Description: Raped and reduced to working in a brothel to keep her baby, unwed, teenage mother, Lizzie, forges a new life for herself and her child in remote Australia. But can she evade her persecutors? This is a story of a girl from inner Sydney. Her family is poor, her father dies when she is nine, life is hard. But her courage rises above adversity.
Brief description: About the Author Graham Wilson lives in Sydney Australia. He has completed and published nine books, including three in this Old Balmain House Series. His first novel in this series, tells the story of a small girl who went missing 100 years ago with her best friend and was never found, leaving a trail of grief down through generations until the finally her story is discovered. It is based in the real Balmain, an early inner Sydney suburb, with its real locations and historical events providing part of the story background. This second novel in this series, 'Lizzie's Tale' builds on "The Old Balmain House" setting, It is the story of a working class teenage girl who lives in this same house in the 1950s and 1960s, It tells of how she becomes pregnant she is determined not to surrender her baby for adoption, and her struggle to survive. The series concludes with the book 'Devils Choice' which follows the life of Lizzie's daughter Catherine and the awful choice she too must make through confronting her mother's rapists. Graham has also written five novels in the Crocodile Spirit Dreaming Series. The first novel 'An English Visitor' tells the story of an English backpacker, Susan, who visits the Northern Territory and becomes captivated and in great danger from a man who loves crocodiles. The second book in the series, 'Creature of an Ancient Dreaming', follows the consequences of the first book based around the discovery of this man's remains and the main character being placed on trial for murder. The third book, 'The Empty Place', is about the struggle of the main character to retain her sanity in jail while her family and friends desperately try to find out what really happened on that fateful day before it is too late. Book 4, 'Lost Girls' is the story of four missing backpackers whose lives are revealed in this man's diary. It is also the story of the search for the main character who has vanished too. Book 5, 'Sunlit Shadow Dance' concludes the series and begins with a girl who appears in a remote aboriginal community with no memory and how she rebuilds her life but alongside this come dark shadows that threaten to overwhelm her. Graham has also written a family memoir "Children of Arnhem's Kaleidoscope." It tells of his childhood in an aboriginal community in remote Arnhem Land, in Australia's Northern Territory, one of its last frontiers. It tells of the people, danger and beauty of this place, and of its transformation over the last half century with the coming of aboriginal rights and the discovery or uranium. It also tells of his surviving an attack by a large crocodile. In his non writing life he is a wildlife veterinarian working with zoo animals and on national parks.
Review Quotes:
Lizzies's tale - If we all had just some of Lizzies courage our world would be a much better place to live in. Such a nice story so interesting. Great read
A moving delight - A great story about a courageous young girl who triumphs despite adversity. The world needs more stories like this.
I absolutely loved both stories - I highly recommend you get to read. Definitely looking forward to reading more by this author. Awesome!!!! Held my attention to the very end
A truly inspiring story, brought teams to my eyes
Wonderful - A beautiful story that will stay with me. Loved it and wanted it to continue. One of the best I have read lately.
Lizzy's story - An amazing story, couldn't put it down. The author has written one of the best books I have read of this type. I was critical of the series he wrote at first but he had grown to be a favourite of mine. A dramatic, fast paced, loving and exciting story.
If I could give it 6 stars I would!!! - It is not often a book will bring actual tears to my eyes but this one did as well as kept me up well past bedtime. If it does not touch you similarly I would be very surprised!!!