What do you think?
Rate this book
Home Fires
From the bestselling Australian author of Daughter of Mine and Birthright. When a lethal bushfire tore through Myrtle, nestled in Victoria's breathtaking Otway Ranges, the town's buildings - and the lives of its residents - were left as smouldering ash. For three women in particular, the fire fractured their lives and their relationships.
Eighteen months later, with the flurry of national attention long past, Myrtle stands restored, shiny and new. But is the outside polish just a veneer? Community stalwart Julie thinks tourism could bring back some financial stability to their little corner of the world and soon prods Claire, Bec and Sophie into joining her group. But the scar tissue of trauma runs deep, and as each woman exposes her secrets and faces the damage that day wrought, a shocking truth will emerge that will shake the town to its newly rebuilt foundations...
With her sharp eye for human foibles, bestselling author Fiona Lowe writes an evocative tale of everyday people fighting for themselves, their families and their town - as only this distinctively Australian storyteller can.
RUNNING TIME ➼ 16hrs. and 56mins.
©2019 Fiona Lowe (P)2019 Bolinda Publishing
Eighteen months later, with the flurry of national attention long past, Myrtle stands restored, shiny and new. But is the outside polish just a veneer? Community stalwart Julie thinks tourism could bring back some financial stability to their little corner of the world and soon prods Claire, Bec and Sophie into joining her group. But the scar tissue of trauma runs deep, and as each woman exposes her secrets and faces the damage that day wrought, a shocking truth will emerge that will shake the town to its newly rebuilt foundations...
With her sharp eye for human foibles, bestselling author Fiona Lowe writes an evocative tale of everyday people fighting for themselves, their families and their town - as only this distinctively Australian storyteller can.
RUNNING TIME ➼ 16hrs. and 56mins.
©2019 Fiona Lowe (P)2019 Bolinda Publishing
Audible Audio
First published February 18, 2019
505 people are currently reading
1654 people want to read
About the author
Fiona Lowe
186 books645 followersMulti published, Fiona is very excited about her 2026 release, The Drowning a novel about a family, a holiday house and a dead body. Previously published with Berkley and currently with Harper Collins Australia, (HQ Fiction) Fiona's been the recipient of a RITA and two RuBY awards. Families and communities intrigue her and she loves creating characters you could meet on the street and enjoys putting them in unique situations where morals and values can blur and she begs the reader to ask themselves, 'What would you do?'
For a free novella, sign up to Fiona's newsletter at http://www.fionalowe.com
Amazon https://bit.ly/FionaLowe
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FionaLoweAus...
Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/fionaloweau...
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com.au/fionalow...
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/fiona...
Fiona loves to hear from her readers and you can contact her at her website
For a free novella, sign up to Fiona's newsletter at http://www.fionalowe.com
Amazon https://bit.ly/FionaLowe
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FionaLoweAus...
Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/fionaloweau...
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com.au/fionalow...
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/fiona...
Fiona loves to hear from her readers and you can contact her at her website
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
April 10, 2019
On the 7th February 2009 known as Black Saturday is a date that many of us will never forget. Sadly, this is the day 173 people lost their lives to the horrific bush fires that tore through the small country town of Myrtle in Victoria.
Eighteen months later, after the fires people are still trying to rebuild not only their homes, but they are trying to rebuild a community whilst still grieving for their loved ones. The impact it has on everyone is unimaginable and yet somehow they get together as a community and start all over again. In this extraordinary story we get a glimpse into some of these people’s daily lives and how they manage to deal with the aftermath of that unforgettable horrible day.
Although this book is fiction whilst reading it you can see exactly how much research has gone into it. Aussie author Fiona Lowe has done an amazing job in composing this story which I could only imagine would not have been easy at all. This story will most certainly pull at your heartstrings no question about it, but it's a story well worth reading and I have no hesitation in highly recommending it.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my digital copy to read and review.
Eighteen months later, after the fires people are still trying to rebuild not only their homes, but they are trying to rebuild a community whilst still grieving for their loved ones. The impact it has on everyone is unimaginable and yet somehow they get together as a community and start all over again. In this extraordinary story we get a glimpse into some of these people’s daily lives and how they manage to deal with the aftermath of that unforgettable horrible day.
Although this book is fiction whilst reading it you can see exactly how much research has gone into it. Aussie author Fiona Lowe has done an amazing job in composing this story which I could only imagine would not have been easy at all. This story will most certainly pull at your heartstrings no question about it, but it's a story well worth reading and I have no hesitation in highly recommending it.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my digital copy to read and review.
November 27, 2023
I loved this rural story, though serious themes were threaded through its entirety, it was bought together with family, kinship, friendship, and a satisfying and not over the top sense of community.
A small Victorian county town has its smattering of the usual folk. Young families, older couples with children who’ve flown the coup, migrant families, the rural fire service and the CWA. These community groups serve an important role in the community as disaster hits in the way of a tragic fire; decimating houses, lives, dreams and hopes for the future. I felt this to be sincere writing; I felt I was there with the community that would do anything for their neighbouring friends and strangers.
Claire was to be a bride this day, instead she is in the makeshift command centre dressing burns in her important role of the community nurse, she lives for her job in normal circumstances, and is now homeless. Sophie, a young mum new to the area happened to be out of town that day and ends up going through a life event on her own away from her husband who may have been caught in the devastation as well; what is to be of their newly built home? Bec is the wife of the magnate of the town, whose house, like everything else in this family, seems to have survived shiny and new. Her husband is spiralling into some kind of monster as every day passes, her façade slipping every day. Erica is new to town and seems to put her foot in her mouth every time she opens it even though she only means well, she seems to find her feet and has a lot of good in her. Julie is the matriach holding everything together, for everyone. Always the peacemaker, a wise and loving woman.
During the events of this black summer, we see old rivalries, new friendships, and undeniable grief amongst the entire town. The stories of fundraisers, the meetings of the unofficial new branch of the ‘crafty’ offshoot of the CWA, the niggles between these women, and the budding friendship which seems to creep up on all of them.
For a contemporary fiction title, I was captured entirely, finding it hard to put down. I was thoroughly invested in the narrative and found it to be a compelling read which was full of many hard things to read about, but things that do happen in times of crisis. It’s not fluffy at all. Themes addressed include PTSD, domestic violence, emotional abuse, drug use, relationship struggle and mental health. The fictional town of Myrtle does its best to come back after the raw deal from mother nature, no matter how much is taken from them.
I really did enjoy this book, which I listened to via the BorrowBox platform and my local library. It had been on my TBR for years.
A small Victorian county town has its smattering of the usual folk. Young families, older couples with children who’ve flown the coup, migrant families, the rural fire service and the CWA. These community groups serve an important role in the community as disaster hits in the way of a tragic fire; decimating houses, lives, dreams and hopes for the future. I felt this to be sincere writing; I felt I was there with the community that would do anything for their neighbouring friends and strangers.
Claire was to be a bride this day, instead she is in the makeshift command centre dressing burns in her important role of the community nurse, she lives for her job in normal circumstances, and is now homeless. Sophie, a young mum new to the area happened to be out of town that day and ends up going through a life event on her own away from her husband who may have been caught in the devastation as well; what is to be of their newly built home? Bec is the wife of the magnate of the town, whose house, like everything else in this family, seems to have survived shiny and new. Her husband is spiralling into some kind of monster as every day passes, her façade slipping every day. Erica is new to town and seems to put her foot in her mouth every time she opens it even though she only means well, she seems to find her feet and has a lot of good in her. Julie is the matriach holding everything together, for everyone. Always the peacemaker, a wise and loving woman.
During the events of this black summer, we see old rivalries, new friendships, and undeniable grief amongst the entire town. The stories of fundraisers, the meetings of the unofficial new branch of the ‘crafty’ offshoot of the CWA, the niggles between these women, and the budding friendship which seems to creep up on all of them.
For a contemporary fiction title, I was captured entirely, finding it hard to put down. I was thoroughly invested in the narrative and found it to be a compelling read which was full of many hard things to read about, but things that do happen in times of crisis. It’s not fluffy at all. Themes addressed include PTSD, domestic violence, emotional abuse, drug use, relationship struggle and mental health. The fictional town of Myrtle does its best to come back after the raw deal from mother nature, no matter how much is taken from them.
I really did enjoy this book, which I listened to via the BorrowBox platform and my local library. It had been on my TBR for years.
March 19, 2019
*https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogsp...
The residents of Myrtle, a small country town cocooned by the forest of Victoria’s Otway Ranges, are still feeling the effects of a fire that destroyed the town almost two years earlier.
A group of women that had formed a craft group decide to take action to put Myrtle back on the map and attract tourists to the town.
Claire is back home after living in large cities and has been with Matt for 3 years.
Sophie, married to Josh, moved to the country for a better lifestyle.
Rebecca is married to Adam through an arrangement instigated by her mother they have two children and a third on the way. They appear to be the perfect couple.
The story follows the three women before and after the fire. How their lives had changed, their dreams shattered. The hardships not only financially but mentally and physically when the rest of the world has moved on but the town is still struggling to rise above the ashes and forge a new life.
Over the months of meetings and planning they had changed from a random group of women to become friends, working through their differences and supporting each other. Even minor characters in the group, Julie, the stalwart of the town, Layla and Erica, play integral roles in the bringing together of the community.
This small town weathers it all; a deadly bushfire, a cancer scare, domestic abuse, PTSD, teenagers using alcohol and drugs, but through sweat, determination and hard work they come through it all.
Lowe highlights how the impact of a fire goes far beyond the buildings that were destroyed. It affects different people in different ways and quite often this effect is not clearly visible on the surface.
Home Fires is a timely tale with a quintessential Australian feel. Lowe brings the country town of Myrtle, and its residents, into our homes and opens our eyes to the hardships and heartbreaking aftermath of a devastating bushfire.
Recommended reading.
* I received a copy from the publisher to read
The residents of Myrtle, a small country town cocooned by the forest of Victoria’s Otway Ranges, are still feeling the effects of a fire that destroyed the town almost two years earlier.
A group of women that had formed a craft group decide to take action to put Myrtle back on the map and attract tourists to the town.
Claire is back home after living in large cities and has been with Matt for 3 years.
Sophie, married to Josh, moved to the country for a better lifestyle.
Rebecca is married to Adam through an arrangement instigated by her mother they have two children and a third on the way. They appear to be the perfect couple.
The story follows the three women before and after the fire. How their lives had changed, their dreams shattered. The hardships not only financially but mentally and physically when the rest of the world has moved on but the town is still struggling to rise above the ashes and forge a new life.
Over the months of meetings and planning they had changed from a random group of women to become friends, working through their differences and supporting each other. Even minor characters in the group, Julie, the stalwart of the town, Layla and Erica, play integral roles in the bringing together of the community.
This small town weathers it all; a deadly bushfire, a cancer scare, domestic abuse, PTSD, teenagers using alcohol and drugs, but through sweat, determination and hard work they come through it all.
Lowe highlights how the impact of a fire goes far beyond the buildings that were destroyed. It affects different people in different ways and quite often this effect is not clearly visible on the surface.
Home Fires is a timely tale with a quintessential Australian feel. Lowe brings the country town of Myrtle, and its residents, into our homes and opens our eyes to the hardships and heartbreaking aftermath of a devastating bushfire.
Recommended reading.
* I received a copy from the publisher to read
February 11, 2019
Eighteen months after the horrific bushfire that claimed many lives and ravaged most of the small township of Myrtle in country Victoria, inhabitants were struggling. Some buildings and homes had been rebuilt, but the town was lacking in many things. And mostly it was tourists. The money was no longer flowing in the town and Julie, who was known for her strength and determination, formed a small craft group with the intention of planning events to draw people back to Myrtle. She invited Sophie, a relatively new resident of Myrtle, along with Claire, Bec and a couple of other women to share in the ideas and brainstorming to help the town and its people.
But some of these women had secrets. Trauma and grief that hadn’t left them or their husbands and partners. On the outside they looked to be doing well. Claire was a community nurse, efficient and kind, always helpful. Bec supported her husband Adam in his building business, while Sophie had to return to work as her husband Josh had lost his job due to the bushfire. And Bec and Sophie’s children were showing signs of internal struggles.
As the two year anniversary of that devastating day drew near, cracks were appearing. Would the secrets held deep inside finally be exposed?
Home Fires by Aussie author Fiona Lowe is an outstanding novel, filled with heartbreak, grief, tragedy and a burgeoning hope. The depth of emotion the author has given the characters is breathtaking; my heart was breaking for what I knew they were going through. Bushfire is an every day part of life in Australia, and not just in the summer months. The firefighters work in the most horrendous of situations, and still manage a smile. And sometimes the bushfires rip through communities like they are not there – as happened on the 7th February 2009 in Victoria, a day known as Black Saturday when 173 people perished. In Home Fires, Fiona Lowe has captured the essence of what it means to struggle to survive above all odds. Highly recommended (and straight onto my 2019 favourites list)
With thanks to HarperCollins AU (HQ) for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
But some of these women had secrets. Trauma and grief that hadn’t left them or their husbands and partners. On the outside they looked to be doing well. Claire was a community nurse, efficient and kind, always helpful. Bec supported her husband Adam in his building business, while Sophie had to return to work as her husband Josh had lost his job due to the bushfire. And Bec and Sophie’s children were showing signs of internal struggles.
As the two year anniversary of that devastating day drew near, cracks were appearing. Would the secrets held deep inside finally be exposed?
Home Fires by Aussie author Fiona Lowe is an outstanding novel, filled with heartbreak, grief, tragedy and a burgeoning hope. The depth of emotion the author has given the characters is breathtaking; my heart was breaking for what I knew they were going through. Bushfire is an every day part of life in Australia, and not just in the summer months. The firefighters work in the most horrendous of situations, and still manage a smile. And sometimes the bushfires rip through communities like they are not there – as happened on the 7th February 2009 in Victoria, a day known as Black Saturday when 173 people perished. In Home Fires, Fiona Lowe has captured the essence of what it means to struggle to survive above all odds. Highly recommended (and straight onto my 2019 favourites list)
With thanks to HarperCollins AU (HQ) for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2019
‘A day no one wanted to remember. A day no one could forget.’
Eighteen months ago, the town of Myrtle in Victoria’s Otway ranges was devastated by bushfire. Lives were lost. Buildings and livelihoods destroyed. As the story opens in the present, the town is gathering for the opening of a sixth new building. On the surface, the town is recovering. But is it really? Behind the new public buildings, many are struggling to rebuild their homes. Some are spending their second winter living in caravans or containers while they await permission to rebuild. Others have left.
One community member, Julie, invites several women to join a craft group she establishes. The group includes Claire, the local nurse practitioner, Bec (whose husband Adam Petrovic is regarded as a hero because of his actions during the fire), Sophie who moved to Otway with her family just weeks before the fire, and Erica and Layla who have moved to Myrtle since the fire.
The main characters are Bec, Claire and Sophie and through them we learn of the impact of the fire on each of them and their families. All have experienced trauma because of the fire and each of them handles it differently. We gain some insight into each of the women through chapters touching on their lives before the fire, we learn of their fears and secrets. We also learn that all is not as it seems in Myrtle. Some secrets are toxic. Can the town of Myrtle recover? Can Bec, Claire and Sophie overcome the challenges ahead of them?
I picked this novel up and was swept into the community of Myrtle and the people portrayed. I could feel their frustration: six new public buildings (but no pub) people living in temporary accommodation because bureaucracy moved too slowly or because they could not afford to rebuild. There are other aspects to the story as well, the manifestation of post traumatic stress and different coping mechanisms employed, and there are several secrets to be uncovered. This is a novel which invites you to think about how you might react in a similar horrific situation.
This is the first of Ms Lowe’s novels I’ve read: I doubt that it will be the last.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and HQ Fiction for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Eighteen months ago, the town of Myrtle in Victoria’s Otway ranges was devastated by bushfire. Lives were lost. Buildings and livelihoods destroyed. As the story opens in the present, the town is gathering for the opening of a sixth new building. On the surface, the town is recovering. But is it really? Behind the new public buildings, many are struggling to rebuild their homes. Some are spending their second winter living in caravans or containers while they await permission to rebuild. Others have left.
One community member, Julie, invites several women to join a craft group she establishes. The group includes Claire, the local nurse practitioner, Bec (whose husband Adam Petrovic is regarded as a hero because of his actions during the fire), Sophie who moved to Otway with her family just weeks before the fire, and Erica and Layla who have moved to Myrtle since the fire.
The main characters are Bec, Claire and Sophie and through them we learn of the impact of the fire on each of them and their families. All have experienced trauma because of the fire and each of them handles it differently. We gain some insight into each of the women through chapters touching on their lives before the fire, we learn of their fears and secrets. We also learn that all is not as it seems in Myrtle. Some secrets are toxic. Can the town of Myrtle recover? Can Bec, Claire and Sophie overcome the challenges ahead of them?
I picked this novel up and was swept into the community of Myrtle and the people portrayed. I could feel their frustration: six new public buildings (but no pub) people living in temporary accommodation because bureaucracy moved too slowly or because they could not afford to rebuild. There are other aspects to the story as well, the manifestation of post traumatic stress and different coping mechanisms employed, and there are several secrets to be uncovered. This is a novel which invites you to think about how you might react in a similar horrific situation.
This is the first of Ms Lowe’s novels I’ve read: I doubt that it will be the last.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and HQ Fiction for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
February 27, 2019
It has been way to long since I have read an Australian contemporary novel. I always enjoy them, but Home Fires was a cut above the others!
The story is set in Victoria, Australia in a town named Myrtle. Myrtle was devastated by a bushfire two years prior and the town is still feeling the aftermath. Especially three couples, with some very serious problems. Home fires explores what happens to families after such devastation, and explores some intense issues such as PTSD and domestic violence.
The story is set in the present and also goes back in time to before the fires to give the reader a better understanding of the characters lives, and the events that led up to where they are now.
This is the first novel by Aussie author Fiona Lowe that I have read and it won’t be the last! Her writing is wonderful. Even though it is quite a long book, it wasn’t a long read.
I adored all the characters, and they just get more interesting as the story went on and we were able to get to know them all well and understand their motivations. Claire annoyed me a bit, I couldn’t understand her choices – but her character was my favourite towards the end of the book.
I found the back and forth a bit confusing at times, as there was pre-fires and PRE pre-fires, but I got over that confusion quickly as the book went on and I got to know the characters better.
There were a few twists that I figured out at the very beginning. But that didn’t deter my enjoyment of the story. And although the ending was good, it didn’t blow me away.
It was slightly slow in some parts, perhaps because it was a long book. But I still thoroughly enjoyed it.
The way she writes about the fires and aftermath was eerie. We so often forget how devastating bushfires can be and the atmosphere she creates when the fire strikes was authentically terrifying. I have nursed many burn victims and the medical aspects of the story were great and she has obviously done her research.
Would I recommend Home Fires?
Yes absolutely! Any contemporary Australian fiction should enjoy this one. It has some wonderful characters and an important story.
Many thanks to Harlequin Australia for a copy of Home Fires for me to review.
The story is set in Victoria, Australia in a town named Myrtle. Myrtle was devastated by a bushfire two years prior and the town is still feeling the aftermath. Especially three couples, with some very serious problems. Home fires explores what happens to families after such devastation, and explores some intense issues such as PTSD and domestic violence.
The story is set in the present and also goes back in time to before the fires to give the reader a better understanding of the characters lives, and the events that led up to where they are now.
This is the first novel by Aussie author Fiona Lowe that I have read and it won’t be the last! Her writing is wonderful. Even though it is quite a long book, it wasn’t a long read.
I adored all the characters, and they just get more interesting as the story went on and we were able to get to know them all well and understand their motivations. Claire annoyed me a bit, I couldn’t understand her choices – but her character was my favourite towards the end of the book.
I found the back and forth a bit confusing at times, as there was pre-fires and PRE pre-fires, but I got over that confusion quickly as the book went on and I got to know the characters better.
There were a few twists that I figured out at the very beginning. But that didn’t deter my enjoyment of the story. And although the ending was good, it didn’t blow me away.
It was slightly slow in some parts, perhaps because it was a long book. But I still thoroughly enjoyed it.
The way she writes about the fires and aftermath was eerie. We so often forget how devastating bushfires can be and the atmosphere she creates when the fire strikes was authentically terrifying. I have nursed many burn victims and the medical aspects of the story were great and she has obviously done her research.
Would I recommend Home Fires?
Yes absolutely! Any contemporary Australian fiction should enjoy this one. It has some wonderful characters and an important story.
Many thanks to Harlequin Australia for a copy of Home Fires for me to review.
May 14, 2019
Fiona Lowe’s stories just get better with everyone she writes, the last two that I have read of hers Daughter of Mine and Birthright blew me away and this one has as well, I am sitting here trying to write this review and make sure I do justice to this amazing story, MS Lowe has taken me to the small town of Myrtle and the wonderful people that live there and what happens after a bushfire two years before destroys the town and plays havoc with their emotions, if you have never read a Fiona Lowe book do yourself a favour and read this one there will be no regrets.
We get to meet three woman, two who grew up in the town and one who has moved there with her family Claire, Bec and Sophie, as well as a few more fabulous woman, Julie who is in the CWA thinks that it is time to get the town moving again after the devastation of two years before and invites some of the woman to start a craft group in the evenings, Claire and Bec have been at odds with each other since school and Girl Guides and Sophie, Layla and Erica are pretty new to the town. This gets them working on plans and brings the woman together but along the way they learn that not all is as it should be and the emotions and hurt and pain that people keep to themselves will soon come to the surface as they learn to open up to each other.
While the woman work together we also get to know the men in their lives Matt, Adam, Josh, Nathan and Osman and Julie’s wonderful husband Phil, these men are also very different and with some of them living through the fires, they too have problems that need to be sorted and when it comes to a head on the second anniversary of the fires, I shed a lot of tears and there was a lot of different emotions flowing, there was anger, heart breaking feelings, but there was strength coming from each other and the support was amazing.
This book is beautifully written, there are heart-wrenching moments as we get to know and understand these woman and their families, there are moments that made me angry when the truth about one of the town’s favourites comes out and then the support and strength that these people show each other, this really is a book that I can’t highly recommend enough, I didn’t want to put it down, yet I read slowly to savour every word I was totally engrossed in this story, don’t miss this one. Thank you MS Lowe this one is going to stay with me for a long time to come, you did so well with issues that sadly are a part of our lives.
We get to meet three woman, two who grew up in the town and one who has moved there with her family Claire, Bec and Sophie, as well as a few more fabulous woman, Julie who is in the CWA thinks that it is time to get the town moving again after the devastation of two years before and invites some of the woman to start a craft group in the evenings, Claire and Bec have been at odds with each other since school and Girl Guides and Sophie, Layla and Erica are pretty new to the town. This gets them working on plans and brings the woman together but along the way they learn that not all is as it should be and the emotions and hurt and pain that people keep to themselves will soon come to the surface as they learn to open up to each other.
While the woman work together we also get to know the men in their lives Matt, Adam, Josh, Nathan and Osman and Julie’s wonderful husband Phil, these men are also very different and with some of them living through the fires, they too have problems that need to be sorted and when it comes to a head on the second anniversary of the fires, I shed a lot of tears and there was a lot of different emotions flowing, there was anger, heart breaking feelings, but there was strength coming from each other and the support was amazing.
This book is beautifully written, there are heart-wrenching moments as we get to know and understand these woman and their families, there are moments that made me angry when the truth about one of the town’s favourites comes out and then the support and strength that these people show each other, this really is a book that I can’t highly recommend enough, I didn’t want to put it down, yet I read slowly to savour every word I was totally engrossed in this story, don’t miss this one. Thank you MS Lowe this one is going to stay with me for a long time to come, you did so well with issues that sadly are a part of our lives.
February 10, 2019
Home Fires by Fiona Lowe is a book that had me captivated. Living in Australia all of my life summer invariably means bushfires. This beautiful country that we call home can be harsh and this book hit very close to home. I don't live in an area that has ever come under threat but seeing it happen around the country reading this story of grief, rebuilding, devastation and so much more was emotional. It about so much more than just the fires - it is what those fires leave behind - and take away.
The story of Myrtle in the Victorian Ottaway Ranges is heartbreaking. When the wind changed that day the town was suddenly right in the path of a lethal bushfire and the town would never be the same again. It is not just the buildings, but the people of this town lost so much more. This book tells the story BF (Before the Fires) and AH (After the Fires). in alternate chapters. The chapters that cover the actual fires themselves were terrifying to read and I can't imagine what I would be like faced with that danger to myself and my family.
;
The book is about the community as a whole but focuses on 3 main women
- Claire - who is the local nurse and the fires hit town on what should have been her wedding day
_ Bec - she is married to the hero of the fires who was badly scarred
- Sophie - who moved into her dream home with her husband just weeks before the fires.
Before the fires the 3 women did not have a lot to do with each other. 18 months after the fires they form a craft group who also decide to help bring tourism back to Mrytle as it is slowly rebuilding. As the story unfolds we learn more about them and the people they love - both before and after the fires. You can't always judge something by how it looks on the outside and this could not be truer of these 3 womens lives. Secrets are being kept that have life changing results. Together these women battle their demons and try to pick up the pieces of their lives.
This book made me cry - a lot! But is also made me smile and gave me hope. It is a beautifully written story that pulls at your heartstrings. I can't recommend this book enough.
Thanks to Harlequin Australia, HQ and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
The story of Myrtle in the Victorian Ottaway Ranges is heartbreaking. When the wind changed that day the town was suddenly right in the path of a lethal bushfire and the town would never be the same again. It is not just the buildings, but the people of this town lost so much more. This book tells the story BF (Before the Fires) and AH (After the Fires). in alternate chapters. The chapters that cover the actual fires themselves were terrifying to read and I can't imagine what I would be like faced with that danger to myself and my family.
;
The book is about the community as a whole but focuses on 3 main women
- Claire - who is the local nurse and the fires hit town on what should have been her wedding day
_ Bec - she is married to the hero of the fires who was badly scarred
- Sophie - who moved into her dream home with her husband just weeks before the fires.
Before the fires the 3 women did not have a lot to do with each other. 18 months after the fires they form a craft group who also decide to help bring tourism back to Mrytle as it is slowly rebuilding. As the story unfolds we learn more about them and the people they love - both before and after the fires. You can't always judge something by how it looks on the outside and this could not be truer of these 3 womens lives. Secrets are being kept that have life changing results. Together these women battle their demons and try to pick up the pieces of their lives.
This book made me cry - a lot! But is also made me smile and gave me hope. It is a beautifully written story that pulls at your heartstrings. I can't recommend this book enough.
Thanks to Harlequin Australia, HQ and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
May 22, 2019
*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
Home Fires by Fiona Lowe. (2019).
After a lethal bushfire tore through the little town of Myrtle, Victoria, the town was destroyed. For three of the women, the fire fractured their lives as well as their relationships. 18 months later the town is being restored, but are the new buildings enough? Community stalwart Julie brings together a few women as part of a craft group to help repair the town. But the scar tissue of trauma runs deep and slowly the women expose their secrets and face the damage from both the fire and it's aftermath.
I hesitated to pick this book purely because of the length; at almost 500 pages, it's a big read. But oh my, once you start it, it doesn't feel like a big read! This story is heartbreaking and haunting, will tug at your heartstrings but also leave you appreciating what you've got. Trigger warning, there's some very emotional issues occurring throughout this book that may upset some readers. Among other things, this book delves into the devastating effects, both physical and emotional, of a terrible bushfire devastating a town and it's people. The reader experiences the story mainly through the point of views of three women: Claire, Bec and Sophie; this includes before, during and after the fire. I felt so attached to these three women and just really wanted things to work out for all of them, even if they were a bit annoying at times (nobody is perfect after all haha). A lot of drama occurs throughout the storyline and for me there was an underlying message of acknowledging that even if we have known people for years, we don't necessarily know what's going on in their lives.
A truly gripping and outstanding novel, this will be one of my top 2019 reads.
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
Home Fires by Fiona Lowe. (2019).
After a lethal bushfire tore through the little town of Myrtle, Victoria, the town was destroyed. For three of the women, the fire fractured their lives as well as their relationships. 18 months later the town is being restored, but are the new buildings enough? Community stalwart Julie brings together a few women as part of a craft group to help repair the town. But the scar tissue of trauma runs deep and slowly the women expose their secrets and face the damage from both the fire and it's aftermath.
I hesitated to pick this book purely because of the length; at almost 500 pages, it's a big read. But oh my, once you start it, it doesn't feel like a big read! This story is heartbreaking and haunting, will tug at your heartstrings but also leave you appreciating what you've got. Trigger warning, there's some very emotional issues occurring throughout this book that may upset some readers. Among other things, this book delves into the devastating effects, both physical and emotional, of a terrible bushfire devastating a town and it's people. The reader experiences the story mainly through the point of views of three women: Claire, Bec and Sophie; this includes before, during and after the fire. I felt so attached to these three women and just really wanted things to work out for all of them, even if they were a bit annoying at times (nobody is perfect after all haha). A lot of drama occurs throughout the storyline and for me there was an underlying message of acknowledging that even if we have known people for years, we don't necessarily know what's going on in their lives.
A truly gripping and outstanding novel, this will be one of my top 2019 reads.
May 14, 2019
Summer is a time most Aussies love. Getting out in the sun, trips to the beach, the long Christmas holiday break for students. Yet Summer in Australia is not without its dangers. High on the list of dangers is the very real threat of bushfires. These fires are a dreadful force of nature known to claim lives, properties and devastate communities. Home Fires by Fiona Lowe is set in the fictional town of Myrtle and immerses readers in the tragedy that follows a natural disaster.
This novel is centred around three couples, Sohie & Josh, Claire & Matt, Bec & Adam and alternated between BF (before fires) and AF (after fires). Sophie & Josh who could be described as typical Aussie battlers striving to own their own home; Claire & Matt had the whirlwind romance whilst Bec and Adam ran a successful family business in the small town. Each of their BF stories kept me interested but it was in the AF sections I was most moved. The author showed the myriad ways lives were damaged and destroyed, the grief experienced, the financial and other stresses to be endured. Although the gardens were regenerating and begining to thrive in the aftermath of the fires the people were not recovering nearly as well. The scars both literal and figurative continued to be prominent for residents.
At times it was hard to read, almost depressing. Every couple was affected in some way and each of the relationships showed the strains The community was doing it tough and it made me contemplate just how difficult it must be to recover from such a tragedy. How must it be for the actual communities who lost everything in the natural disasters such as the Black Saturday or Ash Wednesday fires. In this respect this book reminded me of Ache by Eliza Henry-Jones, another excellent novel.
My thanks to Harlequin Australia and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review which it was my pleasure to provide.
This novel is centred around three couples, Sohie & Josh, Claire & Matt, Bec & Adam and alternated between BF (before fires) and AF (after fires). Sophie & Josh who could be described as typical Aussie battlers striving to own their own home; Claire & Matt had the whirlwind romance whilst Bec and Adam ran a successful family business in the small town. Each of their BF stories kept me interested but it was in the AF sections I was most moved. The author showed the myriad ways lives were damaged and destroyed, the grief experienced, the financial and other stresses to be endured. Although the gardens were regenerating and begining to thrive in the aftermath of the fires the people were not recovering nearly as well. The scars both literal and figurative continued to be prominent for residents.
At times it was hard to read, almost depressing. Every couple was affected in some way and each of the relationships showed the strains The community was doing it tough and it made me contemplate just how difficult it must be to recover from such a tragedy. How must it be for the actual communities who lost everything in the natural disasters such as the Black Saturday or Ash Wednesday fires. In this respect this book reminded me of Ache by Eliza Henry-Jones, another excellent novel.
My thanks to Harlequin Australia and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review which it was my pleasure to provide.
March 29, 2020
The backdrop to this story is the small town of Myrtle that has been destroyed by bushfire and it's here where the author brings to light the many characters of the town. At times it becomes bogged down as there are far too many characters all of which are extended further by revealing comprehensive details of their lives.
The main male characters are domineering chauvinists which for this reader as an advocate of women's rights became increasingly intolerable. The mothers aren't much better, Bec's mother is a woman who lives through her daughters' good fortunes, not having achieved much herself and favours the other mindless prissy daughter over Bec who struggles with this and her violent narcissistic predator husband. The link between Hugo, the only worthy man in this read and Bec isn't revealed until the end which would have given an added warmth to this book and a happier ending for Bec.
Claire is a woman of self determination but on meeting Matt and upsetting the family by destroying their plans for Matt's future his mother and sister also become intolerable, his mother the domineering matriarch. While Claire appears to have moved on with life after the fires and is actively part of a new women's group to get the town moving again when Matt becomes obsessed about having children the potholes for Claire open up. Matt's personality does an about face, revealing similarities to the other male characters and in not getting his own way runs home to mother.
Sophie and Josh have moved away from the city in order to have their own home. The setting is idyllic however all is destroyed by the fires leaving Josh mentally struggling and out of work. When offered a job by Bec's husband Adam he believes his fortunes have changed only to realise too late that Adam is a manipulator and a crook.
The main male characters are domineering chauvinists which for this reader as an advocate of women's rights became increasingly intolerable. The mothers aren't much better, Bec's mother is a woman who lives through her daughters' good fortunes, not having achieved much herself and favours the other mindless prissy daughter over Bec who struggles with this and her violent narcissistic predator husband. The link between Hugo, the only worthy man in this read and Bec isn't revealed until the end which would have given an added warmth to this book and a happier ending for Bec.
Claire is a woman of self determination but on meeting Matt and upsetting the family by destroying their plans for Matt's future his mother and sister also become intolerable, his mother the domineering matriarch. While Claire appears to have moved on with life after the fires and is actively part of a new women's group to get the town moving again when Matt becomes obsessed about having children the potholes for Claire open up. Matt's personality does an about face, revealing similarities to the other male characters and in not getting his own way runs home to mother.
Sophie and Josh have moved away from the city in order to have their own home. The setting is idyllic however all is destroyed by the fires leaving Josh mentally struggling and out of work. When offered a job by Bec's husband Adam he believes his fortunes have changed only to realise too late that Adam is a manipulator and a crook.
March 14, 2019
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
4.5 stars
‘The police station’s on fire. The health centre’s a pile of rubble, blown apart by an exploding gas cylinder. Houses are ablaze. A charred kangaroo limps past. Dead birds lie on the road where they’ve fallen from the sky, killed by the radiant heat.’
Bushfires, they are an almost permanent fixture across our states and nation, especially in our warmer months. Bestselling author Fiona Lowe tackles this devastating fact of Australian life within the context of her latest novel, Home Fires. Lowe exposes the open wounds of three marriages impacted by the threat, the fire itself and the aftermath. With secrets abound, heartache, loss and recovery, Home Fires is a book not to be missed.
Home Fires asks the reader to consider the question, how do you repair the irreparable? I am really lost for words and I am unable to come up with an adequate answer to this big moral question. This is a just a small touch of what the audience can expect to uncover as they read the pages of Home Fires. Based in the small town of Myrtle in Victoria, Fiona Lowe examines a community ripped apart by a ferocious bushfire. In its wake, the bushfire that destroyed Myrtle left behind ash and skeletons of buildings only. The human cost is immense, with three relationships damaged by the impact of the fire. As the town works to rebuild some six, twelve and eighteen months after the fire, the new buildings make up only a small amount of the repair to the deep cut made in this tight knit community. With new ventures, especially in the tourism field on the horizon, this doesn’t prove to be enough in healing the long standing pain of those directly and indirectly impacted by the bushfire. Home Fires is a story of the strength of a community, battling families, relationships under stress and the plight of individuals in the face of such a tragedy.
There isn’t a day that goes by, particularly in our still hot weather conditions, where a fire, or a number of bushfires are mentioned. Bushfires are an unfortunate fact of life of living in Australia, from the suburbs to the country – no one is safe from the inferno. It seems apt that one of our most competent and popular Australian novelists should tackle this subject. Home Fires offers a very good introspective piece into Australia’s casualties of bushfire. Lowe shows how strong our Australian fighting spirit truly is, even when times are incredibly tough.
What I really loved about Home Fires was the fact that this book went that one step further in the examination of the subject of bushfire. The strong narrative helps this along. Lowe structures her latest novel around the time period prior, during and after a bushfire event. She also follows what happens to a particular community some months, and even a year or more further down the track. This is imperative, as we often look at the immediate impact on the communities devastated by fire. Rarely do we check up on and revisit where they are emotionally and how the event has impacted on their mental state in the long term. I really came to appreciate this aspect of Home Fires.
Bushfires are a community, relationship and individual issue. Fiona Lowe considers all the levels of the impact of fire. She looks at three different relationships and marriages as a case study of how bushfire can impact on relationships or marriages to varying degrees. The results were quite astounding, this allows Lowe to explore a number of themes from domestic abuse, PTSD, criminal activity, blackmail, guilt, loss, infertility, infidelity and much more.
The characters that fill the pages of Home Fires feel like that have been plucked from real life and added to the pages of this novel. There was a feeling of authenticity that follows each of the main cast members and the outer community members of this book. Fiona Lowe has obviously gone to great lengths to ensure that she coats her characters in a good dose of reality. She reminds us that no one is perfect, we all have our flaws, and we can make mistakes. What Lowe also does very well is her honest portrayal of guilt . She looks closely at the strong emotions experienced by those who must be left to hold things together after such a life altering event. Some people rise to the challenge, while others completely fail. We see the good, the bad and the ugly side of human nature. As a result, I came to love, but also loathe some of the characters, both male and female in this book.
If you have a weakness for Australian sagas, and sprawling novels set in rural locales, Home Fires will definitely be down your alley. For me, this is exactly the kind of book I would normally gravitate to. I loved the mix of contemporary issues, the strong community spirit, the mixture of good and bad characters, the intrigue, the secrets, the past to present timeline switches and of course, the quintessential Australian setting. I glided through Home Fires and the last one hundred pages were absolutely enthralling, do not blink, or you will miss all the action!
My parting note is devoted to recognition of the dedication of the research conducted by the author to bring this novel to life, which is evidenced in the ‘Acknowledgements’ section of the book. There is also a set of contacts at the end of the book for those who may have been affected by family violence, assault, or may require counselling as a result of being distressed by the themes addressed in this novel. Fiona Lowe is a considerate author who has clearly taken the time and energy to address issues that are at the core of our rural and city communities, with bushfire particularly in mind.
An exhilarating and carefully placed read from the first to the last page, Home Fires offers an excellent insight into a town torn apart by nature’s inferno. Put Home Fires to the top of your reading pile recommendations, you will not be disappointed. This is yet another powerful tale from a true Australian storyteller in my eyes, Fiona Lowe.
*Thanks extended to AM Publicity/Harper Collins Books Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Home Fires is book #31 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge
4.5 stars
‘The police station’s on fire. The health centre’s a pile of rubble, blown apart by an exploding gas cylinder. Houses are ablaze. A charred kangaroo limps past. Dead birds lie on the road where they’ve fallen from the sky, killed by the radiant heat.’
Bushfires, they are an almost permanent fixture across our states and nation, especially in our warmer months. Bestselling author Fiona Lowe tackles this devastating fact of Australian life within the context of her latest novel, Home Fires. Lowe exposes the open wounds of three marriages impacted by the threat, the fire itself and the aftermath. With secrets abound, heartache, loss and recovery, Home Fires is a book not to be missed.
Home Fires asks the reader to consider the question, how do you repair the irreparable? I am really lost for words and I am unable to come up with an adequate answer to this big moral question. This is a just a small touch of what the audience can expect to uncover as they read the pages of Home Fires. Based in the small town of Myrtle in Victoria, Fiona Lowe examines a community ripped apart by a ferocious bushfire. In its wake, the bushfire that destroyed Myrtle left behind ash and skeletons of buildings only. The human cost is immense, with three relationships damaged by the impact of the fire. As the town works to rebuild some six, twelve and eighteen months after the fire, the new buildings make up only a small amount of the repair to the deep cut made in this tight knit community. With new ventures, especially in the tourism field on the horizon, this doesn’t prove to be enough in healing the long standing pain of those directly and indirectly impacted by the bushfire. Home Fires is a story of the strength of a community, battling families, relationships under stress and the plight of individuals in the face of such a tragedy.
There isn’t a day that goes by, particularly in our still hot weather conditions, where a fire, or a number of bushfires are mentioned. Bushfires are an unfortunate fact of life of living in Australia, from the suburbs to the country – no one is safe from the inferno. It seems apt that one of our most competent and popular Australian novelists should tackle this subject. Home Fires offers a very good introspective piece into Australia’s casualties of bushfire. Lowe shows how strong our Australian fighting spirit truly is, even when times are incredibly tough.
What I really loved about Home Fires was the fact that this book went that one step further in the examination of the subject of bushfire. The strong narrative helps this along. Lowe structures her latest novel around the time period prior, during and after a bushfire event. She also follows what happens to a particular community some months, and even a year or more further down the track. This is imperative, as we often look at the immediate impact on the communities devastated by fire. Rarely do we check up on and revisit where they are emotionally and how the event has impacted on their mental state in the long term. I really came to appreciate this aspect of Home Fires.
Bushfires are a community, relationship and individual issue. Fiona Lowe considers all the levels of the impact of fire. She looks at three different relationships and marriages as a case study of how bushfire can impact on relationships or marriages to varying degrees. The results were quite astounding, this allows Lowe to explore a number of themes from domestic abuse, PTSD, criminal activity, blackmail, guilt, loss, infertility, infidelity and much more.
The characters that fill the pages of Home Fires feel like that have been plucked from real life and added to the pages of this novel. There was a feeling of authenticity that follows each of the main cast members and the outer community members of this book. Fiona Lowe has obviously gone to great lengths to ensure that she coats her characters in a good dose of reality. She reminds us that no one is perfect, we all have our flaws, and we can make mistakes. What Lowe also does very well is her honest portrayal of guilt . She looks closely at the strong emotions experienced by those who must be left to hold things together after such a life altering event. Some people rise to the challenge, while others completely fail. We see the good, the bad and the ugly side of human nature. As a result, I came to love, but also loathe some of the characters, both male and female in this book.
If you have a weakness for Australian sagas, and sprawling novels set in rural locales, Home Fires will definitely be down your alley. For me, this is exactly the kind of book I would normally gravitate to. I loved the mix of contemporary issues, the strong community spirit, the mixture of good and bad characters, the intrigue, the secrets, the past to present timeline switches and of course, the quintessential Australian setting. I glided through Home Fires and the last one hundred pages were absolutely enthralling, do not blink, or you will miss all the action!
My parting note is devoted to recognition of the dedication of the research conducted by the author to bring this novel to life, which is evidenced in the ‘Acknowledgements’ section of the book. There is also a set of contacts at the end of the book for those who may have been affected by family violence, assault, or may require counselling as a result of being distressed by the themes addressed in this novel. Fiona Lowe is a considerate author who has clearly taken the time and energy to address issues that are at the core of our rural and city communities, with bushfire particularly in mind.
An exhilarating and carefully placed read from the first to the last page, Home Fires offers an excellent insight into a town torn apart by nature’s inferno. Put Home Fires to the top of your reading pile recommendations, you will not be disappointed. This is yet another powerful tale from a true Australian storyteller in my eyes, Fiona Lowe.
*Thanks extended to AM Publicity/Harper Collins Books Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Home Fires is book #31 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge
July 24, 2019
Although I think this book was well-written and well-crafted, it's not the best book to read if you don't handle trauma well or suffer from depression. In fact, the book includes websites where you can get help both if you've suffered from anything in the book or if reading the book itself has raised issues for you.
Home Fires mainly covers three different couples as they and their families recover from a devastating bushfire that destroyed their town and their lives. It has placed significant strain on all three couples, and just about every marriage-related problem you can think of is covered, because in most cases, they had problems before the fires; sometimes severe ones.
For much of the book, it seems there's no joy in anything, although another couple comes in that seems okay ... at first. It was hard going because there seemed so much misery in everyone's lives and little joy. And while that's certainly a realistic scenario given what's happened, it made reading it painful and depressing at times.
Much of it is resolved by the end of the book. I won't say whether the resolutions are all positive or negative except to say that I think it's worth hanging in there to see what happens. The characters and the situations they find themselves in were definitely intriguing enough to make me invested in finding out how it all worked out.
Home Fires mainly covers three different couples as they and their families recover from a devastating bushfire that destroyed their town and their lives. It has placed significant strain on all three couples, and just about every marriage-related problem you can think of is covered, because in most cases, they had problems before the fires; sometimes severe ones.
For much of the book, it seems there's no joy in anything, although another couple comes in that seems okay ... at first. It was hard going because there seemed so much misery in everyone's lives and little joy. And while that's certainly a realistic scenario given what's happened, it made reading it painful and depressing at times.
Much of it is resolved by the end of the book. I won't say whether the resolutions are all positive or negative except to say that I think it's worth hanging in there to see what happens. The characters and the situations they find themselves in were definitely intriguing enough to make me invested in finding out how it all worked out.
March 17, 2019
This is the first novel by Fiona Lowe that I’ve read, although I have eyed off her previous two (Daughter of Mine and Birthright) on more than one occasion. I’m not a big reader of contemporary fiction though, and these novels are thick, really thick, so I never ended up committing to one. I did really like the sound of Home Fires though, the focus on a community recovering from a devastating bushfire appealing to my current interests for contemporary reading. It was a case of the right book arriving at the right time.
Home Fires is quite an expansive novel, sweeping back and forth to points in time before the bushfire and then to eighteen months after the bushfire. The focus is primarily on three particular women within the community, but we are also offered the voice of their respective partners and there are plenty of other characters contributing through interactions and conversations, so in terms of cast, this novel has a big one. But I think this was quite necessary in a story such as this, a community focused one. A bushfire has such an impact on so many people, to have narrowed the story down to only a couple of people in isolation would have had less impact. The characters certainly had a realism to them, to the extent that there were a few that really got me offside early on. Some of the men in this novel are not very pleasant, one in particular downright monstrous, and even taking into account the experience of trauma, I’m pretty much of the opinion that these men were already jerks beforehand and the trauma of the bushfire and the losses they encountered just seemed to afford them with an excuse to magnify their bad behaviour.
I really struggled with Claire, to be honest, even though she was a main character and the norm is to love those. For the majority of the book she irritated me, always being late (I find chronic lateness a symptom of disrespect to the people you are always late for), baiting Bec at every opportunity (just grow up already and act like an adult), and never just having a proper conversation with her partner Matt. On the topic of Matt, he really annoyed me as well. I mean, seriously, talk about going from A to Z in 60 seconds flat. He mentions he’d like to try for a baby and without even waiting to hear Claire’s response, he begins to tell people ‘they are trying for a baby’, and then becomes really intense and controlling in terms of monitoring Claire’s period and restricting her alcohol – ughh! The circumstances that these two got together under never really bodes well, I wasn’t exactly championing for their success, to be honest. Matt just struck me as a very childish man who was not only insensitive to Claire’s losses but also a bit thick, to be honest. I can’t believe he couldn’t just see what was right in front of him, on a number of fronts. It wasn’t until the last 150 pages or so that I actually began to tolerate Claire. I did like Bec and Sophie a lot more, Julie was great too, and I also quite liked Erica, the newbie to town. Bec’s story was pretty disturbing, I thought Fiona did a stellar job at plotting this out and building the abuse to breaking point. Very tragic. But essentially, my likes and dislikes aside, these people were really well fleshed out and the fact that I was annoyed at them so much just indicates how much like real life people they actually were!
Bushfire is a big part of Australian life and the value of this novel lies in its close examination on the effects, not only on the individual, but on the communities as a whole, after the bushfire. Not just in the weeks after, but in the months and years. We often think that as long as we are insured, we can rebuild. But Fiona explores how this is not always the case. Insurance companies can reclassify areas, deeming them high risk, specifying that rebuilds need to have all sorts of fire resistance materials and additions that cost far more than the payout. Banks can then refuse to further mortgage because of the high risk tag, so people can effectively be left homeless with only a block of land and a payout that won’t cover much more than a shed. Sophie’s situation was a real eye opener, and I felt for her, so much, the hopelessness of it all and the stress that would push you to breaking point. Combined with what Josh, Sophie’s husband, had experienced during the bushfire, it was a wonder this family was still limping along. Absolutely tragic. And then there’s the personal losses, not only of property and livestock, but of family, friends and acquaintances. As a study on the effects of bushfire on a community, this novel provides an explicit view. Towards the end of the novel, we revisit the fire itself, and Fiona switches the narrative to present tense for this, ramping the tension and putting the reader right smack bang into the inferno. It was quite frightening, witnessing what the characters had gone through, particularly Josh. Fiona has clearly done her anecdotal research extensively for this novel. It was very well rendered.
There were some other really good themes that cropped up too, around the loss of businesses and income; the effect on teenagers with nothing left to do but indulge in risky behaviour; the loss of tourism and its extensive impact on a town already in crisis; governments building community centres that will stand empty and unused because there’s still so many unemployed and partially homeless residents in town; and even the awkwardness of new people moving to town post bushfire, being excluded from consideration as a local on account of not having experienced the loss associated with the disaster, treading on thin ice no matter what you do or say. So many themes, both social and emotional, individual and community in scope; there was a lot going on, that’s for sure.
All in all, Home Fires is a good read but I did feel its length. In the middle section, it seemed to chase its own tail for a bit, going back and forth with a lot of repetition in the present day, before picking itself back up in the last 150 pages. It’s definitely worth pushing through. Recommended to fans of contemporary fiction who like their reads to have a social conscience and a community focus.
Thanks is extended to AM Publicity for providing me with a copy of Home Fires for review.
Home Fires is quite an expansive novel, sweeping back and forth to points in time before the bushfire and then to eighteen months after the bushfire. The focus is primarily on three particular women within the community, but we are also offered the voice of their respective partners and there are plenty of other characters contributing through interactions and conversations, so in terms of cast, this novel has a big one. But I think this was quite necessary in a story such as this, a community focused one. A bushfire has such an impact on so many people, to have narrowed the story down to only a couple of people in isolation would have had less impact. The characters certainly had a realism to them, to the extent that there were a few that really got me offside early on. Some of the men in this novel are not very pleasant, one in particular downright monstrous, and even taking into account the experience of trauma, I’m pretty much of the opinion that these men were already jerks beforehand and the trauma of the bushfire and the losses they encountered just seemed to afford them with an excuse to magnify their bad behaviour.
I really struggled with Claire, to be honest, even though she was a main character and the norm is to love those. For the majority of the book she irritated me, always being late (I find chronic lateness a symptom of disrespect to the people you are always late for), baiting Bec at every opportunity (just grow up already and act like an adult), and never just having a proper conversation with her partner Matt. On the topic of Matt, he really annoyed me as well. I mean, seriously, talk about going from A to Z in 60 seconds flat. He mentions he’d like to try for a baby and without even waiting to hear Claire’s response, he begins to tell people ‘they are trying for a baby’, and then becomes really intense and controlling in terms of monitoring Claire’s period and restricting her alcohol – ughh! The circumstances that these two got together under never really bodes well, I wasn’t exactly championing for their success, to be honest. Matt just struck me as a very childish man who was not only insensitive to Claire’s losses but also a bit thick, to be honest. I can’t believe he couldn’t just see what was right in front of him, on a number of fronts. It wasn’t until the last 150 pages or so that I actually began to tolerate Claire. I did like Bec and Sophie a lot more, Julie was great too, and I also quite liked Erica, the newbie to town. Bec’s story was pretty disturbing, I thought Fiona did a stellar job at plotting this out and building the abuse to breaking point. Very tragic. But essentially, my likes and dislikes aside, these people were really well fleshed out and the fact that I was annoyed at them so much just indicates how much like real life people they actually were!
Bushfire is a big part of Australian life and the value of this novel lies in its close examination on the effects, not only on the individual, but on the communities as a whole, after the bushfire. Not just in the weeks after, but in the months and years. We often think that as long as we are insured, we can rebuild. But Fiona explores how this is not always the case. Insurance companies can reclassify areas, deeming them high risk, specifying that rebuilds need to have all sorts of fire resistance materials and additions that cost far more than the payout. Banks can then refuse to further mortgage because of the high risk tag, so people can effectively be left homeless with only a block of land and a payout that won’t cover much more than a shed. Sophie’s situation was a real eye opener, and I felt for her, so much, the hopelessness of it all and the stress that would push you to breaking point. Combined with what Josh, Sophie’s husband, had experienced during the bushfire, it was a wonder this family was still limping along. Absolutely tragic. And then there’s the personal losses, not only of property and livestock, but of family, friends and acquaintances. As a study on the effects of bushfire on a community, this novel provides an explicit view. Towards the end of the novel, we revisit the fire itself, and Fiona switches the narrative to present tense for this, ramping the tension and putting the reader right smack bang into the inferno. It was quite frightening, witnessing what the characters had gone through, particularly Josh. Fiona has clearly done her anecdotal research extensively for this novel. It was very well rendered.
There were some other really good themes that cropped up too, around the loss of businesses and income; the effect on teenagers with nothing left to do but indulge in risky behaviour; the loss of tourism and its extensive impact on a town already in crisis; governments building community centres that will stand empty and unused because there’s still so many unemployed and partially homeless residents in town; and even the awkwardness of new people moving to town post bushfire, being excluded from consideration as a local on account of not having experienced the loss associated with the disaster, treading on thin ice no matter what you do or say. So many themes, both social and emotional, individual and community in scope; there was a lot going on, that’s for sure.
All in all, Home Fires is a good read but I did feel its length. In the middle section, it seemed to chase its own tail for a bit, going back and forth with a lot of repetition in the present day, before picking itself back up in the last 150 pages. It’s definitely worth pushing through. Recommended to fans of contemporary fiction who like their reads to have a social conscience and a community focus.
Thanks is extended to AM Publicity for providing me with a copy of Home Fires for review.
March 11, 2019
I'm usually a thriller girl through and through, but when I'm on holidays I often crave a lighter, feel-good read. Lucky for me, HQ Fiction came to the rescue with this bookmail just before our last trip, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it whilst lying on a tropical island beach!
Home Fires tells the story of three women from a small community in Victoria's Otway ranges in the aftermath of a devastating bush fire that cost many lives and properties. 18 months later, the townsfolk are still struggling, trying to rebuild their lives. Each of the women have been affected by the fire in ways that left them feeling trapped. Claire, who lost both her parents in the fire and is aware of her new in-laws' constant disapproval of her, which causes friction in her marriage. Bec, whose husband was injured and disfigured in the fire, robbing her of any chance she may have had to leave her unhappy marriage. And Sophie, who had to assume the role of breadwinner when their house burned down and her husband lost his job. When these women join a project to help rebuild their community, there may be a chance of healing for each of them as well.
Lowe presents us with a rich cast of relatable and true to life characters that drove this story for me. I loved her insightful portrayal of a community in the aftermath of a disaster, which I can relate to very well, having lived through a similar event when our kids were little. It's the closest I've ever felt to death and some of the emotions Lowe describes brought back some powerful memories. It is also a very current and seasonal topic in Australia, with the reality of fires in various regions of this vast country raging as we speak. Lowe has done her research and has allowed her characters to speak out for the many victims of these natural disasters, who will have to live with the scars of their experiences and the aftermath of loss and devastation. I know from personal experience that this can make or break a community, which is also reflected in the story, as the group of women actively try to get the small township of Myrtle back on its feet.
One thing I particularly enjoyed is that Lowe also describes the feelings of women who have moved to Myrtle after the fires, and who are now living with the giant elephant in the room, always feeling like outsiders and afraid to “say the wrong thing” that may trigger bad memories for those who have lived through the tragedy.
Women’s fiction is not a genre I generally gravitate towards, but Lowe’s great story telling and her true-to-life characters made this one an enjoyable experience for me, and one that would make for many great discussion points. Whilst I felt that it was overall a feel-good read that did not focus on the tragedy of the fires but on the healing journey of each character involved, there are many topical issues that gave food for thought: PTSD, domestic violence, gender stereotypes ( in various guises), and the way people react to a tragedy – amongst others. Lowe writes well, the story flows seamlessly and all characters are relatable and well-rounded, with personal backstories that add depth to this novel. Whilst I think that female readers will feel more drawn to the story than men, everyone wanting to get a realistic snapshot of community spirit and life in rural Australia may find that this book is exactly what they are looking for.
3.5 stars
Thank you to HQ Fiction for the free copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
*blog* *facebook* *instagram*
Home Fires tells the story of three women from a small community in Victoria's Otway ranges in the aftermath of a devastating bush fire that cost many lives and properties. 18 months later, the townsfolk are still struggling, trying to rebuild their lives. Each of the women have been affected by the fire in ways that left them feeling trapped. Claire, who lost both her parents in the fire and is aware of her new in-laws' constant disapproval of her, which causes friction in her marriage. Bec, whose husband was injured and disfigured in the fire, robbing her of any chance she may have had to leave her unhappy marriage. And Sophie, who had to assume the role of breadwinner when their house burned down and her husband lost his job. When these women join a project to help rebuild their community, there may be a chance of healing for each of them as well.
Lowe presents us with a rich cast of relatable and true to life characters that drove this story for me. I loved her insightful portrayal of a community in the aftermath of a disaster, which I can relate to very well, having lived through a similar event when our kids were little. It's the closest I've ever felt to death and some of the emotions Lowe describes brought back some powerful memories. It is also a very current and seasonal topic in Australia, with the reality of fires in various regions of this vast country raging as we speak. Lowe has done her research and has allowed her characters to speak out for the many victims of these natural disasters, who will have to live with the scars of their experiences and the aftermath of loss and devastation. I know from personal experience that this can make or break a community, which is also reflected in the story, as the group of women actively try to get the small township of Myrtle back on its feet.
One thing I particularly enjoyed is that Lowe also describes the feelings of women who have moved to Myrtle after the fires, and who are now living with the giant elephant in the room, always feeling like outsiders and afraid to “say the wrong thing” that may trigger bad memories for those who have lived through the tragedy.
Women’s fiction is not a genre I generally gravitate towards, but Lowe’s great story telling and her true-to-life characters made this one an enjoyable experience for me, and one that would make for many great discussion points. Whilst I felt that it was overall a feel-good read that did not focus on the tragedy of the fires but on the healing journey of each character involved, there are many topical issues that gave food for thought: PTSD, domestic violence, gender stereotypes ( in various guises), and the way people react to a tragedy – amongst others. Lowe writes well, the story flows seamlessly and all characters are relatable and well-rounded, with personal backstories that add depth to this novel. Whilst I think that female readers will feel more drawn to the story than men, everyone wanting to get a realistic snapshot of community spirit and life in rural Australia may find that this book is exactly what they are looking for.
3.5 stars
Thank you to HQ Fiction for the free copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
*blog* *facebook* *instagram*
March 3, 2019
This book really put me through the emotional wringer. I expected it to be an intense reading experience, and a little/lot too close to home since the devastating January fire that raged for 10 days after someone illegally shot a flare into the fynbos on New Year's eve. It eventually destroyed 14500 ha of beautiful nature and 41 homes in our little seaside town, and cost 2 lives. My family was lucky, although we did experience a very traumatic event. You'd think I'd be allergic to books about wildfire, yet reading (and writing) about it seems to be therapeutic.
Fiona Lowe did an amazing job with Home Fires. She is a wonderful writer and wove so much depth to the story. I feel like I know the town of Myrtle and its inhabitants, whose lives had been torn into BF (before the fire) and AF (after the fire). They lost so much more than their homes and possessions: loved ones, their sense of safety, the false belief that they (we as humans) are in control, and that bad things don't happen to good people. Like the soot that goes absolutely everywhere, clings to everything, and keeps returning for ages after the fire, loss and trauma permeated the characters' inner lives and their relationships. Nothing will ever be the same for them. And still, they rose from the ashes, slowly but surely rebuilding their lives along with their homes and town. Because that is the beauty and strength of the human spirit: we get up again and dust ourselves off and keep on living and loving - AS LONG AS we have the right support. Not all of us do; a tragedy and trauma can easily be more than we can handle. The author didn't shy away from hard topics like mental illness and domestic violence.
The characters in Home Fires need to reach out to others in order to find support, since few of them had a ready-made networks. They have to drop their masks and admit that they are struggling, even though they feel that they need to be superwomen (and -men), like we all do. In the end, they choose love, they find joy and meaning in the everyday. And that is a gift, like the stunning pyrogenic wildflowers that are pushing through the scorched earth around us, bravely affirming life. IF you're looking for a hard-hitting yet hopeful read, look no further.
Fiona Lowe did an amazing job with Home Fires. She is a wonderful writer and wove so much depth to the story. I feel like I know the town of Myrtle and its inhabitants, whose lives had been torn into BF (before the fire) and AF (after the fire). They lost so much more than their homes and possessions: loved ones, their sense of safety, the false belief that they (we as humans) are in control, and that bad things don't happen to good people. Like the soot that goes absolutely everywhere, clings to everything, and keeps returning for ages after the fire, loss and trauma permeated the characters' inner lives and their relationships. Nothing will ever be the same for them. And still, they rose from the ashes, slowly but surely rebuilding their lives along with their homes and town. Because that is the beauty and strength of the human spirit: we get up again and dust ourselves off and keep on living and loving - AS LONG AS we have the right support. Not all of us do; a tragedy and trauma can easily be more than we can handle. The author didn't shy away from hard topics like mental illness and domestic violence.
The characters in Home Fires need to reach out to others in order to find support, since few of them had a ready-made networks. They have to drop their masks and admit that they are struggling, even though they feel that they need to be superwomen (and -men), like we all do. In the end, they choose love, they find joy and meaning in the everyday. And that is a gift, like the stunning pyrogenic wildflowers that are pushing through the scorched earth around us, bravely affirming life. IF you're looking for a hard-hitting yet hopeful read, look no further.
February 20, 2019
I am still dabbing my eyes and swallowing the back taste of smoke as I finish Home Fires by Fiona Lowe. As I read into the book I just couldn't put it down, I was drawn into the lives of the people of Myrtle in Victoria, Australia.We all watch devastating events happening most nights as they play out on our TV screens. As I read this book I am hearing about a fire devastate a town in my own country. Home Fires explores the terrible destruction of fire that can spring up and engulf a community.This is a book not only about the horror of fire out of control, but the lives of people both before and after the fire. There is the shock of loss of life and home and animals. Add into that the people who survive and the huge stress that is placed on them. The world forgets them, but they are left to pick up the pieces.Home Fires presents us with a wonderful group of characters all who are dealing with fire related issues, and issues that were already present and greatly exacerbated by the fire. We see a motley group of people struggle and fall, challenge each other and support each other until... something new arises.So worth reading! A fabulous Australian setting,a disaster event and the courageous response to it, family upheaval, violence and marriage issues, PTSD, crime, and above all family and community supporting each other. This book has it all. The title of the book is totally apt and the cover gorgeous.
Read
July 25, 2021Dear Readers,
Around the world, wildfires are becoming more intense, burning longer and rural communites and those on the urban fringe are under threat. Think California and Oregon. I've experienced wildfire and I wanted to write a novel exploring the issues of a community facing a natural disaster and the flow on effects in the following years.
This book is about four couples, all at different stages of their lives and how they rebuild their town and their relationships after a fire. Each of them experienced the fire differently. Some lost loved ones. Some lost their house. Some lost their jobs.
Women are the emotional rock of family and community. At the start of the book, the only thing Julie, Claire, Bec and Sophie have in common is their town burned to the ground. By the end of the novel, they discover friendship and support is key to survival.
Home Fires was first published in Australia in 2019 during yet another challenging and awful fire season and another followed in 2020. Right now California is burning and my heart goes out to everyone dealing with this catastrophe. Home Fires has universal themes that cross the Pacific. It's got a 4.3 average on Goodreads and I do hope you enjoy reading it.
Best wishes,
Fiona
Around the world, wildfires are becoming more intense, burning longer and rural communites and those on the urban fringe are under threat. Think California and Oregon. I've experienced wildfire and I wanted to write a novel exploring the issues of a community facing a natural disaster and the flow on effects in the following years.
This book is about four couples, all at different stages of their lives and how they rebuild their town and their relationships after a fire. Each of them experienced the fire differently. Some lost loved ones. Some lost their house. Some lost their jobs.
Women are the emotional rock of family and community. At the start of the book, the only thing Julie, Claire, Bec and Sophie have in common is their town burned to the ground. By the end of the novel, they discover friendship and support is key to survival.
Home Fires was first published in Australia in 2019 during yet another challenging and awful fire season and another followed in 2020. Right now California is burning and my heart goes out to everyone dealing with this catastrophe. Home Fires has universal themes that cross the Pacific. It's got a 4.3 average on Goodreads and I do hope you enjoy reading it.
Best wishes,
Fiona
February 10, 2019
This is an extremely poignant story probable more so bee australian and seeing the devastation of bushfire in our sunburnt country just about every year We all read about the devastation of entire towns and we have all tried to do our part to help but this story really brings to you the devastation that is caused to the towns themselves.
The story is told in alternating chapters set before the fire and after the fire and is focused around three main characters Claire the local nurse practitioner whose wedding was supposed to be the day of the fire, Bec whos husband was the hero during the fire but now bares the scars from that horrific day and Sophie who was a resident of the town for only a few weeks before it burnt. Thy will join a group of women who will try to bring tourism and growth back to the town they love and in the process secrets will com to light that may destroy the town rather than rebuild it.
This is a deeply emotional story that will have you reaching for the tissues but is a story that no Aussie should miss It will give you an entire new perspective on what our sunburnt country can do to its inhabitants
The story is told in alternating chapters set before the fire and after the fire and is focused around three main characters Claire the local nurse practitioner whose wedding was supposed to be the day of the fire, Bec whos husband was the hero during the fire but now bares the scars from that horrific day and Sophie who was a resident of the town for only a few weeks before it burnt. Thy will join a group of women who will try to bring tourism and growth back to the town they love and in the process secrets will com to light that may destroy the town rather than rebuild it.
This is a deeply emotional story that will have you reaching for the tissues but is a story that no Aussie should miss It will give you an entire new perspective on what our sunburnt country can do to its inhabitants
June 20, 2019
Thanks to Tracey at Carpe Librum - https://www.carpelibrum.net for hosting a birthday giveaway on her blog earlier this year in which I won this book!
I was initially slightly daunted by the size (just under 500 pages, if you exclude the Birthright excerpt at the end, but it looked bigger!), but it was a really enjoyable read. Fiona Lowe has some great descriptive writing that evokes the Australian bush and rural towns so well.
The plot was a clever one, following several threads at once, but it was fairly easy to keep track of what was happening to who. I really enjoyed that a craft group formed in Myrtle with 6 of the women getting together to knit, or learn to knit, or crochet. I loved that Layla was teaching Claire to crochet because it's easier than knitting (I can't knit to save my life, but I'm a keen crocheter), and I love that Claire embraced it so much she started bringing her crocheting to the CWA on the non-craft nights! I've been known to take my crocheting to places when I don't have anything else to do with my hands!
Fiona Lowe writes some romance books which don't look like my type of books, but she's got one more in the same contemporary fiction genre as Home Fires, Daughter of Mine, which I will be interested to read. I will also be keen to read any other contemporary fiction books she turns out.
I was initially slightly daunted by the size (just under 500 pages, if you exclude the Birthright excerpt at the end, but it looked bigger!), but it was a really enjoyable read. Fiona Lowe has some great descriptive writing that evokes the Australian bush and rural towns so well.
The plot was a clever one, following several threads at once, but it was fairly easy to keep track of what was happening to who. I really enjoyed that a craft group formed in Myrtle with 6 of the women getting together to knit, or learn to knit, or crochet. I loved that Layla was teaching Claire to crochet because it's easier than knitting (I can't knit to save my life, but I'm a keen crocheter), and I love that Claire embraced it so much she started bringing her crocheting to the CWA on the non-craft nights! I've been known to take my crocheting to places when I don't have anything else to do with my hands!
Fiona Lowe writes some romance books which don't look like my type of books, but she's got one more in the same contemporary fiction genre as Home Fires, Daughter of Mine, which I will be interested to read. I will also be keen to read any other contemporary fiction books she turns out.
July 31, 2019
Such a great read. I wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it was - it will stick with me for a while! Highly recommend!
March 6, 2019
Fiona Lowe's latest novel explores the aftermath of a devastating bushfire that destroys the town of Myrtle in Victoria's Otway Ranges - perhaps modelled on the small inland town of Beech Forest, as both are named after local trees. Rather than being a story about the fire itself, Home Fires begins eighteen months later and the title soon becomes a dark pun. As the author explains,
At the heart of the novel are three very different, strong but flawed women: Claire, a community nurse; Bec, the trophy wife of a local, wealthy builder; and Sophie, a mother-of-two struggling to get her dream home rebuilt after it was destroyed in the fire. They are brought together by Julie, an older woman who does much to keep the fabric of the town together. She begins a knitting group with these three and two others, Erica and Layla, and soon their get-togethers turn into a planning committee for an event calculated to help revive Myrtle's economy and get tourists to return to a town that still doesn't have a pub.
Each of these women has been deeply affected by the fire, but in very different ways. For Claire, the day of the fire was her wedding day to local farmer Matt Cartwright; instead, the volunteer firefighter headed off into danger and Claire joined the rest of the town in evacuating to the fire station, where she treated injuries and smoke inhalation in her wedding dress. Now, they're still not married but it's the question of children that has Claire in knots because she no longer wants them, and she knows Matt won't take this well. For Bec, the day of the fire trapped her forever in a marriage with a controlling, domineering man. She had been planning on leaving her husband, Adam, with their two young daughters, Ivy and Gracie, but the fire changed everything, not least because Adam was severely burned saving the life of two other men. Horribly scarred and even more controlling than before, Bec knows she can't leave the local hero now and feels her unhappy world constrict around her tighter than ever. Sophie and her husband Josh moved from Melbourne, where they couldn't afford a home, to Myrtle, bought a block of land and finished building their house in what was meant to be the start of ideal lifestyle, with Josh working at the local plantation company and Sophie working as a stay-at-home mother of two young kids. They'd barely lived in their house before the fire completely destroyed it; now they live in a tin shed on the block, Sophie is working full-time in another town while Josh looks after the kids. They argue bitterly over the small things, Josh has lost all interest in sex and their financial situation is so dire they can't see a way out.
With a summer release date, Home Fires is either very timely or somewhat uncomfortable, I can't decide which. As I write this review, bushfires in Tasmania, south and east of Hobart, have flared up again after a day of 38 degrees, while homes in Victoria and Western Australia are being destroyed in fires that have yet to be put out. The sky is often yellow with smoke and tastes bad on the tongue. While I haven't, thankfully, been personally affected by any bushfire, past or present, we had a month of media coverage in Tassie alone when there were over 50 bushfires, caused mostly by dry lightning, and there was the uneasy feeling of apocalyptic doom. Our towns were spared but we've lost several hundred thousand hectares of bushland, a lot of it not dependent on fire to regenerate - including fragile alpine areas. The other reason why I felt a bit stressed reading this novel is that I was eight months pregnant, and I always feel things more intensely when I'm pregnant.
For this is an intense novel - an excellent, thoughtful, compassionate but very intense novel. In the process of examining the effect of an extreme bushfire on select members of a small community, Lowe - who has also worked as a midwife, sexual health counsellor and family support worker - deftly touches on issues around domestic violence and hyper-masculinity. On Goodreads I tagged this as 'gritty realism', a tag I use for novels that don't pull any punches. The stories of Bec and Sophie, in particular, made me want to weep. Sophie's husband Josh was so clearly depressed but no one can see it, least of all him, who must soldier on with stoicism like a good Aussie bloke and, also like an old-fashioned Australian male, should never have to do 'feminine' jobs like housework or child-rearing. Yes, we do still have this demographic.
Bec's husband Adam is similar in this regard, but with his driving ambition, money and desires, and his increasing need to control Bec, Adam presents a more terrifying prospect for an under-educated woman like Bec, whose only real job is to always please him. She has no independence, no agency, but must always maintain the facade of the happy, refined wife of a successful businessman. (It's doubly sad that I can think of women who've been in relationships similar to this.) With its dark thread of misogyny, Bec's situation made me want to vomit, and had me tied up in knots. Sophie's marriage was also old-fashioned but in a different way: her desire to be a full-time mother and her expectation that Josh support them financially (which he also held) was not something I could really relate to. They trapped themselves through unrealistic expectations and an inability to discuss things, which just made me depressed.
At first, it was only Claire's lighter voice and the seemingly happy relationship she had with Matt that balanced out Bec and Sophie's darker stories, but it quickly became apparent that Claire's lovely life was also a facade. For a while I worried that there was nothing to balance out the stark bleakness of the behind-the-scenes reality for these women, but it was worth persevering with. The banter between the women at the meeting, the snarkiness between Claire and Bec, and the desire to see good things happen for these people helped act as a counter-point to the tension in other scenes.
Again, I should emphasise that my emotional reaction to this story is quite probably due mostly to pregnancy hormones; other readers may not find it quite as intense as I did. I should also point out that 'intense' and all the other words I've used aren't bad things - I like books that are intense, and that make me feel, with characters who seem alive. Lowe achieved all this and more. Perhaps the one character I struggled with was Matt, whose reaction seemed so illogical, even needlessly cruel, at the time that I felt disbelief. The session with the counsellor helped, and it's true that all three women are in relationships affected by poor communication and understanding (there are other, much healthier examples of relationships around them, such as Julie and Phil, and Erica and Nathan).
There are startling revelations, elements of sinister plotting, a wonderful sense of place (setting) and a much-needed critique of post-fire rebuilding, with politicians turning up to open a new building that the town may not necessarily even need. It's true that, after a disaster like a bushfire has been 'concluded', the communities are often forgotten, especially small, isolated places. Lowe touches on several, smaller issues in the process of tackling the bigger ones, and ultimately shows how important it is to reach out to each other, open up and talk (hence the name of the Tasmanian charity, Speak Up! Stay Chatty that works to prevent suicide) and help each other, rather than suffer in silence which Australians, by-and-large, inherited from our colonial British roots. This story of searching for hope in the ashes of tragedy isn't one I'm likely to forget anytime soon, and despite the at-times heavy content it was a pleasure to read, with gratifying outcomes.
My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book.
"For many Australians, bushfires are a part of life, but we often only hear about the immediate aftermath of the fire. I wanted to explore the community 18 months after the fire, when the national spotlight has vanished, the buildings have been restored, and the bureaucrats are saying 'you're good to go now'... Only, they're not good to go. Scars run deep. It takes years and years for a community to recover from a devastating fire and that's a message I wanted to share."
At the heart of the novel are three very different, strong but flawed women: Claire, a community nurse; Bec, the trophy wife of a local, wealthy builder; and Sophie, a mother-of-two struggling to get her dream home rebuilt after it was destroyed in the fire. They are brought together by Julie, an older woman who does much to keep the fabric of the town together. She begins a knitting group with these three and two others, Erica and Layla, and soon their get-togethers turn into a planning committee for an event calculated to help revive Myrtle's economy and get tourists to return to a town that still doesn't have a pub.
Each of these women has been deeply affected by the fire, but in very different ways. For Claire, the day of the fire was her wedding day to local farmer Matt Cartwright; instead, the volunteer firefighter headed off into danger and Claire joined the rest of the town in evacuating to the fire station, where she treated injuries and smoke inhalation in her wedding dress. Now, they're still not married but it's the question of children that has Claire in knots because she no longer wants them, and she knows Matt won't take this well. For Bec, the day of the fire trapped her forever in a marriage with a controlling, domineering man. She had been planning on leaving her husband, Adam, with their two young daughters, Ivy and Gracie, but the fire changed everything, not least because Adam was severely burned saving the life of two other men. Horribly scarred and even more controlling than before, Bec knows she can't leave the local hero now and feels her unhappy world constrict around her tighter than ever. Sophie and her husband Josh moved from Melbourne, where they couldn't afford a home, to Myrtle, bought a block of land and finished building their house in what was meant to be the start of ideal lifestyle, with Josh working at the local plantation company and Sophie working as a stay-at-home mother of two young kids. They'd barely lived in their house before the fire completely destroyed it; now they live in a tin shed on the block, Sophie is working full-time in another town while Josh looks after the kids. They argue bitterly over the small things, Josh has lost all interest in sex and their financial situation is so dire they can't see a way out.
With a summer release date, Home Fires is either very timely or somewhat uncomfortable, I can't decide which. As I write this review, bushfires in Tasmania, south and east of Hobart, have flared up again after a day of 38 degrees, while homes in Victoria and Western Australia are being destroyed in fires that have yet to be put out. The sky is often yellow with smoke and tastes bad on the tongue. While I haven't, thankfully, been personally affected by any bushfire, past or present, we had a month of media coverage in Tassie alone when there were over 50 bushfires, caused mostly by dry lightning, and there was the uneasy feeling of apocalyptic doom. Our towns were spared but we've lost several hundred thousand hectares of bushland, a lot of it not dependent on fire to regenerate - including fragile alpine areas. The other reason why I felt a bit stressed reading this novel is that I was eight months pregnant, and I always feel things more intensely when I'm pregnant.
For this is an intense novel - an excellent, thoughtful, compassionate but very intense novel. In the process of examining the effect of an extreme bushfire on select members of a small community, Lowe - who has also worked as a midwife, sexual health counsellor and family support worker - deftly touches on issues around domestic violence and hyper-masculinity. On Goodreads I tagged this as 'gritty realism', a tag I use for novels that don't pull any punches. The stories of Bec and Sophie, in particular, made me want to weep. Sophie's husband Josh was so clearly depressed but no one can see it, least of all him, who must soldier on with stoicism like a good Aussie bloke and, also like an old-fashioned Australian male, should never have to do 'feminine' jobs like housework or child-rearing. Yes, we do still have this demographic.
Bec's husband Adam is similar in this regard, but with his driving ambition, money and desires, and his increasing need to control Bec, Adam presents a more terrifying prospect for an under-educated woman like Bec, whose only real job is to always please him. She has no independence, no agency, but must always maintain the facade of the happy, refined wife of a successful businessman. (It's doubly sad that I can think of women who've been in relationships similar to this.) With its dark thread of misogyny, Bec's situation made me want to vomit, and had me tied up in knots. Sophie's marriage was also old-fashioned but in a different way: her desire to be a full-time mother and her expectation that Josh support them financially (which he also held) was not something I could really relate to. They trapped themselves through unrealistic expectations and an inability to discuss things, which just made me depressed.
At first, it was only Claire's lighter voice and the seemingly happy relationship she had with Matt that balanced out Bec and Sophie's darker stories, but it quickly became apparent that Claire's lovely life was also a facade. For a while I worried that there was nothing to balance out the stark bleakness of the behind-the-scenes reality for these women, but it was worth persevering with. The banter between the women at the meeting, the snarkiness between Claire and Bec, and the desire to see good things happen for these people helped act as a counter-point to the tension in other scenes.
Again, I should emphasise that my emotional reaction to this story is quite probably due mostly to pregnancy hormones; other readers may not find it quite as intense as I did. I should also point out that 'intense' and all the other words I've used aren't bad things - I like books that are intense, and that make me feel, with characters who seem alive. Lowe achieved all this and more. Perhaps the one character I struggled with was Matt, whose reaction seemed so illogical, even needlessly cruel, at the time that I felt disbelief. The session with the counsellor helped, and it's true that all three women are in relationships affected by poor communication and understanding (there are other, much healthier examples of relationships around them, such as Julie and Phil, and Erica and Nathan).
There are startling revelations, elements of sinister plotting, a wonderful sense of place (setting) and a much-needed critique of post-fire rebuilding, with politicians turning up to open a new building that the town may not necessarily even need. It's true that, after a disaster like a bushfire has been 'concluded', the communities are often forgotten, especially small, isolated places. Lowe touches on several, smaller issues in the process of tackling the bigger ones, and ultimately shows how important it is to reach out to each other, open up and talk (hence the name of the Tasmanian charity, Speak Up! Stay Chatty that works to prevent suicide) and help each other, rather than suffer in silence which Australians, by-and-large, inherited from our colonial British roots. This story of searching for hope in the ashes of tragedy isn't one I'm likely to forget anytime soon, and despite the at-times heavy content it was a pleasure to read, with gratifying outcomes.
My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book.
February 18, 2019
At a time when most of my State seemed to have been on fire for the past month or so, I thought that this book would be quite a relevant read. I was lucky enough not to be in the path of any of the fires, but my heart went out to those who were directly affected.
This story is about Myrtle, a small country town in Victoria which has been affected by bushfires. It is really a story about rural communities and how they cope with the after-effects of a fire, both physically but especially psychologically. The stories of these community members were woven together very skilfully, the author was clearly an adept storyteller.
Part of me wanted to move to Myrtle, to be part of the Nightlights, to have that community support and friendship from other women. The other part of me wondered if I would cope if my home had burnt down, with everything I own and treasure, in it.
I loved the stories of all the different characters, I got very emotionally involved indeed. The description of the fire event made my heart beat much faster - such a confronting and terrifying thing to go through! I have heard that fires make a loud noise, the author does a good job of painting the picture for those of us lucky enough not to have gone through it ourselves.
As a fellow Aussie, I thank God for the CFA and all the volunteers who fight fires, make meals, look after stock and pets and give of themselves in a crisis situation such as a bushfire. You are all heroes in my eyes :)
5 stars from me, for this book. It really touched my heart.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia.
This story is about Myrtle, a small country town in Victoria which has been affected by bushfires. It is really a story about rural communities and how they cope with the after-effects of a fire, both physically but especially psychologically. The stories of these community members were woven together very skilfully, the author was clearly an adept storyteller.
Part of me wanted to move to Myrtle, to be part of the Nightlights, to have that community support and friendship from other women. The other part of me wondered if I would cope if my home had burnt down, with everything I own and treasure, in it.
I loved the stories of all the different characters, I got very emotionally involved indeed. The description of the fire event made my heart beat much faster - such a confronting and terrifying thing to go through! I have heard that fires make a loud noise, the author does a good job of painting the picture for those of us lucky enough not to have gone through it ourselves.
As a fellow Aussie, I thank God for the CFA and all the volunteers who fight fires, make meals, look after stock and pets and give of themselves in a crisis situation such as a bushfire. You are all heroes in my eyes :)
5 stars from me, for this book. It really touched my heart.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia.
January 5, 2020
Excellent read. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Very hard to put down. A wonderful storyline of people pulling together in times of crisis, putting others needs/wants before their own. Very fitting at this time with fires raging in Country Victoria as well as NSW. Highly recommend. Well done Fiona Lowe.
December 29, 2019
One of my most favourite reads this year.
January 13, 2019
I received an advanced reading copy of this book.
I read this book in one sitting and suffered the consequences of lack of sleep. I literally struggled to put it down it was so good.
Set down my way on the coast, 18 months after a fire has been through the town and destroyed lives, families and homes, 3 women start to put together what happened as they work to re-build their homes and their families.
Secrets abound in this small town, before, during and after the fire. At it's essence this book is about women taking back their lives and learning to live and love again after the worst day they could have imagined.
This is a book for everyone.
I read this book in one sitting and suffered the consequences of lack of sleep. I literally struggled to put it down it was so good.
Set down my way on the coast, 18 months after a fire has been through the town and destroyed lives, families and homes, 3 women start to put together what happened as they work to re-build their homes and their families.
Secrets abound in this small town, before, during and after the fire. At it's essence this book is about women taking back their lives and learning to live and love again after the worst day they could have imagined.
This is a book for everyone.
February 27, 2019
An absolute gem of a book from Fiona Lowe. I am still too consumed by the story to be able to give a proper review. The pain, heartache and devastation of a bushfire...the treasure of friendship...the hope of small town life and love. All I can say is that I haven't able to put this book down since I started...every spare minute of my time has gone into the story. I thoroughly recommend this book but be prepared to not want to leave it! Thank you Fiona Lowe, another favourite for me!
April 20, 2022
Real life
The characters were like friends, loyal and loving. I enjoyed reading about women being strong for each other during life altering situations.
The characters were like friends, loyal and loving. I enjoyed reading about women being strong for each other during life altering situations.
February 15, 2019
From the bestselling Australian author of Daughter of Mine and Birthright. When a lethal bushfire tore through Myrtle, nestled in Victoria's breathtaking Otway Ranges, the town's buildings - and the lives of its residents - were left as smoldering ash. For three women in particular, the fire fractured their lives and their relationships.
Eighteen months later, with the flurry of national attention long past, Myrtle stands restored, shiny and new. But is the outside polish just a veneer? Community stalwart Julie thinks tourism could bring back some financial stability to their little corner of the world and soon prods Claire, Bec, and Sophie into joining her group. But the scar tissue of trauma runs deep, and as each woman exposes her secrets and faces the damage that day wrought, a shocking truth will emerge that will shake the town to its newly rebuilt foundations...
With her sharp eye for human foibles, bestselling author Fiona Lowe writes an evocative tale of everyday people fighting for themselves, their families and their town - as only this distinctively Australian storyteller can
'Home Fires' snapshots a residence in the small town of Myrtle, in the country Victoria, two years after a devastating bushfire erupts and threatens to erase the town off the map.
With the use of alternating chapters, as the reader, I was able to visualize the town of Myrtle before the fire, and really feel the huge loss and trauma that the residence experienced after the event. You get a very real sense of the never-ending fear of being trapped in the grips of an ongoing crisis, and the devastating effect it has on the community.
The story portrays a wonderful cast of characters, and the descriptive writing really makes you as the reader feel as if you already know Sophie, Claire, Rebecca, and the other Myrtle residence. I loved this a lot as it really helped with the immersive attachment I had on the book.
I read 'Daughter of Mine' last year and was extremely satisfied. Once again, Fiona Lowe has written a deeply moving story that will give any mature reader goosebumps and unexpected emotional swings that will leave you reaching for the tissues. Lowe and her moving story 'Home Fires' reminds us to celebrate our lives, triumphs, and offer support to our friends, family and the community in times of need.
With thanks to Harlequin Australia publishing and Netgally for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Eighteen months later, with the flurry of national attention long past, Myrtle stands restored, shiny and new. But is the outside polish just a veneer? Community stalwart Julie thinks tourism could bring back some financial stability to their little corner of the world and soon prods Claire, Bec, and Sophie into joining her group. But the scar tissue of trauma runs deep, and as each woman exposes her secrets and faces the damage that day wrought, a shocking truth will emerge that will shake the town to its newly rebuilt foundations...
With her sharp eye for human foibles, bestselling author Fiona Lowe writes an evocative tale of everyday people fighting for themselves, their families and their town - as only this distinctively Australian storyteller can
'Home Fires' snapshots a residence in the small town of Myrtle, in the country Victoria, two years after a devastating bushfire erupts and threatens to erase the town off the map.
With the use of alternating chapters, as the reader, I was able to visualize the town of Myrtle before the fire, and really feel the huge loss and trauma that the residence experienced after the event. You get a very real sense of the never-ending fear of being trapped in the grips of an ongoing crisis, and the devastating effect it has on the community.
The story portrays a wonderful cast of characters, and the descriptive writing really makes you as the reader feel as if you already know Sophie, Claire, Rebecca, and the other Myrtle residence. I loved this a lot as it really helped with the immersive attachment I had on the book.
I read 'Daughter of Mine' last year and was extremely satisfied. Once again, Fiona Lowe has written a deeply moving story that will give any mature reader goosebumps and unexpected emotional swings that will leave you reaching for the tissues. Lowe and her moving story 'Home Fires' reminds us to celebrate our lives, triumphs, and offer support to our friends, family and the community in times of need.
With thanks to Harlequin Australia publishing and Netgally for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews