Searching for Charlotte

In Searching for Charlotte, two sisters, authors Kate Forsyth and Belinda Murrell, set out to find the true story about their great x4 grandmother, Charlotte Waring Atkinson, who travelled to Australia in 1826 to work as a governess for members of the Macarthur family. The authors knew of many family stories about Charlotte and her husband, James Atkinson, but what was fact and what was fiction?  But what were the circumstances that brought Charlotte to New South Wales, why did the daughter of an apparently well off family need to work as a governess and what were the connections between the names of houses in New South Wales with locations in England? They also knew that Charlotte was the author of the first Australian children's book, A Mother's Offering to her Children - a compilation of lessons for children told in a fictional setting.

For part of the research Kate and Belinda visited family related locations in New South Wales and in England. On the trip to England they took their two daughters with them. When in England they visited villages, looked for possible family properties, explored churches and graveyards and generally looked for clues as to what life may have been like for their ancestors. 

The sisters arrived in England in June expecting the weather to be warm but it was often cold and wet. We have made similar expeditions to England in August and walked in the rain looking for family gravestones or buildings so I can sympathise. Still it is all part of the adventure of family history research and as the authors record, there is a special feeling locating a place where ancestors lived, worked or walked.

The book provides a useful guide for those researching their own family stories. It also provides a picture of what it was like living in Kent in the early nineteenth century. Comparisons are sometimes made to the works of Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte. Life in colonial New South Wales is also described -colonists attitudes to aboriginies, free seelers and convicts, bushrangers and women living in a male dominant society. 

The authors contribute different chapters to the book and repetition in the telling of the story does occur. However Searching for Charlotte generally provdes a readable account of tackling a project to reveal the truth about a family story.

Photos, detailed notes, a bibliography and an index provide clues to additional information.

The Heart of Stars

Book three of the Rhiannon Rides series by Kate Forsyth. There are two main plot threads in this book - Isabeau and Cloudshadow's quest back through time via the Heart of Stars to rescue Donncan and Thunderlily who had been captured as part of a plan to raise Brann the Raven from the dead plus the attempts by Rhiaanon and her friends to rescue Olwynne, Owein and Roden kidnapped by Lord Malvern to be used as sacrifices to also raise the dead. This story of intrigue, revenge, guilt, regret and love evolves as the characters attempt to defeat the evil that is trying to destroy Eileanan and its rulers.A satisfying conclusion to a an exciting fantasy trilogy.

The Shining City

Book two in the series Rhiannon's ride by Kate Forsyth. Arriving at the Shining City Rhiannon is taken to the Sorrowgate Tower where she is to await trial for the death of Connor, a trusted member of the Righ's guard. Meanwhile Lewen and the other apprentice witches attend classes at the Tower of the Two Moons.

All is not well in the Shining City. Rhiannon is visited in her cell by a ghost wanting her to help raise the dead, Olwynne and a number of other witches experience sinister dreams and the death of a senior witch diminishes the spell binding a threat to the kingdom. Two of the Righ's children, Owein and Olwynne, are fellow students with and friends of Lewen but when Olwynne realises that Lewen loves Rhiannon she uses a love spell to secure his love. Although Rhiannon's support base in the city grows the forces working against her ensure that she does not receive a fair trail. During the Mid Summer celebrations the Righ's son is to wed Bronwen primarily to secure the stability of peace between the many groups previously at war, however when the Righ is killed and his children and Nina's son Roden disappear it is obvious that evil forces abound. Isabeau the Keybearer sets out to destroy one source of evil while Rhiannon and her winged horse, Blackthorn set out to rescue Owein, Olwnne and Roden.

The intrigue within the city walls constitutes much of the first half of the book but once the actual trial takes place the action of the story moves up a pace leaving the reader wanting to read the conclusion of Rhiannon's Ride in book three.

The Tower of Ravens

This book by Australian author Kate Forsyth is the first volume in the series Rhiannon's Ride. Some years ago a friend introduced me to the Garth Nix's Old Kingdom trilogy which I enjoyed and recently a library patron recommended, when we were discussing fantasy, the books of Kate Forsyth.

One Horn's daughter is unlike the other satryicorns. Her father was human and she had not grown horns, important distinguishing features for satryicorns. She knows that she needs to escape the herd if she is to live so she captures a winging horse and manages to flee the mountains to a new life. This is just the beginning of the adventure as she joins a caravan of witches and apprentice witches as they head to the Tower of Two Moons. During the journey a decision is made to travel via a shorter route via the remnants of the Tower of Ravens, a dangerous area haunted by the dead and the nearby castle lauded over by the Laird Malvern MacFerris and his sister-in-law lady Evaline. With Lewen's help Rhiannon manages to survive the journey and discovers that she too has special powers, not only over horses but the ability to use stronger magic.

I look forward to reading the other two books in this series and also the books in the earlier series - the Witches of Eileanan.