I always perceived Bryce Courteney to really only have one string in his bow - The Power of One. I read Tandia subsequently and was disappointed so never really went much further than that. This reading project certainly has opened my eyes.
My third newly-read Courtenay was again a surprise and a treat. The Potato Factory is historical fiction, based on the life of Ikey Solomon who was transported to the penal colony of Van Dieman's Land in 1831. Apparently, Solomon was quite a notorious criminal of his time and the inspiration for Dicken's Fagin in Oliver Twist. The novel also explores the similar journey of Ikey's mistress, Mary who was also transported and found a new life in Tasmania.
I am reading the following two books right now - something like an extra 1200 pages to the prescribed task - so you can gauge my enjoyment. Courteney writes with easy, descriptive prose and perfectly imperfect characters. I lose patience a little sometimes and skim but there certainly is enough in these books to keep any reader entertained.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment