Zoë Fairbairns

"Five generations of women through the history of their emancipation"
By sally tarbox on 24 January 2017
Format: Kindle Edition
Lent me by an acquaintance; this was SO much better than I anticipated.
It begins with two sisters in 1855; the younger, Helena, has just made a 'good' marriage while the more independent Sarah turns her back on a future living in her sister's home and sets sail for Australia with the aim of buying her own farm.
Now knowing this was a family saga written from a feminist show more perspective, I was just waiting for Sarah to become a wealthy landowner, but it doesn't quite pan out like that - it's much more believable and interesting.
The future generations of women whom the narrative follows are not all mothers and daughters, but there is a link somewhere: Pearl, daughter of a loose-living barmaid; Ruby, who learns to be a secretary and ends up in India, a nameless prison wardress, and 1970s Jackie, with her ideas on women's liberation and free love...
A very entertaining and well-written light read. show less

I've always liked Zoe Fairbairns' books, with reservations. She sometimes lets the feminism get in the way of a good story. This doesn't happen here, though the main male character (Boniface Bennett, believe it or not) isn't a great example of blokedom.

I liked the wit in the writing, I also liked the originality: this is only book I'm aware of that's centred around the Lloyds Names disaster. I certainly felt the pain of the 'Name' in the book, as she got deeper and deeper into the brown show more stuff!

The description of Heather's rather squalid living conditions, and early life, were well done too. However, the storyline got a bit too surreal for me when we got into the realms of the foster family-that-never-were. What on earth was that all about? But overall, a good book, Zoe Fairbairns' best one as far as I'm concerned. show less

This tells the story of several generations of women and the challenges they meet along the way. From the mid 19th century right up to the 1970s. The different chapters feature the different time periods and take the story forward. Covering major events we see how life for women was often subject to the whims of men.

The story of Sarah was the most important one I felt. She travels to Australia at a time when this wasn't easy for a woman alone and has many hardships there. We go with her in show more good times and bad and her influence is felt by the succeeding generations.

The book doesn't gloss over the hardships endured and shows how women far from being weak prove to be strong and resilient.

I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good saga with the background of real events. show less

Just reread this after some years and enjoyed teh picture of 1960s Britain with CND marches leading into the feminist era. The story is dominated by a bullying and philandering father whose wife connives at the way he treats her and their daughters. Feminist angle without being too polemical. good cahracterisation of daughters and great evocation of 50s/60s family life. Plot sags a bit in the middle and I felt teh ending could have been stronger, but would definitely recommend.