Black Bones, Red Earth

by Lee Richie

Black Bones, Red Earth, is the harrowing, yet ultimately uplifting tale of a child’s search for happiness and a woman’s test of faith.

1951: Katherine’s journey begins in the unforgiving landscape of the Australian outback. Having been abandoned by her father after her mother is killed in a London air raid, Katherine finds little sympathy when she is consigned to an austere life in the care of Lachlan and Daisy Stuart on an isolated property beyond Broken Hill. There is little tenderness in the ten-year-old’s life until Aboriginal station hands offer their friendship, but love comes at a deadly price.

Current Now living an idyllic life in the north of England, for almost sixty years Katherine has hidden her past. But when an old letter is discovered, she is forced to relive her traumatic years under the Australian sun and explain who died and why she had to run. However, there’s a twist in the tale that will bring her once again to her knees. Will returning to Australia help her truly find peace?

A story of hope, love, sacrifice and resilience.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

462 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 24, 2020

Reviews

[Marilyn (not getting notifications) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Bones, Red Earth by Lee Richie was a gripping historical fiction novel that was inspired by actual events that had come to pass. Before listening to this compelling audiobook, I knew little to nothing about the fate of certain British orphans who were placed on ships headed for far off Australia at the end of World War II. I can’t imagine the dread, confusion and uncertainty these frightened young children felt as they were shipped off so far from anything they had previously known. Black Bones, Red Earth told the story of one such eight year old orphan girl named Katherine. She and her older brother, Archie traveled together to Australia only to be separated upon arrival. Katherine and Archie had vowed to stay together. They were all each other had but that was not to be. Katherine herself was delivered to a homestead called Cutaway Creek in the remote Australian outback. The couple, Lachlan and Daisy Stuart, were expecting Katherine’s brother Archie but the local priest delivered Katherine to them instead. Not accepting Katherine would have brought disgrace to the Stuarts from the community so they took Katherine in reluctantly. Katherine was shown no warmth, love or compassion by the couple that took her in. She became a sad and lonely child who was deprived of any kind of love. She was made to live in the chicken coop on the sheep station. Her life was full of extreme hardships and abuse. Katherine grew up to become a very naive teenager since she was offered no formal education or guidance from the Stuarts. Her choices and decisions were not always the best. Black Bones, Red Earth told Katherine’s story from the time she arrived on the homestead as an eight year old girl, through her teenage years, to a time when the decisions she made and actions she took greatly influenced the rest of her life. Those decisions and actions left their mark on her and those she cared about deeply and had come to love.

Katherine’s life at Cutaway Creek could have been so much worse if not for the friendships she made with the Aboriginal people who helped run the sheep farm owned by the Stuarts. The lives of the Aboriginal people Katherine befriended on the homestead were met with suffering and discrimination as well. As a result of the way the Australian government saw and treated the Aboriginal people, they were often forced to give up their own children to the government. The Aboriginal parents were promised that their children would receive a better education and life than they could provide to their children but nothing could make up for the heartbreak they felt having a child taken away from them. Katherine found the love she so craved and the friendships she sought in these hired Aborigines. Without the help, understanding and love from Lou, Ellin and Toby, Katherine’s life could have turned out so differently.

Black Bones, Red Earth by Lee Richie was a thought provoking novel. I enjoyed Lee Richie’s descriptive writing and impeccable research he put into writing this novel. The audiobook was well narrated by Sandy Gore. Black Bones, Red Earth explored many themes throughout the novel. Among them were the treatment of young British orphans post World War II, racism, the oppression and treatment of indigenous or Aboriginal people, rape, child labor and the lack of protection and follow through for the orphans left in the care of undeserving families. Black Bones, Red Earth was written in two parts. The first part dealt with Katherine’s life, ordeals and consequences she faced in the remote Australian outback. The second part was about Katherine’s present day life. I enjoyed the ending and found it to be quite satisfying. Black Bones, Red Earth explored the history of Australia and its treatment of the Aboriginal people. There were many lessons throughout as it explored the hardships, loss, learning, cruelty and love Katherine came upon throughout her life. It was a story of new beginnings, forgiveness and trying hard not to forget. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Black Bones, Red Earth and recommend it very highly.

Thank you to Right Track Publishing for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of Black Bones, Red Earth by Lee Richie through Netgalley in exchange for a honest and unbiased review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This book was published on December 21, 2022.

[Star Gater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published: 02/24/20
Narrator: Sandy Gore

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial Audio for accepting my request to read and review Black Bones, Red Earth.

Wow. A week later and I still feel connected to the characters. I had the audiobook that was narrated beautifully by Sandy Gore. The story is told by the main character through her generous life span. While life is ups and downs for some, this was not the case for Katherine, the main character. She had so many lows, at one point I didn't think I would finish. The writing drew me in. I became a witness -- I wanted to scream, I wanted to help her, I wanted someone to help her. As the story went on so did the realization there are children abused and sold all over this world. While the backdrop is Australia 1950s, the pain is real today anywhere.

Richie writes a realistic story. I felt the pain, the fear and the moments of happiness. The genre is historical fiction and based on real events, the book itself is timeless. The ending was truly satisfying.

Published in 2020, this has been on my shelf for just a few months, I'm surprised this hasn't garnered attention.

[Réal Laplaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Bones, Red Earth, by Lee Richie, is a story inspired by true events, and while the author has taken fictional license, the story reads as if every word of it actually happened. This is a very deep and haunting tale, one that takes the reader sixty years back in the life of a young orphan named Katherine, who finds herself being traded off from her birth home in England, to a couple who live in the remote Outback of Australia. Set in post WWII rural Australia, the author does an excellent job of depicting the lifestyle in this barren and merciless landscape. The story begins with Katherine arriving in Australia and her introduction to her new and bizarre life, and goes on through her early teens until her road takes a dramatic and unforeseen turn. What happens next is a twisted and completely believable scenario that will have you flipping to the next chapter. This is a beautifully written story, with an ocean of metaphors and allegories that paint a three-dimensional canvas for the reader. One can actually sense what life was like in the Outback, its visceral charm and brutish side, the smell of the air, the feel of its sweltering heat and more. In as much as the story is well-written and keeps a grip on the reader, so does the impressionistic style of writing. As a final note, this novel, like so many others written about the injustices against the American blacks and the indigenous peoples of America, this story spotlights the similar outrageous abuses committed by the "whites" against the Aboriginal people of Australia. Overall, a very good read and worthy of a five star rating.

[Bonnye Reed]

Netgalley
pub date Feb 24, 2020
received Feb 27, 2020
BooksGoSocial

[Roberta Cheadle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Bones, Red Earth is a well written book that delves deeply into the unjust and hypocritical colonial practices of both Britain and Australia. The author has tackled the difficult topics of racism, sexism, and mistreatment of orphans, with sensitivity and woven a gripping story and romance around it. Some sections of this book reminded me of A Passage to India by E.M. Forster and To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee, both of which tackled similar racial issues. Black Bones, Red Earth has the added layer of the disgraceful treatment by Britain of its WWII orphans which is all the more shocking because these children were orphaned as a result of a war and circumstances beyond the control of ordinary citizens.

Katherine, aged 8, and her older brother, Archie, are shipped to Australia by the British authorities and allocated to guardians who look upon them as slave labour. Katherine is delivered by a priest into the clutches of Lachlan and Daisy Staurt, two hard and uncaring people who don't want a girl. They wanted Archie, but he is allocated elsewhere, and only Katherine is delivered to the Stuarts. Lachlan takes her in because he doesn't want to be disgraced in the community and Daisy has to abide by his decisions. Katherine's early life is one of hardship and abuse and it was a natural development that she would look for love in her community.

Katherine is a sad and confused child who grows into a naïve and love-starved teenager. She makes poor choices that set the tone for her future, but it is difficult for a reader to hold her accountable for her actions, given her distressing circumstances. After reaching rock bottom, Katherine's life takes an unexpected upturn and she develops into a graceful woman who is a good wife and mother. This section of the book is necessary to relieve the reader of the sadness and tension of the earlier sections.

This is not a happy story but it has a satisfying ending and its fast pace and revealing content will keep you turning the pages.

[Edi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting storyline as I had no idea that the British government has shifted orphans from WWII to Australia or how the Aboriginal people were shunned. Vivid descriptions of life in the outback in the 1950's. The characters are believable and will come to life on the pages. I got a little bogged down in the court proceedings but they offer some humor at human ignorance in a dark time. It taked up a lot of the book and it a while to get back to the present time to move the story on. The cover gives an adequate description of the story so I will not dwell on other content. Overall a good read. .
I received this book as a complimentary copy for an unbiased review.The opinions expressed are my own. Thanks to the author,publisher,and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Edward Rickford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Orphans don’t have it easy. And they definitely don’t have it easy when they have to deal with being shipped to the other side of the world because of misguided, paternalistic policies. Unfortunately, but unsurprisingly, for Katherine, the protagonist of Black Bones, Red Earth, life doesn’t get much better after being forcibly relocated to a country she has no connection to.
Nonetheless, she persists in the face of strife and turmoil, and her evolution as a character makes for a read both compelling and memorable.
Considering Katherine’s circumstances, it would be difficult to not extend her sympathy. Tragic as her circumstances are, and they only worsen with time, author Lee Richie does a good job of striking a balance. Yes, Katherine’s life is bleak but it is never overwhelmingly so. At first, the bleakness is kept at bay by small acts of mercy or unexpected moments of joy. As the story progresses, however, it’s the prospect of love that brings true hope into her life.
In the interest of not giving away any important story moments, I won’t delve into the details but I think readers should know the story is not a typical love story. It is a story marked by tragedy and injustice, not to mention grief and regret. But despite all that, I think the ending comes together in a way most readers will find profound as well as satisfying. The storyline regarding Kooper is particularly satisfying and one of the moments from the book that will stick with me the longest. Red Bones, Black Earth isn’t exactly light reading, but it’s a good read all the same. The pacing and the descriptions are all top-notch, (a quote from the first few pages that I particularly enjoyed: I sensed unknown creatures stirring, scurrying in the shadows, watching the new girl with glowing eyes. A skink did battle with a giant black spider in a splash of moonlight by the broken window….) and I highly recommend the book to readers interested in Australian history, social justice, and untraditional romance.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a novel but the powerful individual voice means that the tale comes across as a memoir. I was completely convinced, and I was comparing the tale to other outback stories, Reginald Ottley and Mary Pachett especially, also to the work I have been doing with the digitised newspapers from similar times.

Kate and her older brother are orphaned by a buzz bomb and sent to Australia, where it turns out that station folks are only after cheap workers. The youngsters are separated and Kate is stranded in the outback with an uncaring couple, no school or society. When she meets the Aboriginal workers she learns that these people have been treated even worse, both historically and in her present.

Later, as the title hints, a crime is committed and Kate, now a married woman, faces the loss of all she has come to care about in her young life.

The book walks us through the natural disasters which made a sheep station both perilous and unprofitable, and the drawbacks of releasing invasive creatures like the rabbit. As I have read in 'Dark Emu' the worst invasive creature may have been the sheep; these woollies moved around eating the natural botany down to the roots, packing the earth, fouling waterholes and, by causing shepherds to shoot dingoes, removing the naturalised predator of kangaroos, which in turn multiplied.

Social history, nature documentary, agriculture and a tragic romance combine in this strong, emotional novel.
I downloaded an e-ARC from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

312 pages

4 and 1 / 2 stars

What a wonderful book.

This is Katherine's story. Hers and her brother's mother was killed in an air raid on London during WWII. Orphaned when their father left them in an orphanage, they were shipped to Australia in 1951. Unfortunately, Katherine and Archie were split up and sent to two different families.

So begins Katherine's sojourn from the age of ten and throughout the next sixty-five years. Cruel and uncaring, the couple with which she was housed were harsh. She lived in an old chicken coop complete with bugs and chicken filth.

She was very fortunate, however, when she met some of the kind people who helped to work the farm/ranch. These were the indigenous people who suffered much at the hands of the Australian government themselves. For the most part, they didn't let it get them down though.

This is a wonderfully written book. I knew how the government took the native peoples' children under the auspices of better education and socialization, just as the US and Canadians did to their original citizens. This is heartbreaking to read about. But, so hopeful at the same time So much more so because the book is based on actual events. Katherine's situation turned out to be more fortunate than many. I enjoyed the book and want to read more by Lee Richie.

I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for forwarding to me a copy of this wonderful book for me to read, enjoy and review.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very impressive and loaded with poignant moments😪

4.5🌟stars🌿
What a wonderful story! I learned so much about Outback life and the pictures author Lee Richie's words create of the characters and nature are so evocative: I could visualize clearly Kate, Lou, Ellin, Toby, Lachlan and the red earth, vast expanses and colorful wildlife Richie describes. Kate's life story, complete with a harsh, unloved childhood and doomed romance was fascinating, as was the way her tale provided a launch point for illustrating the state of race relations and treatment of the Aboriginal during the period.

I would say the emotional component is what really made this a great story for me. Here's a girl who finally finds her spot of stolen happiness and the consequences are dire, particularly for the people she cares for most. The ending softens the blow but provides lots of retrospection about what could have been: poignant stuff.😪

I did think the book's conclusion took too long to arrive and bogged down when filling in the years after Kate left Australia, but the very end brought all of the emotion front and center, and tears to my eyes. This is not a story I will easily forget.👍👍

Thanks to publisher BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Desiree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Bones, Red Earth is one of the most compelling books I have ever read.
The story begins with ten year old Katherine whose mother has been killed in an air raid and her father has abandoned both her and her brother. Katherine is separated from her brother and is brought to live in the with the Stuarts in the Australian Outback.
The book continues with Katherine's painful journey as a young child to current day when she has come face to face with her past again.
I learned so much from this book, which is inspired by true events, and this story touched on so many emotions. There were several moments that tears blurred my vision and yet, this is a book you can't put down once you start it.
Lee's writing is so beautiful and descriptive. I become so engrossed in his writing that I can feel the heat and taste the dust of the Outback.
This is the second book I have read by Lee Richie, and while completely different from Alexander Bottom and the Dreamweaver's Daughter, both stories have a way of staying with me well after reading.

[Candy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

World War II leaves young Kate and her older brother orphaned, growing up in a London orphanage. It’s 1951, and adolescent Kate and her brother are plucked from London and dropped in the Australian outback. They are separated, both being adopted by different families. Not to say that these are families looking to provide love, rather families seeking cheap labor. Kate ends up on the sheep station of Lachlan and Daisy Stuart, who provide little for Kate beyond basic food and shelter. Daisy is a mean old woman and it appears Lachlan drinks, perhaps to be rid of her for a brief time.

Kate meets Lou, the hired hand and romance blossoms. I’m not going to go any further so as not to spoil the read. It’s a brief romance that lasts a lifetime, and the story of love, hope and sacrifice is worth the read. The writing is superb.

www.candysplanet.wordpress.com

[Marcia Kuraba · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew nothing of Australia before reading this book. The author made me feel like I was there. But such a traumatic tale. I literally had to stop and cry. The character of Katherine is so real and moving. I lived her ordeals alongside her. What an emotional journey. I wanted more as the journey ended, but the finish to this novel was beautiful. Brilliant and soulful. Black and white culture sharing the same grief and joys. More, more, more, please.

[Shirley McAllister · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love, Heartbreak, and tragedy

Kate is ten years old when she is sent from an Orphanage in England to live on a sheep ranch called Cutaway Creek in Australia. This story is about the years she spent there, and the events that took place during those years. The sheep ranch was owned by Daisy and Lachlan Stuart.

The book is more about Lou, Ellin and Toby the Aboriginal workers Kate would meet, make friends with and consider family. It is about the Aboriginal way of life, how they were treated by the Australian government and by the white settlers that came to live on the lands they call home.

It is a story of hardship, love, cruelty, and tragedy. It is also a story of endurance, new beginnings, and forgiveness. Of a merging with past and present to bring a happy and bittersweet ending to the lives of the characters in the story.

I like to read about places I have never been and seen, about cultures I have never experienced and about love and courage in the face of adversity.

The author describes the beauty and the ugly side of Australia equally well so the reader can capture a picture of the country in whole. I enjoyed the descriptions and the history. The characters were realistic and true to character.

I would recommend this book, it was a good read.

Thanks to Lee Richie, BooksGoSocial, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of the book for an honest review

[Talia Dominici · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book left me feeling quite emotional and has stayed with me for days. I chose it because I’d read the author’s first book which was quite funny and a real romp for adults and young adults alike. I got into this one expecting something similar, so I was shocked by Lee’s incredibly passionate portrayal of Katherine’s traumatic life. Beautifully written, Black Bones, Red Earth brings the reader along on the journey. Sad at times, joyous at others, this book is a rollercoaster for the emotions and a delight for the senses. I really felt that I experienced the Australian outback through Katherine’s eyes. All the characters were relatable and real. The issues of race and culture handled with extreme compassion.
Black Bones, Red Earth was a book I did not want to finish, but the ending just left me a weeping mess. I would readily recommend this book to anyone interested in historical drama and the survival of the human spirit. Loved it!

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank Lee Richie, BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for a copy of this book and a chance to review Black Bones, Red Earth.

Lee Richie has written a challenging account of the removal of children from England to Australia during the Second World War, Katherine the protagonist is mistreated; it’s sad and also heartening. The descriptive writing of remote Australia is crafted beautifully. There is comment on the treatment of Australian First Nation people which is distressing. The story jumps to present day England where Katherine relives her traumatic past. Great ending.

This is an excellent story, highly recommend.

[Antoniette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This audiobook is beautifully narrated by Australian actress, Sandy Gore. It is written from the perspective of Katherine who is looking back at her life, particularly from the ages of 8 to 18, when she has been brought to live in the Australian outback. While she only spends a fraction of her life there, she is forever haunted by her time there. Katherine's early years are filled with trauma and strife, and she makes some decisions she comes to regret. In the end, however, she is able to make peace with her past.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me access to the audiobook version of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

[F.E. Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lee Richie's Black Bones, Red Earth not only made me feel as though I'd lived on a sheep station in the Outback but evoked the delicate balance between whites and blacks. Against this backdrop a powerful story of a young girl, orphaned by the blitz, battled her way to womanhood. Powerful and compelling with a satisfying twist at the end. All in all a great read!

[Mary Elizabeth Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set mainly in the Australian outback in the 1950s, Black Bones, Red Earth by Lee Richie is a highly polished work which drew me in immediately. Katherine's voice is fun, sparky, delightful although she is telling her rather disturbing, harrowing story. There's lots of atmosphere, and descriptive passages are tight and provide the right amount of detail.

I did some beta reading for the author last year and am so pleased to see it's been published.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading Black Bones, Red Earth and I am still wiping the tears from my eyes. I LOVED this book. It's the best book I've read in a long time and I didn't want it to end.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a powerful and haunting read about a young girl, Katherine, who is sent out to Australia from England in 1951 after her mother’s death and father’s abandonment. On arrival she is separated from her brother and scared and bewildered is given over to a cold and uncaring couple on an isolated and remote property in the outback. Somehow she must carve out some sort of life for herself and with determination and courage she does just that. Atmospheric and richly evocative of the time and place, well-written and well-paced, it’s a dramatic tale that never becomes melodramatic and a sad tale that never descends into sentimentality. With excellent characterisation and authentic dialogue, always unpredictable and surprising, it’s a compelling novel and one which I very much enjoyed. It’s also historically accurate and a searing indictment of the treatment of the Aboriginal population and the consequent stolen generation, as well as the well-meaning but misguided government scheme to ship out British orphans to this far-away and unknown country. A great read.

[Dianoudine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this from Netgalley.com and I am extremely grateful I did. The summary above says it all about the plot but I was so taken by the details, the turning of the fan on the ceiling, the smells, the dust, the colors, even the cardboard box... Everything feels so real and it makes the painful moments even more horrific and the sweet touches even more fragile. I wondered many times if this was a true story, the acknowledgements mention a number of inspirational characters so I guess some parts happened to someone and just for that reason you should read this book and spread the knowledge it brings about children being shipped across the world to faraway deserts, about indigenous peoples being ripped of their traditional lands, knowledge and culture (this echoes to another book I read recently and highly recommend too, Braided Sweetgrass), about abuse and pain, about love that moves mountains and never dies. This is a very rough yet subtle book, the writing is clear, funny, the characters full of flaws and tenderness... It was beautiful, thank you M. Richie!

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

As English orphans, Kate and her brother travel to another continent with a group lead by the Catholic church to be placed with new families. These families do not really want children, they want free labor. The two children are separated leaving Kate alone to toughen up and fend for herself. As she learns what is expected of her, she explores the land and begins to appreciate the beauty of the Australian Outback.

We follow Kate throughout her life, so events happen rather quickly and then we are on to the next one. Throughout her adventures, we are exposed to Australian history and the tragedies revolving around the native Aboriginal people. The language used in the book was authentic and helped bring the story to life. I did not always agree with the decisions Kate made, but it was an interesting and enlightening read.

[Polly Krize · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this well written novel of Australia and the story of Katherine and her life's journey as an unwelcome orphan to the an isolated sheep station in the Outback. Many years later, the life she led as a child leads her to a traumatic turn and ultimate understanding of herself. Recommended reading.

[Kerrie Hatcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the descriptions of Australia and the stories that were told. The plot and characters were somewhat predictable. I enjoyed the story though.
#BlackBones,RedEarth #NetGalley

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This absorbing historical novel, set mainly in the Australian Outback in the 1950's, has the feel of a personal narrative. From the start of the book, readers will root for Katherine to find happiness after the heartache and trauma she has endured. While there are rough moments in this story, it is an engaging book that easily draws readers in.

The story begins when 10-year-old Katherine is taken from post-WWII London to a "station" in the Australian Outback owned by Lachlan and Daisy Stewart. Her mother had been killed by a bomb and her father then surrendered her and her older brother, Archie, to a Christian mission. She later finds out that the Stewarts had only agreed to take her because they wanted Archie b to work on their property. Archie, however, is sent to a work site where he is killed at 16.

The Stewarts are not warm and caring towards young Katherine, supplying little affection or attention to her needs. She is not sent to school and instead is tasked with helping Daisy with the laundry and food preparation, darning socks (which she hates!), and doing farm chores such as milking cows and feeding pigs and horses. Daisy hits her, and Katherine deflects the abuse by telling herself that she is strong and resilient. A minor flaw in the book is that Katherine sometimes "tells'', rather than "shows" us her feelings. As several years go by, tensions between Katherine and Daisy ease to a degree, especially after Daisy is diagnosed with lung cancer. To avoid spoilers, I will just say that Katherine's life takes an abrupt turn after the death of Daisy.

There is much to admire in this story, especially Katherine's interest in Aboriginal culture and the ways that the author evokes the bleak, hard landscape and inhabitants of the Australian outback. I found Katherine's friendship with Toby, whom she spends time with when he comes to work on the farm when she was still very young, especially fascinating. Toby is gregarious and teaches Katherine to ride a horse. His lessons on plants and nature come in handy for Katheine when she runs Into trouble.

There are frequently interesting character details interwoven into the story which reveal the
nature of various characters. For example, after Daisy is instructed by the local priest, Father Donahue, to bring Katherine to church once a month, Daisy scrubs Katherine in a bath and dresses her in a properly fitted dress to bring her to church. Daisy knows that she has not treated Katherine well, but does not want to advertise this to the commun

It would have been helpful for readers unfamiliar with the geography of Australia (such as myself) to have included more information about the precise location of Cutaway Creek, the (perhaps fictional) town in which the story is set.

I listened to this story as an audiobook. The Australian actress Sandy Gore is skilled with differentiating her voice to portray male and female characters, and she infused appropriate emotion into each person. At times, her voice sounds more mature than adolescent Katherine should sound, but overall, she pulls listeners into this story.

Thank you to Netgalley for an audiobook copy of this novel.

[Laura Kent · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a young girl orphaned and sent to Australia. Katherine is the main character and the story follows her life in two parts. We first find her as a vulnerable child but she grows into a strong and likable character whose life is tormented by events of the past. Deeply touching. The author managed to hit just the right balance of tragedy and positivity. I got swept up in the anger when reading about Aboriginal Australians and their treatment. Then my spirits were lifted and alls well with the world when freindships grow. I also got quite frustrated with Katherine and her decisions throughout her life, but then I guess thats all of us in a way. We make our choices but they are not always good ones. We are human after all and heroines and heroes are always just ordinary people with all their faults and frailties. Katherine is my kind of heroine. I wanted more of this talented writer as I came to the end which was beautiful.

[Joann 'bartunek' prashek · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief romance that lasts a lifetime twined with love, hope, hardship, cruelty, and tragedy and sacrifice. Definitely a 3.75 stars. I listened to the audiobook through the NetGalley app. It depicts the struggles of black and white culture.

[Lizzie Sharples · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** ARC audiobook provided by NetGalley via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ***

Wow! What a beautiful book this is.  Black Bones, Red Earth by Lee Richie is historical fiction inspired by true events during World War II and beyond. I think a combination of a good narrator and good writing made this book have a big impact on me, and I feel like at one point I'd forgotten it was fiction.

We follow Katherine, whose mother dies in an air raid and whose father doesn't want her. As a result, she is shipped over to Australia to be 'adopted' by an Australian family. I put adopted in inverted commas because her new parents don't seem to want a daughter; they want a worker for their farm. We follow her story, full of tragedy and loss but also love, through to the modern day. While aware of the prejudice that Aboriginals face in Australia, this book has made me want to learn more as I realise how little I really know (i.e., orphans shipped off to a foreign land???). I would definitely recommend this book and the audiobook too!

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a truly fabulous book that I loved from beginning to end. At times it is not always an easy story to listen to, with its inherent racism and sexism at the beginning of the story, but it is important these stories are told.

It starts off in the Australian outback in the 1950s with a heartbreaking story. We are then advanced to modern day England as the story comes to a total tear-jerking ending back in Australia.

In between there is a great roller-coaster journey for the reader to go on. This is such a fabulous book and story and I do wonder why it has not become a more popular book. I certainly recommend it with out reservation to those that love high quality historical fiction, love stories and well-told stories. Just be prepared for one big emotional journey throughout, and for a book which will stay with you well beyond reading it.

I also have to commend the narrator, who does a sensational job narrating this book. My favourite audiobook of the year so far.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.