39. Jessica by Bryce Courtenay

I've read a few Bryce Courtenay books and generally enjoyed them and this one was no different. Set in Australia for a change, this one centres around Jessica (really?) who grows up on a remote farm around the WWI era. It follows her life for about ten-fifteen years and is quite enjoyable. It's been made into a mini series and that's really no surprise as there are about five different episodes in her life that are covered - you never get a real feeling of connection, though there is a nice ending that echoes events of the introduction which is cleverly done. I read this in a day - not heavy going - and while it got a bit over-dramatic at some points, it was a pleasant read. The lack of a tidy ending, a happy ending or an ending where everyone got what they deserves was pretty refreshing too :)