Review of Ironbark Hill
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Mazher Rizvi-Mazoo
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Review of Ironbark Hill
[Following is a volunteer review of "Ironbark Hill" by Jennie Linnane.]
Ironbark Hill authored by Jennie Linnane is a simple story of a growing little girl Natalie surrounded by a loving family of parents and siblings who grows up in a rural setting away from the hub-hub of large cities and is so used to the tranquil environment that all the hard work and discomforts of life could not take away the gaiety, mirth, love, and laughter from her. Like all growing girls, she too had dreams and fantasies of the new and liberated world of sweet sixteens. With the tragic loss of her father and the second marriage of her Mother to Alex, Natalie was confronted with a drunkard Stepfather who turned into a tyrant under the influence of alcohol. Natalie’s Mother Irma had succumbed to living a miserable life with Alex. Having gone through a vicious beating by Alex herself, and seeing Joey her slow brother subjected to Alex’s tortures, Natalie took up her role as a protector and savior of her Mother and Joey and turned into a defiant young lady who made no pretense of her hatred for Alex. Alex in his drunken stupor obsessed with selling off Natalie’s Heifer, which Natalie had secretly moved away, confronted Natalie and beat her up violently in front of the horrified children, and her Mother. Seeing Natalie all bruised and battered Irma finally loses her self-control and asks Alex to leave the house. Much to Natalie’s dismay his lamenting and begging soften Irma and Alex doesn’t leave but for Natalie, life thereon seemed much better. Natalie continued to work at her employer Mr & Mrs. Grover. As her teenage impulses begin to develop, Natalie’s libido takes over, she is attracted to Grover and gives up her virginity to a man twice her age with little or no remorse. Life turns ugly for Natalie after a series of incidences involving a childhood friend of Alex who discovers Natalie’s relationship with Grover and resorts to blackmailing Natalie into having sex with him. Alex on the other hand also knows about the affair and demands Natalie give him the Heifer. Natalie is subjected to intense turmoil, pain, and misery as she fights a losing battle. Where does it all end? What was the fate of Natalie, Irma, Joey, and the kids? Jennie Linnane takes you through a painful journey and a continuous battle with destiny.
Ironbark Hill is a simple story of a family living in poverty in a far-flung rural remote land in an era where it was customary for Men to be dominating figures and women as oppressed entities. Considering the time- period, racial differences, and deprivations of people, there seems to be nothing extraordinary in the happenings narrated by the central character Natalie. However, I loved the book simply because it is so well written. Every element of nature, every actor be they old or young, and every animal be it cows or dogs, has been described so vividly that you seem to get to know them personally and mingle with them as you go through the book. An amazing aspect of the story is that even as a male, an adult, a husband, and Father to a daughter I could relate to the story and empathize with Natalie, her Mom, Mrs. Grover, and even Alex. As a reader, I would begin to judge the characters, their ethics, and morality based on their actions but I cannot unless I belong to the world they live in, and unless I realize that each of the characters developed into what they were in the story after having gone through traumatic experiences. That is exactly what this simple little story did. Dragged me into the broken down house on Ironbark Hill. The story does more to you than just reading pleasure. It takes you across continents into the remote lands where poverty, sickness, death, and crime prevails. Where young teenage girls are raped, molested, and murdered every day, and yet they have accepted their way of life to survive. As I said before, the story is simple and flows smoothly without unwanted deviations and digressions to captivate the readers with commercial intent.
There were one or two instances that appeared superfluous and unwanted. One was the visit of Snow and Elaine, Irma’s childhood friends which did not have a major impact on the story except for a change in Natalie’s hairstyle suggested by Marion, Elaine’s daughter, and secondly the misfitting dress of Natalie which served as an excuse for Grover to return home where Natalie was all alone. These are simply my observations and do not imply any deficiencies in the book.
Ironbark Hill is a well-worded story and professionally edited. It is recommended for all teenage and adult readers male or female. I would rate it 4 out of 4 Stars.
******
Ironbark Hill
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Ironbark Hill authored by Jennie Linnane is a simple story of a growing little girl Natalie surrounded by a loving family of parents and siblings who grows up in a rural setting away from the hub-hub of large cities and is so used to the tranquil environment that all the hard work and discomforts of life could not take away the gaiety, mirth, love, and laughter from her. Like all growing girls, she too had dreams and fantasies of the new and liberated world of sweet sixteens. With the tragic loss of her father and the second marriage of her Mother to Alex, Natalie was confronted with a drunkard Stepfather who turned into a tyrant under the influence of alcohol. Natalie’s Mother Irma had succumbed to living a miserable life with Alex. Having gone through a vicious beating by Alex herself, and seeing Joey her slow brother subjected to Alex’s tortures, Natalie took up her role as a protector and savior of her Mother and Joey and turned into a defiant young lady who made no pretense of her hatred for Alex. Alex in his drunken stupor obsessed with selling off Natalie’s Heifer, which Natalie had secretly moved away, confronted Natalie and beat her up violently in front of the horrified children, and her Mother. Seeing Natalie all bruised and battered Irma finally loses her self-control and asks Alex to leave the house. Much to Natalie’s dismay his lamenting and begging soften Irma and Alex doesn’t leave but for Natalie, life thereon seemed much better. Natalie continued to work at her employer Mr & Mrs. Grover. As her teenage impulses begin to develop, Natalie’s libido takes over, she is attracted to Grover and gives up her virginity to a man twice her age with little or no remorse. Life turns ugly for Natalie after a series of incidences involving a childhood friend of Alex who discovers Natalie’s relationship with Grover and resorts to blackmailing Natalie into having sex with him. Alex on the other hand also knows about the affair and demands Natalie give him the Heifer. Natalie is subjected to intense turmoil, pain, and misery as she fights a losing battle. Where does it all end? What was the fate of Natalie, Irma, Joey, and the kids? Jennie Linnane takes you through a painful journey and a continuous battle with destiny.
Ironbark Hill is a simple story of a family living in poverty in a far-flung rural remote land in an era where it was customary for Men to be dominating figures and women as oppressed entities. Considering the time- period, racial differences, and deprivations of people, there seems to be nothing extraordinary in the happenings narrated by the central character Natalie. However, I loved the book simply because it is so well written. Every element of nature, every actor be they old or young, and every animal be it cows or dogs, has been described so vividly that you seem to get to know them personally and mingle with them as you go through the book. An amazing aspect of the story is that even as a male, an adult, a husband, and Father to a daughter I could relate to the story and empathize with Natalie, her Mom, Mrs. Grover, and even Alex. As a reader, I would begin to judge the characters, their ethics, and morality based on their actions but I cannot unless I belong to the world they live in, and unless I realize that each of the characters developed into what they were in the story after having gone through traumatic experiences. That is exactly what this simple little story did. Dragged me into the broken down house on Ironbark Hill. The story does more to you than just reading pleasure. It takes you across continents into the remote lands where poverty, sickness, death, and crime prevails. Where young teenage girls are raped, molested, and murdered every day, and yet they have accepted their way of life to survive. As I said before, the story is simple and flows smoothly without unwanted deviations and digressions to captivate the readers with commercial intent.
There were one or two instances that appeared superfluous and unwanted. One was the visit of Snow and Elaine, Irma’s childhood friends which did not have a major impact on the story except for a change in Natalie’s hairstyle suggested by Marion, Elaine’s daughter, and secondly the misfitting dress of Natalie which served as an excuse for Grover to return home where Natalie was all alone. These are simply my observations and do not imply any deficiencies in the book.
Ironbark Hill is a well-worded story and professionally edited. It is recommended for all teenage and adult readers male or female. I would rate it 4 out of 4 Stars.
******
Ironbark Hill
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Worldlines by Adam Guest
