The Curlew's Eye

Set on a property south of Darwin in northern Australia, Karen Manton has made the scenery and the weather the major features of  The Curlew's Eye as she tells the story of Joel, Greta and their three sons who have returned to Joel's family property. The plan is to restore old buildings and create a cabin so that the property can be sold and used as tourist accommodation. For the young boys this is an adventure but Greta soon realises that for her husband, not only does returning to the property bring back bad memories but that she knows little of his earlier life.

Coming from southern Australia, Greta has difficulty acclimatising to life in the northern outback, including the extreme weather, the environment, bushfires and being observed by the native curlews. This is complicated further when she tries to discover dynamics between Joel's family members and the real story concerning events in her husband's past. Her experiences on the property also force her to remember and come to accept tragic events in her past. This atmospheric family saga is another welcome addition to Australian fiction.