Review by MaryPowers88 -- Ironbark Hill by Jennie Linnane

[MaryPowers88]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Ironbark Hill" by Jennie Linnane.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Ironbark Hill
by Jennie Linnane


Natalie’s story begins at her sixteenth birthday. No longer a child and awakening to womanhood, the following year is filled with highs and lows of learning to stand in her own power. She navigates her home life, living with an alcoholic step-father, Alex, whose abuse is centered upon her mother and her. Enduring the mercurial mood swings of Alex, ever watchful of raging fists determined to disempower them both, Natalie’s fantasies of revenge lull her to sleep at night.


Natalie is fiercely protective of those she loves, her mother, her grandfather, her siblings; a brother with the body of a young man and the mind of a child, her two younger sisters, and the heifer, Molly, she’s raised on her own.


With her inherited dark features from her father’s half-Aboriginal roots, she battles the prejudice of race prevalent in the culture of the early 1950’s and her own self-perception of beauty. Natalie’s courageous determination to discover the mystery surrounding her father’s death is an undercurrent in her journey towards understanding and acceptance of who she is and who she is becoming.


Natalie finds solace with her employers, the Glovers. Her world is opened to art, encouragement, and love. The eccentric Mrs. Glover, an artist, guides Natalie to discover her own talent while Mr. Glover is a guide of a different kind.


Told in the first person, Natalie’s view of events during that tumultuous year kept my interest throughout the reading of this book. The tension between scenes, the sensory descriptions of the landscape in the Southern Hemisphere where Christmas is mid-summer, and the lyrical usage of words by the author engulfed me in Natalie’s experience. So much so, that I had to put down the book several times to process the emotions it brought up in me. Alternating between rage, indignation, and horror at some of the scenes, I rooted for Natalie on every page.

The richness of the sub-characters introduced exquisitely by the author, blended enough humor to allow a breath of relief while reading some of the tougher passages.


The only criticism I have is regarding the cover art. I would have passed by the book based on the cover had I not been intrigued by the summary and previous reviews. After reading the book, the cover made more sense to me and is no reflection on the author’s skill as an artist. Yet I believe a different cover would appeal to a wider audience. With the age of the character, it could do well in the YA genre, as well as Contemporary Fiction and Romance genres currently placed on the Amazon website.


I’m glad I read this book and highly recommend it. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Natalie’s story will stay with me with a deep satisfaction that only a reading good book can bring. I look forward to reading more from this author.

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Ironbark Hill
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