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A Far-flung Life

From the author of the global bestseller The Light Between Oceans

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A Far-flung Life

By: M.L. Stedman
Narrated by: Lewis Fitz-Gerald
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About this listen

 'An Australian classic in the making.' Australian Women's Weekly

'A rich Australian epic.' New York Times

'A masterful examination of loss . . . A remarkable, poignant tale.' Guardian

'A satisfying and superior work of commercial fiction.' The Australian

'A masterful saga well worth the wait . . . Beautifully written and deeply moving.' Sydney Morning Herald

'Stedman mixes big emotions with beautiful writing to intoxicating effect.' Good Housekeeping

'An uplifting, moving and utterly absorbing novel.' Irish Times

Western Australia, 1958: here, for generations, the MacBrides have lived on a remote sheep station, Meredith Downs. A million acres, it's an ocean of arid land.

One ordinary day, on a lonely road, patriarch Phil MacBride swerves to avoid a kangaroo. In seconds, the lives of his entire family are shattered.

Then, instead of leaving them to heal, fate comes back for them in a twist of consequences that will cause one of them to lose their life, and another to sacrifice theirs for the sake of an innocent child. Matt, the youngest MacBride, is plunged into a moral and emotional journey for which there is no map, no guide, as he is forced to choose between love and duty, sacrifice and happiness.

A Far-flung Life explores the lives of a handful of isolated souls and the secrets they shield in order to survive. A tale of family and belonging, of compassion and hope, it's about people trying to do their best, and each, for private reasons, seeking shelter from the storm of life.

From the author of the acclaimed international bestseller The Light Between Oceans comes a breathtaking and epic novel set in the vast outback of Western Australia.

'A big, bold story of tragedy and resilience. I was completely swept away.' BONNIE GARMUS, author of Lessons in Chemistry

'Heart-wrenching and beautifully set. A gorgeous feast of a novel about family, community, love and the lengths we will go to save them all.' RACHEL JOYCE, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

'M.L. Stedman's new novel A Far-flung Life was well-worth the wait. Epic, grand, intimate and aching, it is a novel that carries its secrets in hidden places, burying its wounds in the vast, empty landscape of Western Australia and in the broken hearts of its characters. I loved it.' MIRANDA COWLEY HELLER, author of The Paper Palace

'Utterly glorious. I have so much love for these characters - I felt their regrets, yet just as deeply, Stedman's compassion. A truly brilliant novel.' FLORENCE KNAPP, author of The Names

'Truly a masterpiece. The kind of book you will remember for the rest of your life, and I love the very bones of it.' JOANNA CANNON, author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep

'One of those rare books that fill the soul.' DONAL RYAN, author of Heart, Be at Peace

'Magnificent. I never wanted it to end. Unforgettable characters, epic emotional texture and spell-binding prose. This is not just a good book, it's a Great Novel - one I think we'll all be remembering, recommending and re-reading for generations to come.' ANNA DOWNES, author of Red River Road

'A world, a story, a cast of characters I truly lost myself in.' JENNIE GODFREY, author of The List of Suspicious Things

'Mesmerising and unforgettable, this sweeping novels aches with life's impossible choices, thrums with love and pain, and imprints itself on your heart.' JOANNA GLEN, author of The Other Half of Augusta Hope 20th Century Editors Select Historical Historical Fiction Heartfelt Tear-jerking
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this was probably the best book IV ever listened to. a story of the hardships, heartbreak and love and life in early Australia. beautifully narrated by a voice that so matched every character.

what a beautiful, tragic story

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wonderfully descriptive dialogue with interesting web of family, love and drama and survival Beautilful heart felt story

descriptive

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Wow! Fourteen years since The Light Between Oceans and so worth waiting for. I haven’t been so invested in a book for years…the story, the balance, the language, the imagery…Hope you love it as much as I have

Well worth waiting for…

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M.L.Stedman creates a story telling that is confronting and challenging to your senses that underlies the human tragedies of these characters lives.
The predicament that seems impossible to resolve. The innocence of a child that laces the story into the future. And a secret that lives a lifetime.
The story evokes sadness, empathy and yet hope for a more understanding and compassionate future.
I loved this story.

Captivating from start to finish.

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An epic novel set in West Australia spanning three generations with an everyday incident (a kangaroo crossing a road), triggering a number of significant events that impact lives for many years to come. The book is rich in content and similar to Light between the Oceans, it's highly emotive. The central theme is secrecy and whether some secrets should never be shared.

Glorious

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.