The Philosopher's Daughters

by Alison Booth

A tale of two very different sisters whose 1890s voyage from London into remote outback Australia becomes a journey of self-discovery, set against a landscape of wild beauty and savage dispossession.


London in 1891: Harriet Cameron is a talented young artist whose mother died when she was barely five. She and her beloved sister Sarah were brought up by their father, radical thinker James Cameron. After adventurer Henry Vincent arrives on the scene, the sisters' lives are changed forever. Sarah, the beauty of the family, marries Henry and embarks on a voyage to Australia. Harriet, intensely missing Sarah, must decide whether to help her father with his life's work or devote herself to painting.
When James Cameron dies unexpectedly, Harriet is overwhelmed by grief. Seeking distraction, she follows Sarah to Australia, and afterwards into the Northern Territory outback, where she is alienated by the casual violence and great injustices of outback life.
Her rejuvenation begins with her friendship with an Aboriginal stockman and her growing love for the landscape. But this fragile happiness is soon threatened by murders at a nearby cattle station and by a menacing station hand seeking revenge.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Romance

356 pages, Paperback

First published March 30, 2020

About the author

Alison Booth's sixth novel, The Painting, was published by RedDoor Press in July 2021. Set in Sydney and Cold War Budapest, The Painting is a compelling story of a traumatised young woman who confronts her family’s past in a quest for a stolen painting. See: https://www.alisonbooth.net/single-po... . Read early industry reviews here: https://www.alisonbooth.net/single-po...

Booth's fifth novel, The Philosopher's Daughters, takes place in1890s London and outback Australia. Published by RedDoor Press in April 2020, it has been described as 'wonderfully evocative' (The Canberra Times), 'a page-turner in the best sense' (Newtown Review of Books), and 'A beautifully immersive story celebrating a journey into the wonderful landscape of Australia with intriguing characters that wrestle with its wildness and their own self-discovery' (The Reading Desk).

Alison's fourth novel A Perfect Marriage, was published by RedDoor in March 2018. 'A cleverly-constructed story' (Sydney Morning Herald) of love, family and secrets, this domestic noir novel is structured tround dual timelines that represent 'an intricate plaiting of past and present that both tantalises and beguiles' (Marion Halligan).

Alison’s dazzling debut novel, the best-selling Stillwater Creek, is set in a beautiful NSW coastal village and is an unforgettable, heart-warming novel about love and loss, betrayal and hope. Published by Random House Australia in 2010, it was Highly Commended in the 2011 ACT Book of the Year Award. Her best-selling second book, The Indigo Sky - a bighearted tale of family and friendships - followed a year later. The enchanting Jingera trilogy concluded with the publication in June 2012 of A Distant Land, a heart-rending but life-affirming story of love and the callous twists of fate.

Born in Melbourne and brought up in Sydney Australia, Alison obtained her PhD from the London School of Economics. Until the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, she divided her time between the Australian National University and the UK. Over the years, she has published a number of short stories, as well as many academic journal articles and several nonfiction books.

Learn more about Alison Booth's fiction at: http://www.alisonbooth.net/ and about her academic work at: https://researchers.anu.edu.au/resear...

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Discovery
A beautifully immersive story celebrating a journey into the wonderful landscape of Australia with intriguing characters that wrestle with its wildness and their own self-discovery. Alison Booth uniquely characterises the landscape giving it an energy and features with beauty and harshness at the heart of the story. As two young female protagonists journey from a sheltered life in 1890s London to precarious hardships and dangers in Australia’s outback, the shift from comfort to labour and an awakening of real human issues and injustices becomes apparent.

Sarah and Harriet Cameron are two adult sisters living in the family home with their father James, who is a renowned moral philosopher. Harriet, as her father’s aid, is drawn more into politics and in particular women’s rights, while also espousing to be a painter. Both sisters have marriage suitors; Henry Vincent and Charles Barclay. In time Sarah and Henry get married and leave for Australia so Henry can take up a position as a stock and station agent in Sydney. Once there Henry gets an offer to take a cattle station manager role in the remote outpost of Dimbulah Downs, in the Northern Territory.

“Dimbulah Downs was such an evocative name. … The countryside had looked wild and exotic, the gorges dramatic, the Aboriginal faces full of character. At the prospect of seeing the place for herself, she felt a squirm of excitement in her stomach.”

Sarah and Henry relocate for a six month contract full of ambition and excitement to manage the station. The realisation sets in that the Aboriginal work hands aren’t always treated humanely with many landowners and the law is slow if not indifferent to crimes carried out against them. Alison places an Aborigine, Mick, close to Henry's daily work and his family, which creates an opportunity to play the fears, culture and prejudices in a very telling setting.

After Harriet’s father dies she suddenly feels the weight of an unfulfilled life and the possibility of a marriage to Charles, that she doesn’t really want. In a moment of a decision, she books a boat ticket to Australia leaving in two weeks. Harriet urgently settles her things and leaves with the trepidation that a new beginning brings. The trip to Australia is eventful with a shocking moment. The onward journey to Dimbulah Downs is cautious but she is finally reunited with Sarah.

Over the next period, Harriet and Sarah grow in appreciation of nature and the ugliness and kindness of people. The interactions with the Aborigines and in particular Mick helps Harriet reignite her love of painting and she suddenly realises how channelling her emotions and feelings create art that stands above everything that went before. A harsh landscape also provides wonderful beauty, capturing the way the sun plays with colours at dawn and dusk.

There are moments of drama but the pace of the novel is more relaxed and sets out to captivate and enthral with an expressive narrative delivered with wonderful writing. It was great to see the involvement of the indigenous Australian people and exposing many of the horrible issues they faced with colonialism. The closeness of white and Aboriginal relationships at that time would have caused concern but when people are individuals, love ignores boundaries.

I would highly recommend this book of historical fiction and as a change of pace from my norm this was a happy and fulfilling read.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Sarah Cameron met Henry Vincent, her life changed forever. Sarah and her sister Harriet lived in London in the 1890s with their father, James. Harriet was much like her father and helped him often with his work. Sarah was the beauty of the family having taken after their mother who died when the girls were young. When Sarah and Henry married, they headed for Australia and a long honeymoon. Sarah fully expected to return after around two years to her family home.

But James unexpectedly passed away leaving Harriet devastated. Sarah was unable to return for the funeral because of the vast distance and once it was over, Harriet felt like she’d been set adrift. She loved to paint and sketch – was very good – but her urge to pick up her sketch pad was lost when her father died.

Sarah and Henry loved Sydney and with Henry’s work they departed for the Northern Territory where Henry would manage a station for six months. But what a change of life that would be for Sarah. And when Harriet joined them, the harshness of the country and vast distances between properties and civilization made them aware of the injustices of white man’s law and Aboriginal law. The cruelty of the white people shocked both Sarah and Harriet…

The Philosopher’s Daughters by Aussie author Alison Booth was outstanding in my opinion and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The two sisters were vastly different but extremely loyal to one another. They had their own opinions but would still listen to the other’s. The vivid picture of the outback with its red dirt, Aboriginals, stockmen and even the cook set the picture perfectly. I’ve read everything Ms Booth has written and have to say this is one of her best. Highly recommended.

With thanks to Helen at RedDoor Publishing plus the author for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Philosopher's Daughters is a beautiful story set in England and Australia in the 1890s about the lives of Sarah and Harriet Cameron. Living in London, as the daughters of a learned man, James, they appreciate the opportunities that should and can open up for women. Undaunted by a new start, Sarah and Henry are married and head off to Australia to manage a cattle station. After the death of her father, Harriet declines the opportunity of marriage and follows Sarah on an eventful and lonely journey around the world.

This is a book that you just snuggle up warm and enjoy, with its lovely flow and imagery as we get a view of the harsh but beautiful landscape of the harsh Northern Territory and life with the Aboriginal people. Harriet, Sarah, and Henry treat the Aborigines well, but there are those that treat them brutally and this vicious behaviour occurs in a ranch nearby and will cause them concern.

I loved this book, enjoyed the adventure, and felt warmed by the female characters. Thanks to Peter for recommending.

[Dash fan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆ A Captivating, Endearing, Powerful, Poignant and Thought Provoking Historical Must Read!

The Philosopher's Daughters is a captivating story of self discovery, the mistreatment of others, relationships and adventure, set in the 1890s

I have to take a moment to firstly say how much I love the cover for The Philosopher's Daughters. It's stunning and certainly eye catching!

Sarah and Harriet are sisters. When their father James a Philosopher, passed away Harriet decides she wants some discovery in her life. So she sets out into the Australian outback to meet her Sister and her Husband Henry, and into the harsh wilderness. On a journey of self discovery and adventure.

Harriet goes to stay with her sister Sarah in Dimbulah Downs.
A remote and indigenous place, where they share their land with Aboriginal Families.
It's here they come to discover just how appallingly the Aboriginal people are treated. Harriet and Sarah were raised by their Father to believe in equality and feminism. But coming to Dimbulah Downs really opens their eyes to the harsh treatment of other people.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this captivating and endearing story.
The characters are wonderfully developed  and the pace flows along with ease.
Booth has opened my eyes to another world, her passion and research into the outback and the horrific treatment of the Aboriginal Families shone through. It was powerful, poignant and thought provoking!
If you love Historical Fiction books then I highly recommend reading The Philosopher's Daughters.


Thank you to RedDoor Press for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.



My Review is also on my Blog Website :-

https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/0...

[Jülie ☼♄  · Rating 4 out of 5]

Australian historical fiction (and non fiction) is probably my most favourite reading genre, I just love immersing myself in a good [preferably lengthy] tale about the lives and times of our early settlers and their trials and tribulations…the good, the bad, and the ugly, whether it be fact or fiction or a combination of the two, if it’s a tale told well, I am hooked every time.

This particular story is set in the late 1890’s when Australia was attracting more and more seasonal travellers from overseas, people seeking prospects for a possible better future with the bonus of adventure in a brand new country who’s fast growing economy and potential for reward was a good lure.
It must have been an attractive notion indeed, as the journey by sea from England could take up to four months, so this was clearly no deterrent for optimistic young newlyweds like the ones we meet in this story.

The year is 1891 in London and newlyweds Sarah and Henry Vincent are about to embark on the journey of a lifetime.
Leaving behind her beloved father James Cameron, a well noted and respected philosopher of the times, and her adored sister Harriet, who’s growing artistic talents and involvement in the women’s suffrage movement make her a potential force to be reckoned with, Sarah’s mood is a mixture of excitement and trepidation.

Their honeymoon will be spent enduring months at sea, onboard a ship bound for Australia.
Henry, who has previously travelled in Australia, has been offered temporary work there, where he plans on using the opportunity to get a better feel for the place and, who knows? Possibly settling on some land there one day if they like it.
Sarah, on the other hand is determined that she will return to her homeland and her family once her husband’s commission has been completed.

Though she has wonderful friends and sponsors, Sarah misses her sister and her father terribly. Not an overly social type, she finds life in Sydney is very lonely during the long absences of her husband while he works away from home, and she resolves to never again stay behind when he goes away working…regardless of where his work takes him.
To that end, Sarah and Henry travel the very vast distances, by boat and then horse, over some very hot and rugged country to their next, remote and isolated destination…a cattle station in the outback of the far Northern Territory of Australia.

Here is where this already complex story takes on another life, where the relationships between the white man and the indigenous people of that land merge and coexist in both genial and strained relationships, depending largely on the mentality [or bias] of the employer and his employees.
There are some lovely and ugly characters and many more twists and turns and surprises ahead for this couple as they settle into the rugged life of a stock station manager in the Australian outback.

I did enjoy this story very much, though I thought it could have benefited with a bit more detail in some areas, and less in others.
I felt that so many important influences were involved in the telling, that there wasn’t enough room to explore some of the really important issues in more depth, and although the story flowed on…I was often left wanting as we jumped from one scene to the next.
At the end I was satisfied, but I’d like to know more about what happened next. I think there’s room for another book here…and I would definitely read it.

This story is beautifully written with some lovely evocative prose to set the scenes.

4⭐️s

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

“…the water was channelled into a series of rock pools. When she’d first seen this place, she’d thought it looked almost like the sequence of locks on the Grand Union Canal, but less even, less regulated. Some of the pools were short, some were long, some were curved, some almost rectangular. As the water flowed into these various receptacles, it altered its tempo, from adagio to allegro, and it varied its volume too, from pianissimo to fortissimo.”

The Philosopher’s Daughters is the fifth novel by critically-acclaimed best-selling Australian author, Alison Booth. It was 1892 when the Cameron sisters lost their father, James. The UCL Professor of Moral Philosophy, by then eighteen years a widower, had been an enlightened man who had raised his daughters as liberated women, giving them a broad education and ensuring for them independence, should they wish it.

Sarah Cameron, beautiful, musical and vivacious had, at eighteen, fallen instantly for the charms of Henry Vincent. Of independent means, he was much travelled in the colonies as a stock and station agent, and eager to show her the beauty of New South Wales on their honeymoon. “He began to tell her about it, his words pouring out, as if they’d been waiting for her question, waiting at the ready, perfectly formed and arrayed in coherent lines like the bars of music on the sheets in front of them.”

Within two years, rather to her surprise, they are managing a property, Dimbulah Downs station, in the Northern Territory of South Australia. If the conditions are primitive, it does not prevent Sarah from loving the harsh country and its people, although she finds some of the treatment meted out to the indigenous people deeply disturbing.

Harriet Cameron, older by some years, misses her sister: “Without her endless piano playing, the whistling and singing and, most of all, her laughter. Harriet felt almost as if one of her senses had been turned off and she was left not quite whole.” Between her attempts at sketching and painting, her work for the Women’s Franchise League and helping her father with his work (something she considers a privilege), she is too busy to think much about a future.

Marriage is of no interest, despite a proposal: “A vision came to her of her own future and it didn’t include Charles. She saw it as iridescent, patterned with light and shade, and punctuated with form and colour. Converting drabness to colour and light: that would be her mission.” When James dies, she buys a passage on a ship to Sydney, needing to again be close to her sister.

In Sydney, she paints: “The light here is harsher than I ever imagined. It cuts unrelentingly through the surplus dross to reveal the truth beneath. The structure, the shape, the meaning. Whether I can capture this on canvas remains to be seen. I can only try.” But soon enough, heads for Port Darwin where she, too, notes the way the Aborigines are treated and cannot help but call it out with letters to the press.
Hattie learns that while men like her brother-in-law may accept and indeed even support her suffragism and independence, others feel threatened enough by it to act. And to Henry’s dismay “Harriet sometimes lets her principles override her manners”

Hattie is also fascinated by this vast, dry country, changed by it, perhaps healed by it, and she feels a connection to the Aboriginal stockman, Mick. They bond over capturing the beauty of the landscape, but does that bond become a liability for either of them?

Booth gives the reader an excellent piece of historical fiction, exploring social attitudes in the late nineteenth century to the indigenous first peoples, their rights and the injustices they to which they are subjected. She also draws some parallels between the suffrage of women and indigenous.

Booth easily conveys her settings and is skilful with descriptive prose, often using snippets that perfectly describing a moment or person: “A tall thin figure, he had a thick grey moustache whose ends drooped down to the jawline, giving him a mournful expression. The visible part of his face was a parched landscape, and his eyebrows small ledges that cast his eyes into shadow, making them appear deep set.” Evocative and thought-provoking, this is an outstanding read.
This unbiased review is from a copy provided by NetGalley and RedDoor Press

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The deceptively attractive sounding Dimbulah Downs, to which Sarah and Henry – and later Harriet – travel, is in fact an isolated farm in the Northern Territory of Australia. The author gives the reader a vivid depiction of daily life in the remote outback – basic facilities, unrelenting heat, burning sun and mail deliveries only every six weeks.

However, even in these harsh surroundings, the sisters find things to appreciate. I liked the way in which the author shows how Sarah, a gifted pianist, sees things in musical terms. For example, she observes the water flowing into a series of pools used for bathing as altering its tempo ‘from adagio to allegro’ and varying its volume ‘from pianissimo to fortissimo’. She compares telegraph wires, humming and vibrating ‘with the lives of others’, to the vibrating strings of a piano as the hammers strike them. Later she conjures up thoughts of ‘savage music’ such as Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture to give her courage to tackle difficult tasks.

For Harriet, the harsh beauty of the landscape re-awakens her enthusiasm for painting, helping quell her initial feelings of displacement. ‘She didn’t belong here, even as a visitor. She no longer had any reference points against which to measure her own sense of worth… What she thought she was good at had no value here.’ When she finds someone with whom to share her interest in painting, her outlook changes. It also marks the beginning of an important, if unconventional, relationship that will have dramatic consequences.

Both Sarah and Harriet have their eyes opened to the denial of the rights of the aboriginal people, the disregard for their cultural heritage and, in the worst cases, their savage treatment by neighbouring farm owners. As Sarah realises, ‘I’ve been sheltered all my life…despite my education. Sheltered by Father. Sheltered by Harriet. Sheltered by Henry. Hiding behind my music. Escaping into my music. And blind to what’s happening around me.’

I liked the book’s quirky chapter headings made up of phrases plucked from the text of the chapter, such as ‘A Little Ingenuity and Some Scraps of Wood’. (You’ll have to read the book to find what is constructed using those items.)

The Philosopher’s Daughters sees two young women who have been taught to believe in equality, independence and universal suffrage required to transform theory into practice and tackle challenges of a sort they could never have imagined. It’s a well-crafted story about change, widening your horizons and finding out what’s really important in life.

[ABCme · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book asked me to read between the lines to truly appreciate the depth it contains.
The story is simple enough: two sisters, Sarah and Harriet, daughters of a respected philosopher, grow up in 1890's London. Homeschooled and raised by their father to be free thinkers, the girls seem to have a good grasp of what the world's about.
Sarah gets married to Henry and they're off on honeymoon in Australia. The plan is to travel for two years.
Changes in her home situation give Harriet the opportunity to join the couple a little later.
By the time she arrives, Henry has taken on a job driving cattle in Australia's Outback. Red earth and harsh sunlight become the sisters new reality.
They share their land with Aboriginal families and all bond pretty well. This gives the reader a portal into the indigenous world, where Australia is struggling with the black and white divide.
Within the sisters calm surroundings flows a current of uproar. White Fellows law against the River of Stars.
The racial issue turns friends into enemies and truth into hatred. I'm blown away by the Aboriginal's resilience and ashamed for the white privilage.
Still this book reads like a fine novel and I finished it in one sitting. It made me ponder over history repeating itself again and again, but also put a smile on my face in the epilogue. An impressive piece of historical fiction, well written and moving at a sturdy pace.

Thank you Netgalley and Red Door Press for the ARC.

[Guylou (Two Dogs and a Book) · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 is a tale of two very different sisters whose 1890s voyage from London into remote outback Australia becomes a journey of self-discovery, set against the landscape of wild beauty and savage dispossession.

I could not put down this stunning book. First, the writing is superb. Alison Booth transports you in the Australian Outback with her beautiful descriptions and accounts. Second, the story is magnificent and provocative. I love the thought-provoking references to the suffrage movement, the aboriginal rights (or lack of), and the way of life of Australian pioneers in the 1890s. I hope you will add this amazing book to your TBR list, you will not regret it.

🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗗𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 for sending me a copy of this masterwork. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 by Alison Booth is now available at your favourite bookstore.

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[Haley The Caffeinated Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://thecaffeinatedreader.com/2020...

Content/Trigger Warnings: Loss of a loved one [in a nonviolent matter], murder and mistreatment of people, specifically Aboriginals, and sexual assault and PTSD from it.

The sisters were breathed to life within the first couple of pages. I easily fell in love with both, they're differences and care for each other reminded me of my own closeness with my sister. 

It's really engrossing from the start, I love the time period of the 1890s, but more than that I enjoyed the focus on women's votes from the start and how radical their father was.

The real 'story' though picks up when Sarah goes to Australia, and when Harriet later follows after the loss of their father. 

Booth perfectly captures the Australian outback's wildness and beauty, giving a voice not just to those immigrating but, more importantly, to the Aboriginals as well.

There's a hard look at what the reality was between races and the hard life of those on a station in the outback, cut off from the city's laws and ways.

A wonderful story, not of romance but of love, in all aspects.

Four out of five huge cups of coffee from me. Thank you so much to Anne Cater and RedDoor Press for a copy of this in exchange for my honest opinion as part of the blog tour.

[Cass Moriarty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Philosopher’s Daughters (Red Door 2020) is an historical romance / drama novel by author Alison Booth. The story follows the lives of sisters Sarah and Harriet, from the Suffragette movement in London to 1890’s outback Australia. It is love that beckons Sarah first to leave home and travel to the other side of the world; it is a tragedy that encourages Harriet to follow. Both women experience the harsh rural life of a country as alien to them as the moon. The deprivations and desperate conditions are an unexpected shock. The casual violence and racism, and the many injustices of outback life, are even more discomforting. They are women in a world of men and suffer many frustrations because of their gender. They are white people in a land belonging to ‘the blacks’, but it is the whites who hold the power and who decide how the land is ruled. The cruelty and dishonesty of the colonial system becomes obvious to both of them, particularly Harriet, who develops a friendship with an Aboriginal stockman that verges on (unrequited) romance, and as she devotes her time to capturing the stunning landscape through her paintings, she becomes more immersed in her new home and all it represents.
The narrative comes to a crescendo with murders at a nearby cattle station, and the sinister and brutal stationhand who is looking for revenge and his own kind of justice.
Booth’s writing is clear and well-researched. Her knowledge of the Australia of that time, and its culture and norms, is evident in the detail she writes onto every page, and her author experience is demonstrated by the skill with which the story takes shape. We are given chapters from both Sarah’s and Harriet’s perspectives. The dialogue is authentic and engaging. I love that each chapter begins with a line taken from that section: ‘Her resolve was fragile’; ‘You have a very forgiving nature’; ‘What on earth’s that thing she’s got on her head?’; ‘They give me a civilised name’.
This is a story about two strong women who empower themselves through their art, their grit, their courage and their ideals. While there is a strong romantic element, it is never saccharine. The increasing tension towards the end of the book makes for a page-turning read, as the stakes get higher and each sister must decide what is really important, and how far they are prepared to go for what they believe in. The epilogue is a lovely and satisfying resolution. This is historical fiction well anchored in researched fact, with themes of belonging, identity, love and sacrifice. And at the centre of it all, the terrible, cruel racism that typified that time; the greedy and destructive colonialism; the nuanced emotions of these women as they struggle against the prevailing views. Booth doesn’t shy away from the violence but she balances this with characters who really do wish to change their own attitudes and the environment in which they live.

[AtomicBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love historical fiction, and this is one is no different. It is a really good book on so many levels. The writing is great and the story is too shining a light on many major issues of the time. It particularly highlights the roles of women within society in the late Victorian era and also the views of white man towards their aboriginal counter parts in Australia. One of the reasons I love historical fiction is for the obvious reason you learn about life in previous times but historical fiction also makes you sit back and reflect on how so often very little has changed, and this book does this perfectly. It highlights the very current concerns about the racial inequities in play across the World. This really is a great thought provoking read.

This book is the story of two sisters in the 1890s who travel from London to Australia. Sarah moves to Australia with her husband Henry and they eventually end up moving to the Northern Territory to run a cattle station on a six month contract. Her sister Harriet eventually joins them following the death of their father. Harriet finds herself lost and grieving after the death of her father but begins to find herself again in the outback of Australia forming an unlikely friendship with an Aboriginal stockman who helps her to learn to love the landscape and find her passion for drawing again. But sadly any happiness is short lived as murders take place at a nearby cattle station and revenge is soon sought.

[Ann McGrath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel starts with a meeting of the Women’s Franchise League in London and before too long, romance is on the cards. When I started reading, I settled into a nice relaxing time, for Alison Booth writes simply and entertainingly. The storyline is easy to follow and the characters, especially the two sisters, are intriguing. The plot travels via ocean voyages to Australia, to Sydney, and to bouts of the kind of loneliness that will be all too familiar in these days due to COVID separations. A sinister character enters the scene, and when accused of leading him on, Harriet’s feminine self-doubt is easy to relate to. Eventually the reader travels to Darwin, including to an outback station. The English sisters are not able to stay naïve about the brutal violence of the Australia’s northern frontier for too long. Danger beckons, but the sister who appears to be more compliant surprises with a heroic act. Both sisters are heroines, strong women who also enjoy the allure of romance with good men. It’s a satisfying book, and its historical aspects are really well researched. It’s a novel that you will speed through. I did - and now I want to read it again.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful book great for historical fiction fans. Full review to follow.

[Nicola Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

A couple of years ago I read Alison Booth's previous novel, A Perfect Marriage, which I really enjoyed. I therefore jumped at the chance to read this, her latest book. They are very different though, with this being historical rather than contemporary.

The Philosopher's Daughters begins in London in 1890 and concentrates on Sarah and Harriet, sisters in their early 20s. They're a very progressive pair for the era, indeed the first scenes see Sarah at a Women's Franchise League meeting. Somewhat surprisingly, it's their father who encourages this independence in them. Sarah later travels with her husband to Australia, first to Sydney and then into the outback. When tragedy strikes at home, Harriet decides to follow her sister out there. I think both of them are surprised to find that they adapt to life there quite well.

I liked both of the sisters. I loved that Sarah didn't just bow down to her husband, and I loved that Harriet was determined to be an independent woman. Both showed incredible bravery whilst in Australia too. I can't imagine how hard it must have been to travel so far at that time. Now we have access to so much information about other countries but they must have been travelling into a certain level of the unknown.

It's an atmospheric read with a strong sense of setting. I thought it was fascinating to read about the outback and the Aborigines. They were treated appallingly and yet still managed to be courageous and good.

I liked how the chapter headings were made up of a snippet of the chapter ahead. It meant I spent a bit of time flicking backwards and forwards but it made a change from chapters just being numbered. The ending made me smile too. One for the historical fiction fans, especially if you want to be transported to a remote backdrop.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Philospher’s Daughters by Alison Booth is a story of two daughters and their lives. However, reading between the lines allows the reader to truly see the point of this novel…which is tackling inequality for both sexuality and race, along with the strength of love. It’s a lot of stuff to conquer in a novel, and Alison Booth delivers.

The two daughters feel like real people right in the beginning. It was clear the author put a lot of time into character development. I was attached to them right away and continued to feel that way as their story progressed.

I’ve been really into Historical Fiction lately, and I really loved the simple, but engaging way in which Alison Booth gets her points across. It really opens the readers eyes to the atrocious ways people were treated in the 19th century, but it also allows for the idea that hope and love can overcome.

I definitely recommend checking this one out if you’re into this kind of plot line.

4/5☆

*I received a free copy of this book from Random Things Tours in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled to get into this novel, but I'm not sure why. I felt that the characters fell a little bit flat all the way through. However, the plot was interesting and addressed a lot of issues - women's rights, racism and indigenous rights. It was an okay read.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

London, 1891: Sarah and Harriet Cameron are two sisters, who lost their mother at a young age, and have been raised by their philosopher father to be free thinkers and independent minded young women.

Harriet is a talented artist and content to help her father with his work. She sees no reason to tie herself to a man by marriage.

Sarah's first love is music and she is an accomplished pianist, but she is more romantic than her sister. When she meets the dashing Henry Vincent, fresh from his travels in Australia, at a women's suffrage meeting, love comes calling.

After Sarah and Henry marry and set off for a new life in Australia, Harriet feels the break-up of her small family unit deeply - especially when her sister's departure is closely followed by the unexpected death of their father.

With her sister so far away, and her father now gone, Harriet's grief causes her to lose her purpose. There is now little to tie her to London and she longs to see the new country Sarah describes so vividly in her letters. So she embarks on a journey that takes her to the other side of the world.

Harriet finds that the uncompromising raw beauty of the Australian outback and the friendship she develops with an Aboriginal stockman have the power to change her life in ways that she could never have imagined back in smoky London.

But there is violence and danger in this new land too, and someone is out dash Harriet's hopes and to get his revenge upon her. Can Harriet finally find the happiness she deserves?


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Where do I even start with trying to do justice to Alison Booth's beautiful book The Philosopher's Daughters? I guess the first thing to say is that this is a fine example of the best in historical fiction writing, and undoubtedly one of my favourite reads so far this year.

This is a book that will completely immerse you in the lives of Harriet and Sarah Cameron - two young women with the benefit of the kind of education and freedom denied to the majority of females at the time. Two extraordinary, gutsy women who are nevertheless quite different from each other.

Harriet is the logical sister, who sees her life set out before her as one devoted to her painting and assisting her father with his academic work. She is a keen campaigner for change, and is not afraid to speak out against injustice. She has no need of a husband, and indeed feels that marriage would not be conducive to her happiness - and she is at liberty to follow this path, because of her unconventional upbringing.

Sarah is the more vivacious and impulsive of the sisters. Her prodigious musical talent. although just as creative as Harriet's, allows her to express her more emotional nature perfectly. She is much more sensitive to the feelings of others than her sister, and is less inclined to express opinions she thinks may cause upset - although her heart is firmly in the right place and she feels just as strongly about righting injustice as Harriet, albeit in a more gentle way.

Yet, when our story moves from cold, conventional London, to the heat and intensity of Australia, we see a change in our sisters as they learn more about themselves. Sarah finds her mettle, and Harriet discovers she does have a need for love in her life after all. And all the while, our author draws the most wonderful backdrop that engulfs us and brings to life the wild beauty and casual violence of a country still finding its way.

I loved that this book takes us to two very different environments - Victorian London and the Australian Outback - and despite the obvious differences between the two, Alison Booth manages to link them beautifully through the themes of suffrage and social justice, and she does this with aplomb. I learnt plenty about Australian history that I did not know before and it was absolutely fascinating.

But this is also a book full of romance and love - both in the relationships our characters have with each other, and it terms of their relationships with their environment. A love of Australia - its rugged beauty and its mythology - shines out from these pages and works its way into your own heart too.

This is an absolute beaut of a book, so don't miss out!

[Jo | Booklover Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars. My first experience with Alison Booth’s writing, I was enthralled by The Philosopher’s Daughters literary narrative. The sisters’ free-thinking upbringing cultivates a simmering tension as they embark on their adult lives within an 1890s English society shackled by strict conventions, particularly for women. This tension is enhanced when they separately travel to Australia, and readers see through their inquiring eyes (and suffragist beliefs) the rampant racial discrimination.

The leading women are very well characterised, despite (I think ironically) being referred to by way of the patriarchy in the novel title. Each of the philosopher’s daughters are independent, but they view and respond to the world in distinctly different ways. Harriet’s interpretation is that of a painter (brush strokes, planes of light) while keen pianist Sarah interprets the world through music. Continue reading review >> https://www.bookloverbookreviews.com/...

[Cheryl M-M · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's easy to forget the history of Australia, especially when the narrative is usually one of sunshine, waves and living life with more joy. Spiders the size of dogs and in general many things that can kill you. Oh wait, those aren't positives.

My point is the history behind the building of the country we know now is often whitewashed and swept under the carpet. More than 270 frontier massacres over the space of 140 years. A state-sanctioned attempt to eradicate Aboriginal people. The conspiracy of police and settlers to keep silent and change the narrative of these awful events and history. That's not what people think of when Australia is mentioned.

Booth incorporates this conspiracy of silence into her story of two sisters, who try to rebuild their lives in Australia and find themselves confronted with atrocities and hatred. Harriet in particular connects emotionally to the fate of the indigenous people and creates bonds that people frown upon.

It's historical fiction with factual history at the core.

The strength of this story is the way the author gives her readers an excellent visual with her descriptions. Really capturing the relentless heat, the difficult geographical conditions, the extreme isolation and harsh living conditions.

Booth also speaks to the inequality between the different genders, women's rights, violence and the amount of strength settlers needed to live, survive and eventually thrive in their country of choice. It's a multi-layered story, so as a reader you have to take a breath and let it sink in, and sometimes read between the lines of this ambitious historical novel.
*I received a courtesy copy*

[Kathleen Bianchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is set in London and Australia's outback in the 1890's. Two sisters raised by a liberal father who taught them that they were as good as any man. Not something that was popular in the Victorian era. The novel starts off with the sisters privileged sheltered life in London. Then the, beautiful , romantic, and vivacious Sarah gets engaged and goes onto a honeymoon to Australia. Once in Australia her husband accepts a job in the wild Outback. She comes to love the beautiful but harsh landscape. She makes friends with Aboriginal people. Then she is made aware of the prejudices against them and how the law is slow and indifferent for them. In the past there had been many massacres of the Aboriginal people by Whites. And still some farmers sometimes killed an Aboriginal person with no consequences. Harriet, her sister comes out to join Sarah for a visit and gets involved in the political issues of the area. While in Australia both sisters have learned about themselves that alter the way they saw themselves before. Alison Booth writes wonderfully developed characters and immerses you into the landscape. I zipped along reading this book and highly recommend it. I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway and the author. It had no bearing on my review.

[Justine Small · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two sisters; one a brave young wife embarking on a wild adventure who develops exceptional shooting skills; the other regains the desire to draw and paint as a historically shocking friendship emerges.

As I have personal links to the author I savoured this beautiful novel, reading and rereading as I made connections on a multitude of levels. Through artistically descriptive language I became immersed in the various environments in which this tale is set. I imagined life in the 1890’s, the Northern Territory sections evoking particularly detailed imagery.

The Philosopher’s Daughters has left me with a burning desire to head out into the bush and paint some of those colours that are such a distinctive part of our landscape. A beautiful read that lingers tantalisingly in the imagination.

[Helen Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having travelled to Australia's 'Outback' many moons ago, and fascinated by historical fiction featuring strong female protagonists, this book ticked the boxes for me. The development of the character of the two sisters kept my attention, I was really interested in the setting of that late 1800s period, not knowing much about it previously. The author has clearly spent a long time researching this period of history and the language, racism, sexism are all pervasive in the dialogue for accuracy, even if it seems unthinkable to me today. I have also read another of Alison Booth's books - A Perfect Marriage - and although this is very different to that novel, I really appreciate her writing style and would love to read more books by her.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book transported me from lockdown London to the Australian outback and an earlier, simpler time. The book is deceptively easy to read, as the author has clearly carried out a great deal of research to recreate the period, which she does brilliantly, together with wonderfully evocative descriptions of the landscape and wildlife with scents, sounds and sights that really come alive. Issues such as women’s and aboriginal rights are skilfully slipped into an affecting story about the lives of two sisters and the choices they both have to make. There are issues here to discuss which would make this a good choice for a book group. Highly recommended.

[Kerrie Barnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another spellbinding read from this author, whose skill in weaving a good story is matched by her sophisticated use of language. She shows us the scenes with superb visual description, and we feel the story through the accuracy of dialogue.
Set in the 1890s, first England and then in Australia, the sense of period is enhanced by subtle inclusions of vocabulary that matches. I find this a rare and great relief!

Without revealing the story, which leaves an aftertaste as enjoyable as the book, I would just say:
Do read it!

Kerrie Barnett

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a chrrming book but with some dark subject matter. Two sisters come to Australia at a time when white men were encroaching on aboriginal lands in an uneasy truce. It is a good story, which paints a picture of the outback of 150 years ago throughout the eyes of the two sisters but also brings up issues of ‘black lives do matter’ that resonate strongly today. It is worth a read.

[Nick May · Rating 5 out of 5]

1890s Bloomsbury meets the Australian outback. A sensitively observed historical love story that gains much of its impact from the contrast between the narrow confines of Bloomsbury intellectualism and the wide open spaces and the harsh social realities of the Australian outback.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought-provoking, compelling, tender and evocative, this delightful novel explores issues such as equal rights for women and all races in nineteenth century London and Australia.

Sisters Sarah and Harriet Cameron were raised in London by their progressive, philosopher father. After his death, Harriet travels to Australia to join Sarah, who is there on an extended honeymoon with her husband Henry. Living in Dimbulah Darwin, deep in the Australian outback, the sisters must adjust to a harsher, more dangerous existence, but soon find joy and friendship in their new home. But as racial tensions rise, they must find a way to protect not only themselves, but those they’ve come to care about.

I love historical fiction because of the opportunity to immerse myself in another place and time, and the chance to learn more about those periods. This novel captures a moment in history I knew little about, which is part of the reason I jumped at the chance to take part in the blog tour. Themes of injustice run through the novel and are explored through topics such as women’s and equal rights, appropriation, and racism. It was jarring to read the stark reality of the Aborigines lack of rights and the fear in which they were forced to live in a land that was taken from them. Harriet’s battle for independence and autonomy was a reminder of those who fought for equal rights and to be thankful for the rights women enjoy living where and when we do today.

The characters are compelling, flawed and real. Harriet and Sarah are very different people but are both complex women with a heart of gold and great strength. We watch them wrestle with themselves as they embark on a journey of self-discovery, going through great changes in the seven years over which the story is told. Harriet in particular suffers an identity crisis and does a lot of soul searching during her time in the outback, embracing the teachings of the Aboriginals. I loved this inclusion of so many Aboriginal characters and the inclusion of them as memorable characters in their own right rather than simply being nameless background workers.

Told in short, tightly crafted chapters, this is a subtle and steadily paced novel. But as the threat towards those at Dimbulah Darwin escalated, the tension radiated from the page and my heart raced in anticipation. The author’s prose is lyrical and bursting with rich imagery that made me feel like I could actually see the bright colours of the Australian Outback.

I highly recommend this uplifting, powerful and endearing story.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1890, at a meeting of the Women’s Franchise league Sarah Cameron meets Henry Vincent, the man who will take her away from London to the Australian outback. Eighteen-year-old Sarah is the younger daughter of James Cameron, an academic and leading light of the League. Harriet, the older sister is her father’s unpaid but indispensable assistant. While Sarah is instantly smitten with Henry Vincent, Harriett, a talented painter when she has time, is not excited about giving up her freedom to any man except her father and she is not so sure about that.
Henry and Sarah marry and sail off to Sydney, Australia for what Sarah expects to be just two years. Henry has told her about his love for Australia and has described its country in glowing terms. He is busy trading livestock which requires frequent business trips some time several weeks long. She is left in what she soon finds to be a stultifying middle-class social life, which is a distinct contrast to her politically engaged life in London. To make matters worse it becomes clear that Henry plans on the two of them setting down roots there.
Things turn around for Sarah and the adventure of the book begins in earnest when Henry is offered a six-month job as the temporary manager of a cattle station in the Northern Territory. She agrees to him doing that as long as she is allowed to go with him. Henry knows how remote the station is and how demanding her life there will be. Deprived of all the comforts she was used to she manages and blossoms and this is the heart of this very engaging novel.
When Sarah and Harriet’s father dies Harriet has to decide what to do with her life. She receives a marriage proposal but rejects it, determined to be free to pursue her art and maintain her freedom. She goes to Australia to stay with Sarah and Henry, having no idea how they live and how harsh the climate is. Like Sarah she finds new freedom there. I love Australian art, particularly Aborigine art’s quite different approach to using color to describe their existence, the country they love and know, the relationship between humans and nature. Through the character of Harriet, you get an introduction to a different way of seeing the world around you.
This is an enjoyable read. There are times when the life Sarah and Harriett discover in Australia seems a little romanticized but Booth brings the world of late nineteenth century Australian Outback vividly to life.

[Smbergin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Philosopher’s Daughters is the story of two sisters, Harriet and Sarah, who were raised by their father, a renowned philosopher, in the 1890s. They were homeschooled in London and taught to be independent thinkers. Sarah falls in love with Henry, gets married, and the couple embarks on a two-year honeymoon in Australia. To Sarah’s dismay, the honeymoon is more like a “you-enjoy-while-I-work” Outback adventure. Harriet reaches crossroads in her life and joins her sister and.

The descriptions of the topography are gorgeous. Captivating too was the author’s depictions of the cultural and societal norms the women must navigate as Henry takes a job driving cattle alongside Aboriginal families in the Outback. Cushioned between beautiful prose, tales of sibling and romantic love, and art and music as a muse for understanding life is the ugliness of racial conflict and shocking scenes of violence.

While I enjoyed many aspects of this book, I became fixated on the portrayal of light throughout the narrative and was disappointed that there was no correlating payoff. I also couldn’t get past the title. While Harriet worked with her father and he played a pivotal role in shaping their values and views, they didn’t seem to live in his shadow. The book is a fascinating coming of age story, and not one character gives a hoot about their lineage. Even when Harriet gets flak from other women about traveling alone, she does not subjugate her courage and independence to her father. So why the title?

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Philospher’s Daughter, in exchange for this honest 3.5 star review.