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The Broad Arrow

Being Passages from the History of Maida Gwynnham, a Lifer
By Olin Keese and Oline Keese
Series: Australian Classics Library
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Check link for latest rating. ( 15 ratings, 4 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Broad Arrow by Olin Keese is a compelling tale set in the harsh, unforgiving landscape of colonial Australia. It weaves a narrative around the struggles of a young woman who battles societal prejudices while seeking redemption and identity. The story explores themes of resilience, hope, and the search for belonging in a world marked by harsh judgements and rigid conventions.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$4799
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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?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate classic fiction that delves into themes of identity and redemption. It offers a compelling narrative set against a rich historical backdrop, engaging readers with its exploration of human resilience and societal challenges.

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Caroline Leakey, writing as Oline Keese, published her first and only novel, The Broad Arrow, in 1859. In this new critical edition, editor Jenna Mead restores material that was cut when the novel was reissued in a radically abridged version in 1886.

This restored Australian classic tells the story of a young middle-class woman lured into committing a forgery by her deceitful lover.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Caroline Leakey, writing as Oline Keese, published her first and only novel, The Broad Arrow, in 1859. It tells the story of Maida Gwynnham, a young middle-class woman lured into committing a forgery by her deceitful lover, Captain Norwell, and then wrongly convicted of infanticide.

The novel's title describes the arrow that was stamped onto government property, including the clothes worn by convicts - a symbol of shame and incarceration. With its 'fallen woman' protagonist, its gothic undertones and its exploration of the social and moral implications of the penal system, this little-known novel gives an insight into a significant chapter of Australian history from a uniquely female perspective.

In this new critical edition, editor Jenna Mead restores material that was cut for a radically abridged version in 1886, restoring for the first time in over a century the complete original text of Leakey's important work.

Series: Australian Classics Library

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  • The Broad Arrow
    Caroline Leakey, writing as Oline Keese, published her first and only novel, The Broad Arrow, in 1859. It tells the story of Maida Gwynnham, a young middle-class woman lured into committing a forgery by her deceitful lover, Captain Norwell, and then wrongly convicted of infanticide. The novel's title describes the arrow that was stamped onto government property, including the clothes...
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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?

The Broad Arrow is celebrated for providing an insightful depiction of Van Diemen’s Land, making it a valuable resource for historians and those interested in 19th-century Tasmania. It is recognised as an important colonial novel, praised for its textual scholarship and contribution to literary and cultural history. The critical edition by Mead is appreciated for its comprehensive research and contextualisation within Australian fiction's historical narratives.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781920899745

Publisher: Sydney University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 February 2019

Country: Australia

Imprint: Sydney University Press

Edition: Annotated edition

Illustration: 9 b&w ill., 1 table

Contributors:

  • Edited by Dr Jenna Mead

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 33.0mm

Width: 176.0mm

Height: 250.0mm

Weight: 400g

Pages: 338

Collections

Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction New Zealand and Australia Published Olin Keese Oline Keese Series: Australian Classics Library

About the Author

Caroline Woolmer Leakey (Oline Keese) was born in Exeter, England in 1827. She received limited schooling during her childhood, but read avidly, particularly poetry. While living in Van Diemen's Land with her sister, she began to write poetry, and she published her only volume of poetry Lyra Australis, or Attempts to Sing in a Strange Land in 1854. She died in 1881.

Jenna Mead is a senior honorary research fellow at the University of Western Australia.

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