Miles McGinty
by Tom Gilling
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Description
New South Wales, 1856: Miles McGinty and Isabel Dowling are born on the same night into different worlds. Miles is the illegitimate son of an actress in a troupe of travelling players, Isabel the rebellious daughter of a merchant banker, her home a red-brick mansion in one of Sydney's better suburbs. Both are destined to defy convention - and gravity. She rides in a balloon at the age of seven, defying the tweed-coated official who'd asked for a boy. He learns to float in mid-air with the show more aid of a mysterious showman and storyteller. But Miles becomes possessed by a secret ambition, the desire to build and ride in a flying machine. When his path finally crosses Isabel's, he knows he's met the only person who can share his adventurous vision. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
Not much to say about this book - and I have been thinking about it since I finished it last night.
It was a pleasant read...but there is nothing that I can point to that makes it stand out for me. It is a snapshot of a time and place (Australia - late 1800s)...and two people whose lives keep intersecting and finally join...and...and...
And that's about it. I like how he describes the landscape and the never ending sky - but I don't think that really counts as a book review. Sorry.
It was a pleasant read...but there is nothing that I can point to that makes it stand out for me. It is a snapshot of a time and place (Australia - late 1800s)...and two people whose lives keep intersecting and finally join...and...and...
And that's about it. I like how he describes the landscape and the never ending sky - but I don't think that really counts as a book review. Sorry.
A sweet story, which surprisingly reminded me a bit of Eucalyptus. A little touch of magical realism in the tale.
Short, cute book you can read in a day. Nice but nothing special.
A beautiful, funny little tale, about a boy born to fly and his attempts to do so.
Reminds me of "100 yrs. of solitude" - pretty interesting.
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Author Information
14+ Works 354 Members
Tom Gilling is an acclaimed novelist. The Sooterkin, Miles McGinty and Dreamland have all been published in Australia, London and New York. His non-fiction works include The Lost Battalions and Project Rainfall. He is also co-author with Clive Small of the highly successful Smack Express, Blood Money, Evil Life and Milat.
Some Editions
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Miles McGinty
- Original title
- Miles McGinty
- Original publication date
- 2001
- Important places
- balloon
- Dedication
- for
Rosemary - First words
- Harry Brutus Fitzpatrick lay sprawled on the stage of the Prince of Wales theatre, his tiny slippered feet protruding like asparagus tips from the hem of a black fur coat.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Wolunsky picked up his cigar and let the smoke dissolve among the branches.
- Disambiguation notice
- also published as The Adventures of Miles and Isabel
Classifications
- Genres
- Fiction and Literature, General Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance
- DDC/MDS
- 823.914 — Literature & rhetoric English & Old English literatures English fiction 1900- 1901-1999 1945-1999
- LCC
- PR9619.3 .G538 .M35 — Language and Literature English English Literature English literature: Provincial, local, etc.
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 67
- Popularity
- 467,579
- Reviews
- 5
- Rating
- (3.32)
- Languages
- Dutch, English, French
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 13
