PACIFIC BY JUDY NUNN
JOAN:
The first story is a contemporary story about Samantha Lindsay, an Australian actress who lands a lead role in a Hollywood film set in the New Hebrides during World War II. The second story is about Jane Thackeray who lived in Vanuatu during World War II. This was the better story. "The two times lines were very difficult" Joan said. The book was 607 pages which was far too long.
JUDY D:
Judy also read Pacific. The story takes place in two locations, England and Vanuatu and in two different time frames, the 1940's and the early 2000's. The heroine of the story, Samantha Lindsay was born in Perth. She has had some success acting in an Australian soapie and gets a job in England doing pantomime. She falls in love with an old house in Fareham. She buys it before she gets a lead role in a film playing Mamma Tack, a WWII heroine, to be filmed in Vanuatu. Apparitions and other spiritual occurrences with Jane Thackeray from the 1940's lead her to research the history of Mamma Tack and she finds her story is entwined with the house and it's former occupants. The story is written in flashbacks. Judy said it was a good story. She enjoyed it but it wasn't great literature and too long.
MARALINGA BY JUDY NUNN
Maralinga, a remote area of South Australia is the site of British nuclear testing done in the 1950's. It is also the name of the Aboriginal people who lived there.
WENDY J:
Wendy said she said she didn't mind it but it's not great literature. The story is set in England. It's the story of Elizabeth who falls in love with a young man who gets sent to Maralinga. When he dies she comes out to Australia to find out why he died.
JUDY J:
Judy felt there was more to the story of Maralinga. It showed the terrible attitude of the British government and how little the Australian people knew about it. The soldiers were sworn to secrecy. The Aboriginal people were treated badly. Judy said it was an easy read, that she writes about places she knows and the descriptions of the scenery were beautiful. Judy told us that Judy Nunn also wrote some children's books.
DENISE:
Denise said it was an easy read almost like someone talking to you. The story raised her awareness of what happened at Maralinga. She felt angry about the testing. She did find the changeover of characters and times a bit difficult.
PRUE:
Prue was looking forward to reading this book as this was happening when she was growing up. Prue felt we were just colonials and didn't matter. Prue said it was good that Judy Nunn brings up these subjects. It was a good expose of Maralinga. She found the story captivating and an easy read. It had an unusual ending.
ELIANNE BY JUDY NUNN
JUDY D:
Judy also read Elianne. It is another family saga set in Queensland cane fields dating from the 1880's to the 1960's. The Durhams are the equivalent of royalty and the large estate employs hundreds of workers including Kanakas to keep it running. However, there is a family secret that young Kate Durham uncovers when she discovers diaries written in French by Elianne, the wife of Big Jim Durham (Kate's great grandfather). The story is written mainly in the 1960's and encompasses race and religious discrimination, the Vietnam war, conscription, the rise of feminism and the new freedom of young people enabling them to make their own way instead of continuing in the mould of their forbears. She said it was another good story.
KRIS:
Kris was only about 1/3 of the way through. She enjoyed the story but lost interest as it was far too long. Kris said she felt she was a good storyteller but not a great writer.
JULIA:
Julia was only half way through. She sort of liked it but it was too long and she didn't finish the book.
NATALIE:
Natalie really enjoyed it. She read it over a weekend. She said it was easy to read and enjoyed it as well because her husband grew up in the area. She said the two male characters were big characters. It was very male dominated.
VAL:
Val said she tried to read it but it was not her cup of tea. She didn't finish it and felt it was rather formulaic. She felt the treatment of the aboriginal people and the Vietnam war had been done to death. Val said it was an easy read and that Judy Nunn was a good storyteller.
DIANE D:
Diane didn't like it. She forced herself to finish it. The story spanned three generations. She felt annoyed with the male characters.
THE SPIRITS OF THE GHAN BY JUDY NUNN
This is the story of the completion of The Ghan railway linking Adelaide with the Top End. Assurances must be given to the Aboriginal Elders that their sacred sites will be protected.
CONNIE:
Connie said she agreed with what everyone else said about Judy Nunn's writing. She didn't really enjoy it and it was too long. She said the story would have stood on it's own without the Ghan. The story was about the spirits of the Aboriginal people along the path of the Ghan. She didn't feel her heart was in it.
ANNE:
Anne read half. She found it bearable. She didn't like the part about the spirits.
JUDY A:
Judy said she was a good storyteller not a good writer but she said she did learn things about the Ghan.
WENDY L:
Wendy doesn't think she is a good storyteller but rather she tells a good yarn. The characters are cliched and overdrawn. The Aboriginal themes are laboured and superficial. Wendy didn't like this book.
PAT:
Pat said everyone else had covered it and she felt the same. It was a bland read.
TAM:
Tam quite enjoyed it. She said it was an easy read and she was interested in the Ghan.
ROSEMARIE:
Rosemarie enjoyed it, especially the familiarity of places as she has travelled on the
Ghan. She said the story brought up issues. It was an easy read. The print changes when it goes to a different time making it easier to read than some of the other books mentioned.
JO:
Jo read this book in one night. She loved it and couldn't put it down.
BEV: FLOODTIDE BY JUDY NUNN
This book was written in 2007. It's another family saga set in Western Australia and it is over 600 pages. It is the story of four young male friends and their families. It follows them through a period from 1950's to 1990's swapping back and forth in time. Bev said it was too long a period and too much crammed in. She said it was easy to read. It had an abrupt ending. She also felt the female characters had no depth.
LESLEY: TERRITORY BY JUDY NUNN
This book was written in 2002. The story is about the bombing of Darwin. Lesley enjoyed parts of it as she had been to Darwin last year. It is set in the period from 1942 to the 1970's. There were parallel stories. One was the story of the sinking of the Batavia off the coast of Western Australia in 1629. Lesley said the facts were true. The current story was about an English girl who marries an Australian pilot who is domineering and chauvinistic. They settle outside Darwin. It explores the treatment of Aborigines and the discrimination of the Chinese. She felt it was stereotypical. It is a very long story so she hasn't finished. She quite enjoyed it for what it is.
Kris
In March we will be reading books by Michael Robotham - Watching You, The Suspect, Close Your Eyes and The Secrets She Keeps.
