Having read and enjoyed Suzannah’s Gold I was looking
forward to continuing the family story with some of the characters in Rebecca’s
Dream. I enjoyed catching up with these
characters though George was his usual annoying character. It certainly gives a
very stark picture of life in Australia in the 1870s to 1890s. Much of it is
hard to read as there are so many deaths and illnesses especially with young
children. That very much gives a clear picture of the times and made this
reader glad I live now and not then, when women had almost no rights or control
over their lives. They were very much at the mercy of men and of their ability
to conceive and bear children, even if they couldn’t always keep them alive. Rebecca
however has a dream and some very storing opinions that do not sit comfortably
with the some members of the community of Marengo or even members of her own
family.
This novel also focuses on the conflict and tension that
existed between Catholics and Protestants in the early Australian colony. Information about society and the conditions
and especially the input of Louisa Lawson, mother of Henry Lawson, added an
extra bit of historical interest to the story.
While I enjoyed this story and the continuation of the
family saga, I found Rebecca hard to warm to. As a result this book didn’t grab
me quite as much as the earlier book but both books are still worth reading for
the unflinching picture it presents of early Australian life, especially for
women. It should leave all of us in today’s society thankful for those who have
gone before and fought to change society. Rebecca’s Dream is an enjoyable, well researched and
thoughtful read that will no doubt be loved by readers of historical fiction especially
those who like it with a Christian flavour.
Over the years Dale has written fiction,
poetry, children’s fiction, bible studies and Sunday school lessons. More
information about Dale can be found at www.daleharcombe.com
or on her Write and Read with Dale blog http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale/
