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A review by cathylpowell
Fled by Meg Keneally
4.0
Fled opens somewhere in the Tasman Sea, off New South Wales in April 1791. There is a woman, two children and some men in a boat. But you are given a brief glimpse of what is going on here.
Then you go back in time to Southern Cornwall and 1783. Jenny's father has died and she holds the King responsible. Given that the people have had to pay heavy taxes in order to fund a war. Jenny doesn't like struggling and she is presented with an opportunity to become a highway woman. So she steals from people in order to survive, until things no longer go her way and she is caught. The usual punishment for stealing is hanging, but this is not what happens to Jenny. Instead she is transported to Australia. She becomes pregnant on the voyage out there and then ends up pairing with one of the other men from the ship so she doesn't become a target for sexual favours since she is single.
She dreams of being free as does her husband and they come up with a plan to escape.
They do escape but I don't wish to go into much detail and spoil what happens.
What is interesting is that this book is based on the life of Mary Bryant.
I thought it was a highly enjoyable book and I'd like to read further about Mary Bryant.
Then you go back in time to Southern Cornwall and 1783. Jenny's father has died and she holds the King responsible. Given that the people have had to pay heavy taxes in order to fund a war. Jenny doesn't like struggling and she is presented with an opportunity to become a highway woman. So she steals from people in order to survive, until things no longer go her way and she is caught. The usual punishment for stealing is hanging, but this is not what happens to Jenny. Instead she is transported to Australia. She becomes pregnant on the voyage out there and then ends up pairing with one of the other men from the ship so she doesn't become a target for sexual favours since she is single.
She dreams of being free as does her husband and they come up with a plan to escape.
They do escape but I don't wish to go into much detail and spoil what happens.
What is interesting is that this book is based on the life of Mary Bryant.
I thought it was a highly enjoyable book and I'd like to read further about Mary Bryant.