Fiona Lowe’s latest offering transports you directly to Tasmania’s North-West. As a regular traveller to the area, and having close family connections to that region I felt like I was right there and part of the community. This is due to Fiona’s ability to describe the scenery and characters in an engaging way, without the descriptions being too ornate and distracting from the narrative.
I love the way that Fiona tackles contemporary issues in our society. Often I find myself consuming other media in parallel with my reading of Fiona’s novels, as usually the societal issues her characters face I have not have much exposure to. In A Family of Strangers issues faced by characters include alcoholism, bullying, gaslighting, sexuality, miscarriage, sexual harassment and more.
Addy Topic has returned to her hometown of Rookery Cove, Tasmania after many years on the mainland. In the time since she left her hometown her parents have passed away and her return to the small town brings up some memories from her past she may have preferred to leave there.
Steph Gallagher and her husband and small son have recently moved to Rookery Cove, and finding what was meant to be a fun seachange a more challenging move than she had hoped for.
Brenda Lambeck is widowed with three grown up children. Her relationships with her family and others in Rookery Cove are explored.
The title A Family of Strangers is perfect for this interesting set of characters. The three women come together as part of a choir, and I think this shows that a family can be much more than your blood relatives. Community groups are a fantastic way to meet people, particularly in rural areas, and the community choir in this novel shows the importance of those connections.
I think Fiona’s life experiences in the health industry, together with her research skills and her compassion shine through with the sometimes difficult scenarios her characters find themselves facing.
While I read an advanced reading copy of this edition, I will likely also purchase the audiobook. I have used Fiona’s audiobooks in the past, and the narrator Rebecca Macauley does a great job of them.
