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Stone Country
South Australia, 1919. Ross Grant has always felt like the black sheep of his wealthy Scottish family. An explorer at heart, he dreams of life on Waybell, their remote cattle station in Australia's last remaining wilderness, the Northern Territory. Then his brother Alastair is branded a deserter after going missing during the Great War and Ross is coerced into marrying Darcey Thomas, a woman he has never met, to save the family name. Disgusted with his manipulative family, he turns his back on his unwanted wife just hours after the ceremony, and heads to Waybell with no plans to return. But Ross has not counted on Darcey's determination to be his wife in more than just name. Nor did he anticipate meeting Maria, a young, part-Chinese woman who will capture his heart. And he certainly wasn't prepared for how this beautiful yet savage land will both captivate and destroy his soul
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Published April 1, 2019
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About the author
Nicole Alexander
36 books189 followersNicole Alexander is the author of eleven novels: The Bark Cutters, A Changing Land, Absolution Creek, Sunset Ridge, The Great Plains, Wild Lands, River Run, An Uncommon Woman, Stone Country, The Cedar Tree and The Last Station.
The Limestone Road will be published March 2025.
Awards: The Bark Cutters - short-listed for an Australian Book Industry Award.
Non-fiction includes;
Poetry: Divertissements: Love. War. Society. - a Anthologies: Dear Mum / Great Australian Writers
Nicole lives in north-west NSW, Australia
The Limestone Road will be published March 2025.
Awards: The Bark Cutters - short-listed for an Australian Book Industry Award.
Non-fiction includes;
Poetry: Divertissements: Love. War. Society. - a Anthologies: Dear Mum / Great Australian Writers
Nicole lives in north-west NSW, Australia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
June 10, 2019
Stone Country by Aussie author Nicole Alexander is an historical family saga that will have you hooked right from the beginning right through to the final page. This is only about my third novel I’ve read by this author, but she is fast becoming another favorite author of mine.
You know when a book is really good when you get caught up in the story and you can’t put it down, nor do you want it to end, but sadly all great stories must come to an end. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to read another book by this fantastic author. Highly recommended.
You know when a book is really good when you get caught up in the story and you can’t put it down, nor do you want it to end, but sadly all great stories must come to an end. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to read another book by this fantastic author. Highly recommended.
March 8, 2019
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com/
4.5 stars
Australian storyteller Nicole Alexander returns with her eighth novel, an expansive family set yarn, based in the heart of the outback. Stone Country is a book defined by personal responsibility, obligations, passion, dreams and of course, the land. It is a saga that takes the reader from South Australia, to the Northern Territory, over a time period of forty years. It is a novel that I have been eagerly awaiting and I found that Stone Country was well worth the wait.
In her new bestseller, Nicole Alexander begins her story in the year 1919, in South Australia. She introduces her lead, Ross Grant. Ross hails from a Scottish heritage family. He often feels like the outsider, or the poor second choice to his older brother. We soon learn that Ross has an inherent need to explore his wider surrounds and he feels constrained by his family’s expectations. What Ross hopes and longs for is a life beyond his family’s stipulations. He dreams of a sojourn to the Northern Territory, but when the storms of war enters home soil, Ross experiences a major setback. When his brother, a soldier in the Great War disappears, suspected of being a deserter, Ross has to make a difficult choice, urged on by his forceful family. Ross ends up marrying a woman he does not love for reputation stake. It is a hurtful decision that will have long reaching implications for years to come. However, despite this setback in the marriage stakes, Ross is still determined to travel to the Northern Territory. He has his eyes set on Waybell, a cattle station in the back of beyond. Ross has to negotiate two women in his life on his quest to conquer the wilds of the Northern Territory. His life is irrevocably changed and his intense love for the lands stands to both fulfil and break him.
I consider myself a long standing fan of Nicole Alexander. I was very excited about the prospect of being one of the first readers to experience her brand new novel, Stone Country. I know this novel has been some time in the making and plenty of hard yakka has gone into this book. Months of endless research, pouring over pastoral maps, visiting state libraries and treading the very ground in which Stone Country is set, defines the writing experience conducted by Nicole Alexander.
Stone Country is a novel that successfully takes the reader right back the last century. Alexander is able to competently place her reader in the era of the Great War and beyond. This was one of the most defining world events that impacted on all Australians on home soil, even those based on remote properties. Alexander draws our attention to the ill fated decisions that were made during this time of great uncertainty and fear. She encapsulates the social consciousness and the feelings experienced by those left behind, as our soldiers fought on the other side of the world. I felt this historical and period background was covered extremely well by Nicole Alexander, especially the emphasis on those who did not fight and were branded deserters.
The setting goes hand in hand with the characters and narrative of Stone Country. It has such a strong and overwhelming presence, that it is easy to consider the landscape as character in its own right. Some of my favourite aspects of Stone Country were the local based descriptions. I loved how the reader was able to follow that incredible journey undertaken by Ross, from Adelaide to the top of end of NT. The prose in this area is quite stunning indeed and reminds me why I come back, time and time again to Alexander’s writing.
Stone Country is a book that really begins and ends with Ross Grant, it is his incredulous journey, and it is quite stirring. I am sure his expedition through the ages and the land of our dear country will not leave me anytime soon. I admired Ross’s tenacity, his dogged nature, his ingenuity and his love for the land, it was almost infectious! Ross is a protagonist who is not without his faults. He does make some choice decisions that I questioned, but this helped me to view him with an authentic set of eyes. Ross is a character who reminds us of the precarious state of human nature. He is tested to his very limits, he experiences life’s ups and downs, but he does come out a very changed man from this enlightening experience.
Speaking of characters, this is clearly Alexander’s forte. She was able to describe the mannerisms, motivations and personality traits of both her leading and sub characters with ease. Alexander also impressed me with her ability to inhabit both the male and female protagonists of her novel with such clarity and precision. An area that stood out for me was the dialogue employed by the characters in the novel. Alexander is spot on in her depiction of the appropriate language inflections used by the characters in the novel. She nails the rich Scottish slip of the tongue used by the Grant family. This authentic turn of the phrase extends to her Australian protagonists too. I appreciated this aspect of the novel very much.
There are an abundance of themes to pull from Stone Country. From family units, obligations, expectations, brotherhood, rivalry, mateship, duty, love, betrayal, regret, loyalty, tradition, ambition and survival, Stone Country is an all encompassing tale.
The culmination of many months of research, plotting, planning and composition, Stone Country is a remarkable achievement for Nicole Alexander. Stone Country has been penned by one of the true greats of Australian rural fiction and a writer with a big heart for storytelling. I highly recommend Nicole Alexander’s Stone Country.
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Stone Country is book #27 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge
4.5 stars
Australian storyteller Nicole Alexander returns with her eighth novel, an expansive family set yarn, based in the heart of the outback. Stone Country is a book defined by personal responsibility, obligations, passion, dreams and of course, the land. It is a saga that takes the reader from South Australia, to the Northern Territory, over a time period of forty years. It is a novel that I have been eagerly awaiting and I found that Stone Country was well worth the wait.
In her new bestseller, Nicole Alexander begins her story in the year 1919, in South Australia. She introduces her lead, Ross Grant. Ross hails from a Scottish heritage family. He often feels like the outsider, or the poor second choice to his older brother. We soon learn that Ross has an inherent need to explore his wider surrounds and he feels constrained by his family’s expectations. What Ross hopes and longs for is a life beyond his family’s stipulations. He dreams of a sojourn to the Northern Territory, but when the storms of war enters home soil, Ross experiences a major setback. When his brother, a soldier in the Great War disappears, suspected of being a deserter, Ross has to make a difficult choice, urged on by his forceful family. Ross ends up marrying a woman he does not love for reputation stake. It is a hurtful decision that will have long reaching implications for years to come. However, despite this setback in the marriage stakes, Ross is still determined to travel to the Northern Territory. He has his eyes set on Waybell, a cattle station in the back of beyond. Ross has to negotiate two women in his life on his quest to conquer the wilds of the Northern Territory. His life is irrevocably changed and his intense love for the lands stands to both fulfil and break him.
I consider myself a long standing fan of Nicole Alexander. I was very excited about the prospect of being one of the first readers to experience her brand new novel, Stone Country. I know this novel has been some time in the making and plenty of hard yakka has gone into this book. Months of endless research, pouring over pastoral maps, visiting state libraries and treading the very ground in which Stone Country is set, defines the writing experience conducted by Nicole Alexander.
Stone Country is a novel that successfully takes the reader right back the last century. Alexander is able to competently place her reader in the era of the Great War and beyond. This was one of the most defining world events that impacted on all Australians on home soil, even those based on remote properties. Alexander draws our attention to the ill fated decisions that were made during this time of great uncertainty and fear. She encapsulates the social consciousness and the feelings experienced by those left behind, as our soldiers fought on the other side of the world. I felt this historical and period background was covered extremely well by Nicole Alexander, especially the emphasis on those who did not fight and were branded deserters.
The setting goes hand in hand with the characters and narrative of Stone Country. It has such a strong and overwhelming presence, that it is easy to consider the landscape as character in its own right. Some of my favourite aspects of Stone Country were the local based descriptions. I loved how the reader was able to follow that incredible journey undertaken by Ross, from Adelaide to the top of end of NT. The prose in this area is quite stunning indeed and reminds me why I come back, time and time again to Alexander’s writing.
Stone Country is a book that really begins and ends with Ross Grant, it is his incredulous journey, and it is quite stirring. I am sure his expedition through the ages and the land of our dear country will not leave me anytime soon. I admired Ross’s tenacity, his dogged nature, his ingenuity and his love for the land, it was almost infectious! Ross is a protagonist who is not without his faults. He does make some choice decisions that I questioned, but this helped me to view him with an authentic set of eyes. Ross is a character who reminds us of the precarious state of human nature. He is tested to his very limits, he experiences life’s ups and downs, but he does come out a very changed man from this enlightening experience.
Speaking of characters, this is clearly Alexander’s forte. She was able to describe the mannerisms, motivations and personality traits of both her leading and sub characters with ease. Alexander also impressed me with her ability to inhabit both the male and female protagonists of her novel with such clarity and precision. An area that stood out for me was the dialogue employed by the characters in the novel. Alexander is spot on in her depiction of the appropriate language inflections used by the characters in the novel. She nails the rich Scottish slip of the tongue used by the Grant family. This authentic turn of the phrase extends to her Australian protagonists too. I appreciated this aspect of the novel very much.
There are an abundance of themes to pull from Stone Country. From family units, obligations, expectations, brotherhood, rivalry, mateship, duty, love, betrayal, regret, loyalty, tradition, ambition and survival, Stone Country is an all encompassing tale.
The culmination of many months of research, plotting, planning and composition, Stone Country is a remarkable achievement for Nicole Alexander. Stone Country has been penned by one of the true greats of Australian rural fiction and a writer with a big heart for storytelling. I highly recommend Nicole Alexander’s Stone Country.
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Stone Country is book #27 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge
March 15, 2020
This story takes the reader from Adelaide to the southern part of middle Australia through the centre of Australia to the north, borders have been changed and Dynasties of sheep and cattle properties are growing. Alistair and Ross are the sons of a Scottish Laird, Morgan Grant. Interesting how the carry over of such titles remains at the bottom of the world in Australia, in complete contrast to terrain and society to that of Scotland. The father rules and as Ross remembers well into the read he determines not to repeat the isolation he felt as a child with his own children. He wants to be a father in the very sense of the word.
The family are well established in the business of sheep farming and with the demand for wool with the impending First World War, great financial return is expected. Alistair is quite a few years older than Ross and is a trouble maker always leaving Ross to take the blame. Ross in contrast to his brother's manipulative personality is a quieter more sensitive boy, a loner and always in Alistair's shadow with the father favouring the elder boy. Even as they become young men, Ross is still in his brother's shadow, good looking and an easy going personality, everything that Ross believes he lacks. Alistair enlists and goes to war where he is badly injured but when he disappears the family lose all trace of him and for awhile it's thought he may be dealing with war neuroses or some other mental ailment whereby he simply doesn't remember who he is. In the meantime Ross bears the brunt of being treated as a coward as he didn't enlist. The father's influence is always there and is backed up by Connor, a Scotsman who still adheres to the Scottish Laird, master tradition and is, as the story evolves always following the Laird's orders.
Darcey, a young woman from England, more or less lands on their doorstep, all her family have been killed in the war and as is revealed she and Alistair had planned to marry. Having nothing left in her life and with the disappearance of Alistair she makes herself known to his family. After the arguments and demands made by his parents Ross agrees to marry her. Ross, feeling his whole life is dominated by his father, leaves it all behind and heads for their distant northern property of Waybell Station with Connor.
The story develops into quite a good read, Ross, the son of wealthy parents who has lived well even with his demanding father now has to come to terms with the harsh interior and primitive living, the isolation he craved is certainly an aspect of his life now. Connor's real mission is revealed, Darcey makes her way to this desolate part of Australia rescuing Ross from himself with Ross finally understanding the difference between love and lust. The read finishes with a twist that may be anticipated but it's now all too much for Ross.
The family are well established in the business of sheep farming and with the demand for wool with the impending First World War, great financial return is expected. Alistair is quite a few years older than Ross and is a trouble maker always leaving Ross to take the blame. Ross in contrast to his brother's manipulative personality is a quieter more sensitive boy, a loner and always in Alistair's shadow with the father favouring the elder boy. Even as they become young men, Ross is still in his brother's shadow, good looking and an easy going personality, everything that Ross believes he lacks. Alistair enlists and goes to war where he is badly injured but when he disappears the family lose all trace of him and for awhile it's thought he may be dealing with war neuroses or some other mental ailment whereby he simply doesn't remember who he is. In the meantime Ross bears the brunt of being treated as a coward as he didn't enlist. The father's influence is always there and is backed up by Connor, a Scotsman who still adheres to the Scottish Laird, master tradition and is, as the story evolves always following the Laird's orders.
Darcey, a young woman from England, more or less lands on their doorstep, all her family have been killed in the war and as is revealed she and Alistair had planned to marry. Having nothing left in her life and with the disappearance of Alistair she makes herself known to his family. After the arguments and demands made by his parents Ross agrees to marry her. Ross, feeling his whole life is dominated by his father, leaves it all behind and heads for their distant northern property of Waybell Station with Connor.
The story develops into quite a good read, Ross, the son of wealthy parents who has lived well even with his demanding father now has to come to terms with the harsh interior and primitive living, the isolation he craved is certainly an aspect of his life now. Connor's real mission is revealed, Darcey makes her way to this desolate part of Australia rescuing Ross from himself with Ross finally understanding the difference between love and lust. The read finishes with a twist that may be anticipated but it's now all too much for Ross.
April 25, 2019
Nicole Alexander is a novelist I have long admired. 'Stone Country’ her new bestseller, is a book rich in historical detail with a compelling story told from the point of view of Ross Grant whose family has Scottish heritage. Ross wants to explore beyond his family’s world and dreams of visiting the Northern Territory but when his older brother, serving his country in the Great War dissapears, suspected of being a deserter, and Ross is pressured into marrying a woman he has never met his world is changed forever. Nicole Alexander’s research, which a reader can rely on, and her own heritage informs the narrative of ‘Stone Country’ and makes this one of the best novels this master storyteller has written.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
May 18, 2019
Nicole Alexander is an absolute gem and I am an automatic reader of anything she publishes! Loved the story, the setting and just the way how Nicole can draw you into another time and place effortlessly. The only reason I dropped a star from my usual 5 star Nicole rating was because I just did not like the main character – aaaargggh – he drove me crazy! Besides that though, fab storyline and a must for all historical Australian fiction readers!
March 17, 2019
This is an emotional journey of one man, the decisions he made either good or bad and the effects they had on his life. Confronting in parts and not easy to read this is an amazing story and very thought provoking.
September 1, 2019
Stone Country is a beautiful family saga about love, forgiveness, and respect. In 1919, Ross Grant left Adelaide and move to Waybell a property in North Territory after his family made him marry Darcey Thomas to save the family name. However, Ross Grant did not love Darcey and left her in Adelaide. The readers of Stone Country will continue to follow Ross Grant to find out what happens to him and Darcey.
Stone Country is the first book I have read of Nicole Alexander, and I was impressed with this book. I will be reading more books by Nicole Alexander. However, at times, I had to cry. I did not expect the ending of this book. I love the portrayal of the characters by Nicole Alexander and the way they interacted with each other. Stone Country was well written and researched by Nicole Alexander. Nicole Alexander beautifully described the setting of this book that made me feel part of this book.
The readers of Stone Country will learn about the hardship living on rural properties. Also, the readers of Stone Country will learn about how families interact with each can have devastation effect on children and how they see the world around them.
I recommend this book.
Stone Country is the first book I have read of Nicole Alexander, and I was impressed with this book. I will be reading more books by Nicole Alexander. However, at times, I had to cry. I did not expect the ending of this book. I love the portrayal of the characters by Nicole Alexander and the way they interacted with each other. Stone Country was well written and researched by Nicole Alexander. Nicole Alexander beautifully described the setting of this book that made me feel part of this book.
The readers of Stone Country will learn about the hardship living on rural properties. Also, the readers of Stone Country will learn about how families interact with each can have devastation effect on children and how they see the world around them.
I recommend this book.
May 5, 2019
I am finding it hard to write this book review only because I did not like the main character, but I think this reflects how well Nicole wrote the story.
A young man, the younger son is led astray by his brother regularly when a child and convinced to take the punishment from the father. This leads to his having a chip on his shoulder that grows when his father allows the elder brother to go to war, but makes the younger son stay with the consequence that he receives white flowers.
The family has wealth and the young man heads to the Northern Territory. It is here that the Nicole paints a picture of a tough world, but shows the sort of characters that gather, and the way people can escape.
The end of the story left me slightly disappointed, but would have been difficult to write differently.
A young man, the younger son is led astray by his brother regularly when a child and convinced to take the punishment from the father. This leads to his having a chip on his shoulder that grows when his father allows the elder brother to go to war, but makes the younger son stay with the consequence that he receives white flowers.
The family has wealth and the young man heads to the Northern Territory. It is here that the Nicole paints a picture of a tough world, but shows the sort of characters that gather, and the way people can escape.
The end of the story left me slightly disappointed, but would have been difficult to write differently.
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December 16, 2019I loved the book. Nicole Alexander writes novels that keep you turning the pages until the end and then keep you wanting more. I am an avid reader, and this the first book I have read that I have not warmed to the hero at all. He is a spoilt, childish, rich mans son, and a product of his privileged upbringing of the age. An age when the upper class of Australia in the early 1920s expected to be treated with awe and deference and were a law unto themselves. Ross has no backbone - evident by the way he marries a woman who he does not know, just because he wants the wealth his family has - and then runs away before consummating the marriage. Despite the hero having no hero like qualities, it is a measure of the excellent storytelling that kept me engrossed until the end.
March 20, 2019
Oh my this book deserves way more than 5 *. It is utterly brilliant!!!!!!!!
Such a magnificently written story....... With the smallest of details put into every sentence making it necessary to saviour each word.
Eg. “The room grew so quiet that Ross was sure he could hear the dragonflies hovering at the edge of the billabong.”
I was sobbing at the end and totally engrossed in the story that I had to put it down for 1/2 hour.
Now, Nicole I’m sure I say this each new release but this feels like THE best book ever!!!!!
I SOOOO adored this book & the BIGGEST of thank you for the loveliest journey in this story.
I absolutely recommend this story!!!!!!!!!!
Such a magnificently written story....... With the smallest of details put into every sentence making it necessary to saviour each word.
Eg. “The room grew so quiet that Ross was sure he could hear the dragonflies hovering at the edge of the billabong.”
I was sobbing at the end and totally engrossed in the story that I had to put it down for 1/2 hour.
Now, Nicole I’m sure I say this each new release but this feels like THE best book ever!!!!!
I SOOOO adored this book & the BIGGEST of thank you for the loveliest journey in this story.
I absolutely recommend this story!!!!!!!!!!
July 15, 2019
Ross Grant is a man who has to do a lot of living to come to terms with his life. The story is set against the harsh landscape of the Northern Territory and was a fascinating read. I did not fell much sympathy for Ross, but this did not affect my enjoyment of the story - I had to keep reading and see this character and his relationships develop. A tale worth reading till the end.
May 8, 2019
This is an impressively absorbing family saga which hooked me from the beginning. I loved the fact that it was so distinctly Australian without being overblown and that at no time was it predictable. 5 stars.
June 17, 2019
Book blurb...
From nineteenth-century Adelaide and the red dirt of mid-north South Australia, to the cattle stations and buffalo plains of the far north Ross Grant’s journey is one of desire, adventure and determination, to the heart of stone country and beyond.
South Australia, 1919. Ross Grant has always felt like the black sheep of his wealthy Scottish family. An explorer at heart, he dreams of life on Waybell, their remote cattle station in Australia’s last remaining wilderness, the Northern Territory.
Then his brother Alastair is branded a deserter after going missing during the Great War. To help restore the Grants’ damaged reputation, Ross is coerced into marrying Darcey Thomas, a woman he has never met.
Disgusted by his manipulative family, he turns his back on his unwanted wife just hours after the ceremony, and heads to Waybell with no plans to return. He carries with him the hope of carving his own empire in the far north.
But Ross has not counted on Darcey’s determination to be his wife in more than just name. Nor did he anticipate meeting Maria, a young, part-Chinese woman who will capture his heart. And he certainly wasn’t prepared for how this beautiful yet savage land will both captivate and destroy his soul . . .
From nineteenth-century Adelaide and the red dirt of mid-north South Australia, to the cattle stations and buffalo plains of the far north Ross’s journey is one of anger and desire, adventure and determination, to the heart of stone country and beyond.
My thoughts…
A master storyteller. Her eighth book. They just keep getting better and better.
Wow! Wow! Wow! Everything from the plotting to the scene setting and the character journey.
I was right there - in the scene and the time period, walking beside Ross Grant’s horse and sitting on the veranda at Waybell in the heat and drenching rain.
How many ways can I say brilliant?
That’s not to say you will love all the characters because, to be honest, I was left wondering how I felt about some of the decisions and actions of the main character, Ross. But isn’t that a sign of a good book - when it moves you so much you keep thinking about it and discussing it with your partner? (Who you shared the audio book ‘reading' via shared ear buds!!)
The narration is spectacular. This book should be shortlisted for an award this year.
This review is also published on http://www.readroundoz.wordpress.com
From nineteenth-century Adelaide and the red dirt of mid-north South Australia, to the cattle stations and buffalo plains of the far north Ross Grant’s journey is one of desire, adventure and determination, to the heart of stone country and beyond.
South Australia, 1919. Ross Grant has always felt like the black sheep of his wealthy Scottish family. An explorer at heart, he dreams of life on Waybell, their remote cattle station in Australia’s last remaining wilderness, the Northern Territory.
Then his brother Alastair is branded a deserter after going missing during the Great War. To help restore the Grants’ damaged reputation, Ross is coerced into marrying Darcey Thomas, a woman he has never met.
Disgusted by his manipulative family, he turns his back on his unwanted wife just hours after the ceremony, and heads to Waybell with no plans to return. He carries with him the hope of carving his own empire in the far north.
But Ross has not counted on Darcey’s determination to be his wife in more than just name. Nor did he anticipate meeting Maria, a young, part-Chinese woman who will capture his heart. And he certainly wasn’t prepared for how this beautiful yet savage land will both captivate and destroy his soul . . .
From nineteenth-century Adelaide and the red dirt of mid-north South Australia, to the cattle stations and buffalo plains of the far north Ross’s journey is one of anger and desire, adventure and determination, to the heart of stone country and beyond.
My thoughts…
A master storyteller. Her eighth book. They just keep getting better and better.
Wow! Wow! Wow! Everything from the plotting to the scene setting and the character journey.
I was right there - in the scene and the time period, walking beside Ross Grant’s horse and sitting on the veranda at Waybell in the heat and drenching rain.
How many ways can I say brilliant?
That’s not to say you will love all the characters because, to be honest, I was left wondering how I felt about some of the decisions and actions of the main character, Ross. But isn’t that a sign of a good book - when it moves you so much you keep thinking about it and discussing it with your partner? (Who you shared the audio book ‘reading' via shared ear buds!!)
The narration is spectacular. This book should be shortlisted for an award this year.
This review is also published on http://www.readroundoz.wordpress.com
March 2, 2019
I received an ARC of this book.
Once again, Nicole Alexander has presented us with early 20th century Australia. Beginning in Adelaide and moving to the Far North in the Northern Territory. We follow a young boy who becomes a man. He comes from a family with money but we see the indifference from his family as his older brother is heir and the favourite. All Ross wants to do is work the land and earn his respect. He gets this on the family property in the country but it is all torn apart when his brother goes AWOL during the war and their is restitution to be made in order to keep the family honour.
We now have a man who is being forced into something for the family that never did anything for him. Ross works a way that he can do this but still get what he wants - work on the family property up near Darwin. He goes to this property with his values and expectations of what it should be like and gets the property manager offside. However, his willingness to learn and observe helps to see the truth. It is his stubborness that keeps people offside and only offers forgiveness when it is almost too late.
This country and land is harsh. This man is so self-centred in so many ways that I became extremely frustrated with him and wanted to slap him down. His best mate betrays him, with good intentions, but those betrayals come at a cost. Ross cannot see what is in front of him, just what he wants and damn everyone else. Once again, he runs. This is at great cost to himself and his family. Eventually, he sees the light and opens himself up to a whole new world.
Alexander writes her characters well - you love them, then you hate them, then you love them a little more. There are so many great characters within these pages that you are up and down. You also come to love the harsh land that Ross finds himself calling home. These are all parts of our history, with the First World War and it's aftermath playing throughout.
Good read for fans of Nicole's work. Good for people who love to read Australia and it's history.
Once again, Nicole Alexander has presented us with early 20th century Australia. Beginning in Adelaide and moving to the Far North in the Northern Territory. We follow a young boy who becomes a man. He comes from a family with money but we see the indifference from his family as his older brother is heir and the favourite. All Ross wants to do is work the land and earn his respect. He gets this on the family property in the country but it is all torn apart when his brother goes AWOL during the war and their is restitution to be made in order to keep the family honour.
We now have a man who is being forced into something for the family that never did anything for him. Ross works a way that he can do this but still get what he wants - work on the family property up near Darwin. He goes to this property with his values and expectations of what it should be like and gets the property manager offside. However, his willingness to learn and observe helps to see the truth. It is his stubborness that keeps people offside and only offers forgiveness when it is almost too late.
This country and land is harsh. This man is so self-centred in so many ways that I became extremely frustrated with him and wanted to slap him down. His best mate betrays him, with good intentions, but those betrayals come at a cost. Ross cannot see what is in front of him, just what he wants and damn everyone else. Once again, he runs. This is at great cost to himself and his family. Eventually, he sees the light and opens himself up to a whole new world.
Alexander writes her characters well - you love them, then you hate them, then you love them a little more. There are so many great characters within these pages that you are up and down. You also come to love the harsh land that Ross finds himself calling home. These are all parts of our history, with the First World War and it's aftermath playing throughout.
Good read for fans of Nicole's work. Good for people who love to read Australia and it's history.
January 14, 2020
This book is a tour de force, and I loved every single word of it. The author introduces her readers to wonderful, believable characters, and her descriptions of early 20th century Australia are brilliant. I felt as though I was out there in the wind, and sun, and dust, with them. The story came to a satisfying but unexpected end. Hopefully there is a sequel in the pipeline.
September 6, 2019
Slightly harder to get into than previous reads by the author. A young man struggling with his brothers departure and desertion during the war, left to contend with the family obligation of a young bride. Promise of family land up north calls young Ross Grant, forbidden cross cultural love, a determined white wife and a strong sense of what is right binds this novel well.
July 16, 2020
A family sage set in the outback of Australia. Ross Grant is born into a wealthy family but fights against the path in life his upbringing dictates. It takes him years to work out what family means, how to love himself and those around him. Has he wasted his best years? An engaging read.
April 5, 2022
A fascinating story even though the main character is not particularly likeable.
April 23, 2019
I found this book to be very thought provoking and the story of Ross Grant lingers in your mind. A complex character, raised without love, and the need to bury himself in the wild Northern Territory. Parts of the book I found a little slow, and Ross very frustrating, but it all comes together beautifully during the last half of the book.
December 23, 2019
This was an epic tale. A tale that spanned a lifetime, starting as a young boy in Adelaide and ending in the Northern Territory. From the beginning this story held my attention and I could not wait to continue reading of Ross Grant and his adventurous life. It wasn’t a feel good story as there were many times when the harsh realities of life tore his happiness from him but he endured and became a better man for it or so his wife, Darcey, believed. It finished too suddenly for there not to be a follow on story of his children, Hugh and the twins. I look forward to that time.
December 24, 2019
This was a susprisingy good listening book,which gives us some idea about the beginnings of Australia after settlement. Strength of character was uppermost to success and many hungry settlers showed how it could evolve in a harsh land.
December 17, 2019
I enjoy a family saga and this one had me turning the pages. Nicole Alexander has conjured up some memorable characters and has written a well-researched historical story about life in the less-settled districts of Australia between the two World Wars. Her portrayal of the interactions between First Peoples and European settlers is well-handled in this book, as it was in her earlier book 'Wild Lands'. She has also painted a sad but convincing portrait of the thousands of troubled men who've retreated from society into the Australian outback since 1788.
I would have given this book five stars for its concept, setting, story line, excellent descriptive writing and convincing dialogue, but the protagonist was too 'damaged' for my liking and I would have appreciated a map so that I could better follow his various travels.
I would have given this book five stars for its concept, setting, story line, excellent descriptive writing and convincing dialogue, but the protagonist was too 'damaged' for my liking and I would have appreciated a map so that I could better follow his various travels.
April 3, 2019
Ross, the younger son of a wealthy Scottish family is keen to break free of the father who expects Ross to do what is expected of him rather than what he wants to do himself. The brother he idolises leaves to go to war while Ross must stay at home and through no fault of his own is branded a coward. Alistair never returns from the war and is branded a deserter. Ross is coerced into marrying a girl his father has chosen and has never met to save the family name. As soon as the wedding is over Ross heads for their outback cattle station in the Northern Territory, leaving his new wife behind with his family.
At Waybell he has to fit in with people who have been running the property and has to quickly learn the rough and tough ways of the outback. He meets a beautiful mixed race girl and falls in love but this girl belongs to Ross' neighbour, an older man who paid a high price to the girl's father. In the meantime the girl Ross married still considers herself as his wife and travels to the Northern Territory to meet up with him.
Nicole Alexander has done it again! What a wonderful story.
At Waybell he has to fit in with people who have been running the property and has to quickly learn the rough and tough ways of the outback. He meets a beautiful mixed race girl and falls in love but this girl belongs to Ross' neighbour, an older man who paid a high price to the girl's father. In the meantime the girl Ross married still considers herself as his wife and travels to the Northern Territory to meet up with him.
Nicole Alexander has done it again! What a wonderful story.
May 24, 2019
I normally love Nicole's books but I really found this one a real slog to get through and not that enjoyable.
Unfortunately I could find no redeemable qualities in the main character Ross, he was just a spoilt, selfish manchild, however I did like how the ending left open the possibility of a sequel and who knows maybe his legacy will continue with some "likeable" descendants?
Unfortunately I could find no redeemable qualities in the main character Ross, he was just a spoilt, selfish manchild, however I did like how the ending left open the possibility of a sequel and who knows maybe his legacy will continue with some "likeable" descendants?
October 29, 2019
Having recently visited SA and the Northern Territory, this book was particularly interesting to me. A sad but ultimately uplifting story about family, commitments and finding yourself. The historical background of this was fascinating. This also had lots of twists and turns, and kept me turning the pages.
November 3, 2019
I really enjoyed reading about country Australia. I was invested in the characters quite quickly. I was surprised by the ending and cried in my lunch break at work!
May 21, 2025
Land has not only provided a physical space for human settlements but has also served as a source of wealth, power, and identity for individuals and nations.Land represents the past, the present and the future.Land also symbolises reliability, stability, and protection, as it provides sustenance, so it's life-giving.
Human Duality is a theme widely explored in literature and psychology. It refers to the conflicting nature of an individual - how one can encompass both good and evil, or more broadly, potentially incompatible characteristics. Duality is a reflection of the complexities of human nature.
Pastoral leases or cattle stations in the Northern Territory were established from the late 1800s onwards. The leases were initially issued by the South Australian government, which administered the Northern Territory until 1911, and enable long-term tenure of Crown land.The expansion of the cattle industry caused widespread dispossession of Aboriginal people, with significant damage to water sources and sensitive environments.
Wave Hill Cattle Station, a pastoral lease and property in the NT, is best known as the scene of the Wave Hill walk-off, a strike by Indigenous Australian workers for better pay and conditions.
The pastoral industry made a cautious start in the Top End. The first pastoral lease was not taken up until 1876 and no stocking took place until 1879, when cattle arrived at Glencoe, near Gove Hill. Glencoe was owned by a Victorian pastoralist, C.B. Fisher, who leased an extensive area that included the Alligator Rivers region. Other cattle stations around the area were Oenpelli, Goodparla, Gimbat etc.
By the 1880s the number of buffaloes released from early settlements had increased to such an extent that commercial harvesting of hides and horns was economically viable. The industry began on the Adelaide River, close to Darwin, and moved east to the Mary River and Alligator Rivers regions. The first buffalo hunter to operate in the Alligator Rivers region was Paddy Cahill, who pioneered the practice of shooting buffalo from horseback. Most of the hunting and tanning was done towards the end of the dry season.
Human Duality is a theme widely explored in literature and psychology. It refers to the conflicting nature of an individual - how one can encompass both good and evil, or more broadly, potentially incompatible characteristics. Duality is a reflection of the complexities of human nature.
Pastoral leases or cattle stations in the Northern Territory were established from the late 1800s onwards. The leases were initially issued by the South Australian government, which administered the Northern Territory until 1911, and enable long-term tenure of Crown land.The expansion of the cattle industry caused widespread dispossession of Aboriginal people, with significant damage to water sources and sensitive environments.
Wave Hill Cattle Station, a pastoral lease and property in the NT, is best known as the scene of the Wave Hill walk-off, a strike by Indigenous Australian workers for better pay and conditions.
The pastoral industry made a cautious start in the Top End. The first pastoral lease was not taken up until 1876 and no stocking took place until 1879, when cattle arrived at Glencoe, near Gove Hill. Glencoe was owned by a Victorian pastoralist, C.B. Fisher, who leased an extensive area that included the Alligator Rivers region. Other cattle stations around the area were Oenpelli, Goodparla, Gimbat etc.
By the 1880s the number of buffaloes released from early settlements had increased to such an extent that commercial harvesting of hides and horns was economically viable. The industry began on the Adelaide River, close to Darwin, and moved east to the Mary River and Alligator Rivers regions. The first buffalo hunter to operate in the Alligator Rivers region was Paddy Cahill, who pioneered the practice of shooting buffalo from horseback. Most of the hunting and tanning was done towards the end of the dry season.
July 5, 2019
Very readable and the story does bring you right there to that time and place, I felt immersed into the remote vastness of NT. I am leaving 3stars because I truly felt like the book did not take off until halfway through- up until that point I felt like I was waiting for something proper to happen- I also wished that the relationship between the main character and Maria was a bit more defined- I was left feeling confused at times as to what had passed between them. I also felt like this book was literally a tragedy- his whole life is one blow after the next with the running theme of manipulation and self sabotage throughout being frustrating to read at times. I left the last page thinking yes I enjoyed this book but at the same time feeling like more could have been explored. The pace was very quick also- I wasn’t stuck in a certain timeline for too long, which I liked.
Overall a good read!
Overall a good read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2022
The book portrays attitudes that existed in the 1900 in Australia which was very involved with England and its social class of people
The rough times these people went through in the bush, heat, flies sickness,death, no refrigeration etc must of made their lives unbearable at times. Yet for all this harshness there was a loyalty to family day what there role was in that family. This man was made to marry Darcey who was betrothed to Alistair and when he is presumed dead or AWOL from the army the family put pressure on Ross to marry her because of " how it would look"!
He then left as soon as he married
How sad for everyone love and misplaced loyalty brought Darcey and Ross together. Through Darcey determination and guts she ends up with a proper marriage to Ross. A long time coming !!
Great story seemed a little unbelievable what one person could live through
The rough times these people went through in the bush, heat, flies sickness,death, no refrigeration etc must of made their lives unbearable at times. Yet for all this harshness there was a loyalty to family day what there role was in that family. This man was made to marry Darcey who was betrothed to Alistair and when he is presumed dead or AWOL from the army the family put pressure on Ross to marry her because of " how it would look"!
He then left as soon as he married
How sad for everyone love and misplaced loyalty brought Darcey and Ross together. Through Darcey determination and guts she ends up with a proper marriage to Ross. A long time coming !!
Great story seemed a little unbelievable what one person could live through
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