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Restless Dolly Maunder
Shortlisted for the 2024 Women's Prize for Fiction
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Restless Dolly Maunder
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
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Description
Restless Dolly Maunder is shortlisted for the 2024 Women's Prize for Fiction.
An exquisite portrait of Kate Grenville's complex, conflicted grandmother—a woman Kate feared as a child, and only came to understand in adulthood.
Dolly Maunder was born at the end of the nineteenth century, when society's long-locked doors were starting to creak ajar for women. Growing up in a poor farming family in country New South Wales but clever, energetic, and determined, Dolly spent her restless life pushing at those doors.
Most women like her have disappeared from view, remembered only in family photo albums as remote figures in impossible clothes, or maybe for a lemon-pudding recipe handed down through the generations. Restless Dolly Maunder brings one of these women to life as someone we can recognise and whose struggles we can empathise with.
In this compelling new novel, Kate Grenville uses family memories to imagine her way into the life of her grandmother. This is the story of a woman, working her way through a world of limits and obstacles, who was able—if at a cost—to make a life she could call her own. Her battles and triumphs helped to open doors for the women who came after.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Kate Grenville's Restless Dolly Maunder has been widely praised for its insightful portrayal of a determined woman overshadowed by her historical surroundings. Reviewers highlight Grenville's skill in interweaving memoir, biography, and fiction to bring to life the complexities and humanity of her grandmother's experiences. The book is noted for its vivid and evocative writing that captures both the historical context and the personal struggles of a woman who shaped her era. Critics commend Grenville for her compassionate exploration of family history, revealing the redemptive power of love and the intricacies of personal relationships.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781922790330
Publisher: Text Publishing
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 18 July 2023
Country: Australia
Imprint: The Text Publishing Company
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 29.0mm
Width: 161.0mm
Height: 240.0mm
Weight: 487g
Pages: 304
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About the Author
Kate Grenville is one of Australia's most celebrated writers. Her international bestseller The Secret River was awarded local and overseas prizes, has been adapted for the stage and as an acclaimed television miniseries, and is now a much-loved classic. Grenville's other novels include Sarah Thornhill, The Lieutenant, Dark Places and the Orange Prize winner The Idea of Perfection. Her recent non-fiction includes One Life- My Mother's Story, The Case Against Fragrance and Elizabeth Macarthur's Letters. Her most recent novel is the bestselling A Room Made of Leaves. She has also written three books about the writing process. In 2017 Grenville was awarded the Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature. kategrenville.com.au
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