Peninsula Records and Books
Free - Meg Keneally
Free - Meg Keneally
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Free
by Meg Keneally
Free by Meg Keneally tells the remarkable story of Molly Thistle, a defiant, resilient woman who rises from a humble background in 18th-century England to become a powerful figure in colonial Sydney. Born into poverty and hemmed in by societal expectations, Molly refuses to accept the constraints placed upon her. When a childhood incident forces her to flee in disguise, she embarks on a journey that will lead her to the harsh Australian penal colony. There, she confronts the unforgiving realities of a society where freedom is rare and power is reserved for a privileged few.
With grit, wit, and ambition, Molly carves out her own path, eventually building a mercantile empire despite fierce opposition. Inspired by historical events and real figures, Keneally captures both the struggles and triumphs of life in colonial Australia, illuminating the harshness of the penal system and the incredible determination of those who defied the odds. Free is an inspiring story of resilience, ambition, and the relentless pursuit of a better life in a time and place designed to prevent it.
Read if you like:
- The Secret River by Kate Grenville
- Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
- The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline
- Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
Listen to:
Album: Traveller by Chris Stapleton
Blurb
Blurb
'It is a harsh land - yes, for you especially - but people can also rise here ...'
Born into poverty in eighteenth-century England, her future was predetermined. But throughout her life Molly Thistle refused to follow the path laid out before her. Her headstrong nature, disdain for convention and desire for freedom were always destined to determine her fate.
Following her involvement in a fatal childhood prank, Molly dresses as a boy and flees on a stolen horse. Her new-found freedom ends with her arrest and an uncertain journey towards Britain's farthest prison colony.
Undaunted, Molly navigates her way through a society that denies power to her sex and scorns those who have not 'arrived free'. Her quick wit, resilience and ambition will attract the love of her life and the opportunity to forge a commercial empire. And those very same characteristics will create enemies intent on destroying all that she has battled to build for herself and her family.
Inspired by historical figures and actual events, Free shines a light on the indomitable figure who first made her appearance in The Wreck. In a story told with warmth and compassion for those who struggled, survived and sometimes even prevailed - and for those who did not - Meg Keneally once again brings the complexity and brutality of colonial Australia vividly to life.
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