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By: Larissa Behrendt
Narrated by: Tamala Shelton
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About this listen

A story of homecoming, this engrossing novel opens with a young, city-based lawyer setting out on her first visit to ancestral country. Candice arrives at ‘the place where the rivers meet’, the camp of the Eualeyai where in 1918 her grandmother Garibooli was abducted. As Garibooli takes up the story of Candice’s Aboriginal family, the twentieth century falls away.

Garibooli, now renamed Elizabeth, is sent to work as a housemaid, but marriage soon offers escape from the terror of the master’s night-time visits. Her displacement carries into the lives of her seven children—their stories witness to the impact of orphanage life and the consequences of having dark skin in post-war Australia. Vividly rekindled, the lives of her family point the direction home for Candice.

©2009 Larissa Behrendt (P)2022 Audible Australia Pty Ltd. Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction World Literature Emotionally Gripping Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking Tear-jerking War

Critic Reviews

"A stunning first novel. Behrendt creates vivid characters whose convincing inner lives bring this story of loss and survival powerfully to life." (Kate Grenville, author of The Secret River)

"An outstanding, rich literary production of a life journey through a complex family history." (Alexis Wright, author of Carpentaria)
All stars
Most relevant  
I enjoyed this story so much I listened to it twice. An heartfelt insight into the generational effects of the Australian Aborigines' stolen generation. Highly recommended listening.

The sad truth about Australian history

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I had no expectations when I picked up this book, and was happily surprised. I love how a story, and historical facts and events combined. I sometimes have trouble listening to non fiction, but many of the facts in this book will stay with me. I enjoyed how it started in modern times and went back, and how each generation was affected by the stolen generation. I need to read more.

Great story, brilliant narration

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I felt engaged by this story, beautifully narrated and written.
Kept me captured with this yet true insights

Beautifully depicted story

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This story was hard to hear, but important to hear. It was told well & I enjoyed it.

Good book

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Such an excellent woven story demonstrating the inter-generational trauma that impacts so far beyond the initial set of circumstances. This book makes you feel it all.

LOVED It

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I really enjoyed this story. The telling of history through many generations of trauma and the loss of family. A sad injustice

A compelling story

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This should be read in high schools across Australia. So much depth, so much history, so much emotion… I am lost for words to describe this story except to say read it now!

Beautifully touching and told

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Such a moving challenging story. Loved every moment of it. The history is so moving and somewhat uncomfortable.
Highly recommend it

Brilliant

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The story kept my interest. A challenging storyline that the author did a good job of weaving together so many characters. I would have liked to see a family tree to help keep track!
The narration, however, was the worst I've heard of any audio book. There were a few mispronunciation, but that was nowhere near as annoying as the inappropriate inflections, stops in the middle of sentences, and emphasis in the wrong places. This happened incessantly and was very distracting.

Enjoyed the book, but performance was distracting

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Thoroughly absorbing family history laying bare the tragedy of the stolen generation as well as the resilience at the heart of our First Nations people. Loved it.

Just wonderful

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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.