French doesn’t try to escape the cruelty of reality, instead she embraces it and that enhances the whole novel so much more, making it absolutely breathtaking and heartbreaking at the same time!
Shreema

[Doughlas Ivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Facing the Flame by Jackie French is, quite simply, an absolute classic. I loved every single word of it.
Having lived in the Australian outback for over 32 years and having served as a volunteer firefighter for more than 30 of those years, this book struck a chord so deep it felt personal. Jackie French hasn’t just written a story set in the outback — she has captured its soul. The spirit, the camaraderie, the hardship, the mateship — it’s all there, and it’s all authentic.
Her research is exemplary, but more than that, she understands the people. She gets the way everyone rolls up their sleeves when it matters, how differences are put aside in times of need, and how communities stand shoulder to shoulder when the chips are down. She also gets the quieter truths — the unspoken secrets, the emotional scars, the ups and downs of country life that are rarely aired but deeply felt.
What resonated most with me was how accurately she portrays the firefighter’s world: the courage, the exhaustion, the fear, the determination, and the unwavering commitment to protect what we believe in. The fires may rage, tempers may flare, but when it counts, people back each other without hesitation. That reality is written with honesty and respect.
Jackie French has an extraordinary gift for placing the reader right there in the landscape. At times, I could almost smell the smoke, feel the oppressive heat on my skin, and swat away the flies that are as much a part of outback life as the red dirt itself. The setting isn’t just a backdrop — it’s alive, breathing, and demanding, just as the outback truly is.
This was one of those books that was a struggle to put down, yet at the same time, I didn’t want it to end. I was completely engrossed. The emotional journey was powerful — tears of sadness flowed freely, only to be replaced by tears of joy. Laughter mingled with anger, frustration with hope, and pride with heartbreak. It was a full spectrum of emotion, and I felt every bit of it.
I can only imagine what someone watching me read this book must have thought, seeing the constant changes in my facial expressions. But I didn’t care. I was like a kid in a lolly shop, completely immersed and savoring every moment.
Words truly cannot describe the pleasure and emotional depth this book delivered for me. Facing the Flame deserves nothing less than five stars — and then some. Those who haven’t experienced life in the Australian outback or served in a volunteer brigade may not fully grasp its depth, but that, quite frankly, is their loss.
As the saying goes: if you haven’t lived in the Australian outback, you haven’t lived in Australia. This book proves just how true that is.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Angel Du · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In bushfire we unite again"

The year is 1978, and Australia is burning. Now it is 2020, and Australia is burning again. For it is a land of love and flame.

The Matilda saga has been a love song to the stolen country, celebrating its beauty while acknowledging its dark history. Jed Kelly is married and heavily pregnant while Scarlett Kelly O'Hara is an ambitious medical student studying in Sydney. Both have forged their lives around the small country town of Gibbers Creek, welcoming despite its close-knit community. Whether it be Drinkwater, Overflow, Dribble, Riverview or Rocky Valley, the homes have been built from scratch and are much loved by its inhabitants. But the fires are coming, and with it another unexpected danger. Merv, Jed's psychopathic rapist, is back and looking for revenge.

This book follows the paths and lives of the people that we've known and loved from the previous books but it is most of all an ode to the sunburnt country. Some lives are created and some lives are lost as fires and flood pass through. But now, more than ever, the story remains the same. Unity will prevail. The spirit of Matilda will live on.

And so will Fred.

[Avril · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the seventh book in the ‘Matilda’ series, and I’m very glad that the series is continuing beyond the death of Matilda 1.

This series tells the history of Australia through the stories of women and we’re now in the late-70s, after the 1975 Dismissal. Life for women has been vastly improved, but they’re still at risk of domestic and family violence, and that forms part of the plot. There’s also a lot of fire fighting; reading this book on a night that the temperature didn’t drop below 30 degrees might have been a bad idea since it made me feel hotter.

Unless I’m mistaken there will have to be another book in the series. This one ends with a few unaccounted-for dead bodies and I want to know their story.

I’m glad my teenage niece lent me the earlier books in the series. As an adult I’m enjoying this YA fiction.

[Claire Louisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great chapter in the Matilda Saga #7. I love returning to Gibbers Creek and Jed Kelly and her friends and family. This time Jed is pregnant, she's come so far since we met her in Ghost by the Billabong, the community is facing the threat of a bush fire and Jed also has to deal with a menacing ghost from the past. Full of love, suspense and heartache this story does not disappoint and can be read even without reading the previous books, though I recommend you do. This story is about the love of the land and the support of the community that come together to help each other through good times and bad times.

[The Dyslexic Book Babe]

This was not a book that initially ‘grabbed me’ with the storyline but overall it was enjoyable. Jackie French’s characters have incredible depth and complexity, so I think if I had read earlier books in the series I would have enjoyed this one more and understood the character’s back-stories. There are lots of references throughout the book to past experiences of the protagonist which I think would have been enriched by reading the earlier books. I chose to jump in here, however, because I wasn’t about to read a 7-book series and the title grabbed me! I’m keen to read the next book in the series and find out the fate of the antagonist, Merv!

[destinypotato14 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book just got me out of the slump the previous book put me in so well done for that. Holey moley I feel like so much happened in that book. The first 4 we’re like spaced out in 10 or more years and then I’ve just read three and going on four that are basically back to back and abt the same people. It’s been a lot. Keep in mind this is a nine book series and I’m on number 8. At least I’m sick and it’s holidays meaning I can just read all day 😁😁. Also added Alex to my book boyfriend list bc he’s such a hottie

[Nicole West · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a slow burn in Gibbers Creek, some lose everything, and some were out for revenge, fighting a fire directed by the wind.

Full of danger, loss, and beautiful life happenings.

Jed is fighting to live and birth her daughter. Scarlet attends her first birth and finds a growing friendship with Alex.

Great book.

[Kat Ashworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The shortest in the series and the one that has had me most on the edge of my seat. The bulk of the novel spans just a few days where fire and a madman savage the valley. But community and courage win as to be expected from this series.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my second time reading this book, and a much more emotional read so soon after our recent bush fires. So many little details I missed the first time around! Getting ever closer to reading the final book of the series...

[Debbie Lamb · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Matilda Saga is my guilty pleasure when I want to disappear from the doom and gloom of life. They require nothing more than to accept a good tale with strong women at the heart. I’ll be sad when I reach the end of the series.

[Karen Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book years ago and it holds its own as a standalone book. However re-reading it in the context of the full series definitely gives a richer story as you know the full history of many of the characters.

[Chelsea Barsby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was captivating and gripping and I could barely put it down. Written by Jackie French, she leaves you thinking you are standing in the town of Gibbers Creek itself. A wonderful book and I highly recommend it to anyone!

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always Jackie French does a fantastic job of telling an Australian story, though it should be noted that the Victorian bush of a 40 degree day may not be the best place to read it

[Robyn Coyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it - what a great read A+++++

[Katharine (Ventureadlaxre) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing makes me cry like a Jackie French novel. Oh, Mah, you poor sweet soul.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Believable characters and storyline. Emotionally gripping and heartbreaking with the fires presently burning in Australia 😢

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matilda series keeps on giving, book 7 tells Jed’s story as she battles the demon from book 1 and gives birth alone amidst a raging bushfire deliberately lit.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

looks at Jed's past

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings

Rape recounted
Sexual assault by a step-parent recounted
Death of a baby recounted
Bushfire
Animal death