The Fourth Princess

The Fourth Princess by Janie Chang is a novel set in Shanghai, China, in 1911. Lisan Liu, an orphan, has spent most of her young life living in the home of Master Liu who has ensured that she has a good education. However he is reluctant to allow her to go to work to earn her own living.  She applies for a job anyway working as a secretary for Caroline Stanton, an American who has recently arrived in the city and needs a staff member who speaks English as well as Chinese. Lisan accepts the job and moves into the mansion, Lennox Manor, where the Stantons reside.

Reading this gothic novel provides a background of the unrest about to occur in Shanghai at this time. Lennox Manor also has its secrets and there is every appearance of the house being haunted. Caroline Stanton knows that she needs to make an impression within the expat community so therefore organises an evening of entertainment to meet the local establishment. However all does not go to plan as one of the guests hints that he knows something of Caroline's past while another guest corners Lisan convinced that she knows who she really is.

Lisan discovers the diary of Rosalie, a former resident of the house, who has mysteriously disappeared. It is believed that Rosalie's ghost haunts the house. Lisan is convinced that she has seen an apparition in a red dress who is asking for help. This makes it difficult for Lisan to sleep at night and also helps revive nightmares relating to Lisan's past.  Lisan's fears increase but she she is reluctant to leave without resolving the issue of the ghost. Then Caroline's husband died.

Throughout the novel there is a sense of fear and impending danger as well as mysteries of the past yet to be resolved. There is also the fear of political unrest in the country. All is not what it seems. Who can be trusted?

The Fourth Princess was one of the books on the shortlist for Monash University Alumni Book Club for January 2027.

My Brilliant Career

Sybilla Melville lives with her family on their farm. Life is quite comfortable until her father decides to relocate the family to another property which ends in the family living in poverty. Sybilla is 16 and not happy with her lifestyle. Her mother wants her to get a job to earn money to support the family. When her grandmother and aunt invite Sybilla to stay on their property, Sybilla quickly accepts and enjoys living in a more comfortable lifestyle. She also meets a local landowner, Harold, who shows an interest in her. 

My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin is the story of a young girl's life as recounted by Sybilla. Sybilla is conscious that she is not a beauty when compared with other young women and seems incapable of accepting that outward beauty is not the prime accessory to a successful life. She is well aware that she is expected to marry and be a good wife supporting her husband but Sybilla is convinced that there is more to life than that.

Then Sybilla's life changes again during the 1890s depression and she is forced to work as a governess on a farm owned by a friend of her father. She knows that there is more to life than this and struggles to survive supporting her family. Living back home Sybilla continues to struggle fitting in with family life. The title of the book comes from from a statement made by Sybilla when she has yet another an argument with her mother. This was life – my life – my career, my brilliant career!

My Brilliant Career was published in 1901 and is a story about life faced by many women at that time. It was withdrawn from publication by the author in 1910 but republished after her death. The edition that I read is a Text Classic published in 2012 with many reprints, the latest in 2025.

Miles Franklin left money in her will for an annual award for Australian authors - The Miles Franklin Award. 

My Brilliant Career was one of the books on the shortlist for Monash University Alumni Book Club for January 2027.

Further reading: 

My Brilliant Career - National Museum of Australia

My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin - Bookshelf Fantasies 

My Brilliant Career - Bayside Council Libraries  

Hope Rises

Walter Nash, now disguised as Dillon Hope is working as a security guard to Victoria Steers. This part of the story begins in Hong Kong where preparations are made to rescue Steers' mother who is imprisoned in Myanmar. Although Nash is successful all does not go to plan but he still eventually manages to get the rescued woman back to Hong Kong. 

Hope (Nash) is not working for Steers because he wants to but because Nash wants to find a way to make Steers suffer for arranging the murder of Nash's daughter. Steers considers Walter Nash as an enemy and wants him killed. She does not realise the true identity of her trusted security guard, Dillon Hope.

Once again in Hope Rises, the sequel to Nash Falls,  David Baldacci has written a tense fast paced crime novel with continual action as the wars between drug lords increases. Who can be trusted? Is anything as it seems? Relationships between the main characters fluctuate throughout the book. With so many dangerous people vying for power, secrets must be kept if people are to survive.

Dear Enemy

Dear Enemy by Jean Webster was first published in 1915 and is the sequel to Daddy-Long-Legs which was published in 1912. Both books are written as correspondence. Sally MacBride went to college with Judy Abbott and much of their friendship is described in the first book. In Dear Enemy Sally, who has spent the past few years as a socialite, reluctantly agrees to take charge of the John Grier Home for Children, the children's home where Judy spent her life before college. 

In Sally's correspondence to Judy we learn of the the challenges and joys Sally encounters when trying to improve the conditions of the home for the one hundred plus children living there. Letters are also written to a politician friend and to the local doctor who works with her at the children's home and who she comes to refer to as 'Dear Enemy' in her correspondence.

As well as providing a usually amusing account of the life of the women writing the letters in Dear Enemy and Daddy-Long-Legs the author provides an insight into life and expectations for young women in the first part of the twentieth century. Penguin Books published both the books in one volume in 2004. It contains an introduction to the books by Elaine Showalter. Jean Webster drew the illustrations used throughout both novels.

Massif

Garth Nix is a well known Australian author of fantasy novels both for adults and young adult readers. His latest novel, Massif, takes the reader into space where communities have established bases on Massifs - pieces of mountainous land that have been propelled into space where they are controlled by an avatar. The avatar provided visitors with craft called Basics which could be used for space expeditions. Much of the equipment that came from outside the world of Massifs would not work in a Massif environment. Those who arrived from earth had therefore to rely on Massif technology when in a region controlled by Massifs. The number of Massifs grew and were often used as bases for battles in space.

One spacecraft operating from the DrummerBoy Massif was Sassafras which was operated by Parnell, Kaz, Ricka, Shille, Aditi and Murad. On one mission Sassafras and other craft from the squadron were attacked. Kaz had left the main ship in a rider, a smaller craft, in order to assist in the battle. Then she disappeared. The Sassafras managed to return to base but was confirmed to be out of action. The crew wanted to rescue Kaz but first they needed a new craft for the mission. To complicate matters the DrummerBoy Massif was being evacuated. Parnell and his team were on their own with their actions monitored by the whim of the avatar, DrummerBoy.

The novel, Massif by Garth Nix, involves the reader with the challenges faced by Parnell and his team as they attempt to rescue their team member and also learn to understand more about the avatar which is attempting to control their lives. 

Massif - Readings

Massif - New Zealand Book Lovers

Daddy-Long-Legs

When The Correspondent by Virginia Evans was announced as the 2026 Women's Prize for Fiction where the story is revealed through a series of letters written by the main character, I immediately thought of the book, Daddy Long Legs, written and illustrated by Jean Webster, which I enjoyed reading, and rereading, many years ago. I still have my copy which was given to me probably around 1960. Consequently I decided to read the book again and enjoyed returning to the world of Judy Abbott.

Judy Abbott is an orphan who has spent her life living and working in an orphanage. But her life changes when one of the orphanage trustees, who wants to remain anonymous, offers her the chance to attend college for four years. The only payment he requests is that she write to him about her progress each month. He will not be replying to her letters.

Judy's story, past and present, is therefore told in the letters that she writes to a man that she only knows by a version of his shadow that she spied when he left the orphanage. He was obviously very tall and thin so she called him Daddy-Long-Legs. 

At college Judy makes some new friends including Sally McBride and Julia Rutledge Pendleton and during the holidays has the opportunity to stay at a farm and visit the home of friends. Judy's life has definitely changed for the better and, via the help of Daddy-Long-Legs she has the opportunity to live an interesting life with many possibilities.

Re-reading this book in 2026 I enjoyed following the adventures and misadventures of Judy Abbott once again. Daddy Long Legs was first published in 1912, reprinted many times (the copy I own was reprinted in 1956 - the 79th reprint) and translated into many languages. In 2025 it was republished in the Penguin Puffin series. The novel has been the basis of a number of stage plays plus film versions in 1919 and 1955. The sequel to the book is Dear Enemy published in 1915.

On Re-Reading Daddy Long Legs - Literary Ladies Guide  

The Frock Shop

Set in Mossman, a suburb of Sydney overlooking the harbour, The Frock Shop by Sophie Green is a novel about friendship as a group of women sort out challenges faced in their daily lives. The time frame of the book is from September 1991 to early 1992. 

Daphne, now in her 70s has worked in different versions of the shop which she currently manages as a charity clothing store. She encourages her friend Adelaide who has recently returned from a career in music in Europe to volunteer in the shop. When an actress, Christina, returns from America, she also agrees to help. Margot is a regular visitor to the shop who Daphne realises needs help as does school-girl, Lucy, who is interested in fashion and enjoys exploring the items in the store.

It was a while before I became involved in reading the book as the first chapters, that focused on introducing the characters and providing part of the back-story, were a little slow. However once the main plot began I enjoyed following the interaction between the women as they faced a variety of challenges in their lives. 

Throughout the book there are also a number of pages devoted to describing the story of an item of clothing that may now be located in the shop as well as what happens to that clothing item when purchased by a new owner. The Frock Shop will be enjoyed by those who enjoy reading about the friendship formed between a group of women from different backgrounds and experiences except they they form a common interest in clothes and fashion.