In The Land Of The Long White Cloud by Sarah Lark– 666 pages
Book Blurb:
Helen Davenport, governess for a wealthy London household, longs for a family of her own—but nearing her late twenties and with no dowry, her prospects are dim. Responding to an advertisement seeking young women to marry New Zealand’s honorable bachelors, she corresponds with a gentleman farmer. When her church offers to pay her travels under an unusual arrangement, she jumps at the opportunity. Meanwhile, not far away in Wales, beautiful and daring Gwyneira Silkham, daughter of a wealthy sheep breeder, is bored with high society. But when a mysterious New Zealand baron deals her father an unlucky blackjack hand, Gwyn’s hand in marriage is suddenly on the table. Her family is outraged, but Gwyn is thrilled to escape the life laid out for her. The two women meet on the ship to Christchurch—Helen traveling in steerage, Gwyn first class—and become unlikely friends. When their new husbands turn out to be very different than expected, the women help one another in ways they never anticipated. Set against the backdrop of colonial nineteenth-century New Zealand, In the Land of the Long White Cloud is a soaring saga of friendship, romance, marriage and adventure.
My Review: 3.5 stars
Thanks to a reader on my Tell Me What You’re Reading Tuesday Facebook page for sharing this title with me. It was a historical fiction multi-generational saga filled with forbidden love, an immense amount of sheep sheering, enduring friendship, difficult marriages and aboriginal relationships that reminded me somewhat of The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough. The author did a fine job of setting the story in New Zealand in the early 19th century when new settlers went there for gold mining, sheep farming, whaling or sealing. The two main protagonists ended up there for different reasons however. One was sent to marry a stranger, as a gambling debt, and the other was a mail order bride. These two women displayed all the attributes of strong, independent women in a time when women were obviously not treated as such. Although I really enjoyed the book, there was much that could’ve been edited. Some of the scenes with the sheep sheering seemed endless as did some of the whaling and sealing expeditions. Not sure if the translation from German to English was a reason for this or not.
Overall though, I enjoyed the plight of these two women. There were many coincidences and happenstances that led to their ultimate conclusions that were somewhat farfetched, but it didn’t bother me as it may some. It was a great escape to a place I’ve never been.
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