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on April 28, 2013
You know, I did not shed one tear while reading this book. I go to write this review and the tears come. This is one of the most heartwarming stories I have read in a good long time. I applaud the author for being able to write this story with facts and letting the readers make up their own minds as to where their emotions will fall. That takes some strength.
The story is well written, clear and touching in many ways. The characters are believable, and you so relate to Myrtle and what she went through. The setting is eastern Australia in New South Wales during the 1930's - 1940's.
This was a time were propriety and outward appearances ruled. The face put forward was often one of lies for some people as with Mrs. John (Agnes) Bishop, AKA Ma Bishop. Ma Bishop was someone with a checkered past that very few people knew about, yet she felt the ability to chastise almost all others for not living the "good" life. I include this because at the last quarter of the book Myrtle's mother vents on Ma Bishop in a style where you just HAVE to cheer her on!
Myrtle fell in love with Henry Bishop at an early age and soon became pregnant. Myrtle's mother, doing her duty in keeping with those times, went to Mr. & Mrs. Bishop to make their son marry her daughter. Myrtle spent the remainder of their time with Henry stuck in a loveless marriage with a pampered, self indulgent, egomaniacal Mommy's Boy. It was not long before Henry took to cheating on Myrtle with the so called "family friend" Shirley.
What went on from here is going to anger the reader, so I will leave this part for you to read. Henry asks Myrtle for a divorce stating she is an unfit mother, and she left his marriage bed. She didn't and she wasn't.
Anyway, Myrtle soon meets the soon to be love of her life George. From here, the story is one of goodness and love for Myrtle with George. George is a good and kind man and showers Myrtle, and his 7 children with her, with love, kindness and compassion.
I do recommend this book very much. I think it is a great novel, and will show you what is really important in life.
The story is well written, clear and touching in many ways. The characters are believable, and you so relate to Myrtle and what she went through. The setting is eastern Australia in New South Wales during the 1930's - 1940's.
This was a time were propriety and outward appearances ruled. The face put forward was often one of lies for some people as with Mrs. John (Agnes) Bishop, AKA Ma Bishop. Ma Bishop was someone with a checkered past that very few people knew about, yet she felt the ability to chastise almost all others for not living the "good" life. I include this because at the last quarter of the book Myrtle's mother vents on Ma Bishop in a style where you just HAVE to cheer her on!
Myrtle fell in love with Henry Bishop at an early age and soon became pregnant. Myrtle's mother, doing her duty in keeping with those times, went to Mr. & Mrs. Bishop to make their son marry her daughter. Myrtle spent the remainder of their time with Henry stuck in a loveless marriage with a pampered, self indulgent, egomaniacal Mommy's Boy. It was not long before Henry took to cheating on Myrtle with the so called "family friend" Shirley.
What went on from here is going to anger the reader, so I will leave this part for you to read. Henry asks Myrtle for a divorce stating she is an unfit mother, and she left his marriage bed. She didn't and she wasn't.
Anyway, Myrtle soon meets the soon to be love of her life George. From here, the story is one of goodness and love for Myrtle with George. George is a good and kind man and showers Myrtle, and his 7 children with her, with love, kindness and compassion.
I do recommend this book very much. I think it is a great novel, and will show you what is really important in life.
on February 11, 2017
This is a very powerful book about people and their often screwed up relationships ships with their families and others. Having grown up with an extended family that often had a hard time distinguishing truth from fiction, I can certainly relate to the people in this memoir,
I am now in my seventies and am just now learning things that should have been out in the open in my own extended family. Many of these directly affected my life and my relationships with others. I now know how manipulative some of my relatives were and continue to be. I am thankful to be able to protect myself from them!
I am now in my seventies and am just now learning things that should have been out in the open in my own extended family. Many of these directly affected my life and my relationships with others. I now know how manipulative some of my relatives were and continue to be. I am thankful to be able to protect myself from them!
on March 9, 2017
A beautifully written memoir of a daughter who found out her mother had three children in her early life and had kept them a secret. She had been forced to give up her children by her cruel mother-in-law. However, Myrtle was a woman of strong spirit and things did get better in her life. (I don't want to give any spoilers). I shed many tears while reading it because it was so moving. I highly recommend this memoir but also a caveat. The depiction of a mother being forced from her children is rip your heart out kind of stuff so be aware of that if you pick this book up.
on February 10, 2017
I only read a few chapters. I did not enjoy the sexual content. More of a work of fiction as I'm sure the author's mother did not share this information with her. Too bad as maybe the story was a good one.
on May 18, 2013
If the story was just about Myrtle (mom) and why she lost her first three children, I would probably rate the story a four. But....This family secret was unearthed after Myrtles death. There was no perspective on her remaining children's feelings about this, about how they feel towards their mother and if they searched for their siblings. I felt incomplete after finishing the book and frustrated that the author would decide to stretch the story into another book that I am apprehensive about even reading.
on February 6, 2017
This is called a memoir but is fiction. The author never heard her mother's history directly from her and therefore fictionalised it, although basing it on the facts as she knew them and some records and anecdotes. She interweaves the fiction with her own memories of her mother. To my mind biography is biography and fiction is fiction. Either write a novel or stick to real life. JB Rowley offers as explanation that she is a 'storyteller', not a historian, in which case I would say stick to stories and call them by their right name. To add insult to injury she imagines her mother's sexual history in lurid detail. A bizarre creation, not improved by cliched writing and poor grammar and punctuation.
on February 15, 2017
This book is great example of people living with secrets because of "the shame". I find out "a secret" at the preparation for my father's, funeral that my mother was pregnant when they got married. It's taboo information to my family but others know the story and shocked we are unaware. This is an era proven to have many secrets, and sadly people are changed forever. Enjoyed this book, even with what has been added, the point is made. Definitely recommend to read.
on March 25, 2017
I wish books came with a warning for sexual material. This was not what I expected.
on February 4, 2017
Awkward prose, bad dialogue, very contrived. No wonder it is offered as a free book.
