Amazon A Family of Strangers - Excerpt Powells JosephBeth Category:  Historical Fiction Publisher: Thomson/Gale/Five Star Publishing ISBN-10:  1594145431 Pages: 371 Copyright: Dec 13, 2006 ISBN-13: 9781594145438 Kate O'Neal is shipped out in 1793 to Botany Bay to serve her 7-year sentence for castrating her employer's son who had raped and brutalised her. She has to survive a year-long voyage from England and then face a harsh life in a penal colony teeming with men, where convict women are treated as commodity. Life is not easy for Kate. As a 15-year-old and a convict in a strange new land so far from home, she is virtually at everyone's mercy. The core of her support comes from a group of friends, her "family of strangers". It is a tale of her battles to forge a new live for herself and her new family. Rose gave her a knowing smile. “Ah. Changed your mind and thinking of joining us, eh?” “I wouldn’t be any good at this, Rose.” “Why not? It ain’t so hard,” Josie said. “I don’t like a man’s touch.” Rose and Josie looked at each other, then shrieked with laughter. Clara wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. “You don’t think we enjoy what we do, do you, Kate?” “I don’t know. You all seem happy enough with the men.” “Kate! Don’t be silly! ‘Tis all work, girl,” Rose said with a broad grin. “Just work.” “But—” “I know,” Kitty said. “You’ve been listening to us, haven’t you, duckie? Did you like our cries of pleasure, our sweet words of loving?” The three others snickered. Kate hung her head. “Kate, Kate!” Kitty said. “‘Tis just a bit of play-acting, you know? The men likes it. Gets their blood running hot and fast, and they gets to finish that much quicker. ‘Tis just work, nothing more.” Kate heard a soft moaning. It grew louder. Surprised, because all the sailors had left, she looked behind her and stared at Josie. She snapped her mouth close and glanced back at the others. They were doubled over, with their hands over their mouths, but that didn’t smother their giggles. Josie cried, “Yes, luv. That’s it, luv. Ooh. Ooh.” Cries of her pleasure filled the cabin. The three other Petals fell on each other, laughing hysterically. Kate buried her burning face in her hands. The laughter around her swelled. In a moment, Kate found herself laughing too. Bloody Josie! The Petals taught Kate the basics of their trade, revealing the many tricks they practised, and competed with each other to share their experiences. “No. You’re making that up, Josie,” Clara said. “No. ‘Tis true. Swear to God.” “You never did that! Don’t you lie now,” Rose cried. Josie cleared her throat. “All right, all right. But I heard of it from me friend, Chelsea.” “She lied!” Kitty said. “How would you know, pray tell?” Josie said. “No! Never say you’ve tried it too? You didn’t!” “That’s for you to find out.” Kitty laughed and turned to Kate. “Close your mouth, luv. Now, what else can we learn you?”

Penal Colony Life
Friday December 22, 2006
Penal colony life
Review by SHARMILLA GANESAN
A Family of Strangers
Author: Sanchona
Publisher: Five Star Press, 370 pages

A book by a Malaysian-born Australian on the settling of Australia as a penal colony in 1793 definitely piqued my interest. The author, who was born in Alor Star and graduated from Universiti Malaya in 1968, now makes her home in Sydney.

My concern was whether someone who had not grown up in Australia would be able to capture the nuances and details of its early history in a novel. Admittedly, the first few pages were not terribly gripping. The beginning, where a woman is herded onto a ship for a journey into an unknown land, seemed rather commonplace. There didn’t seem to be anything that set it apart from other novels of its kind. The characters and dialogue, meanwhile, seemed contrived.

Persevere, however, and you will be richly rewarded. Meet Kate O’Neal, A Family of Strangers’ protagonist and strongest feature. Sanchona’s depiction of Kate is arresting, and you just cannot get enough of reading about her. While appearing helpless and dispirited at first, Kate soon shows herself to be a determined and intelligent young woman who seizes control of the misfortunes that beset her. You will be awed, moved, annoyed and amused by Kate, but never bored.

This story is a feminist’s dream. Kate is sent to the Australian penal colony for turning against her abusive employer, and in the convict settlement, women are little more than chattel. There, they only have two options: to be sold as a mistress to the highest bidder or to prostitute themselves. The first scenario, which befalls Kate, while not ideal, at least offered her the protection of a man.

Bought by the alcoholic and abusive Lieutenant Kendrick, it first seems that Kate is back in the mire she left behind. Far from being retiring and subservient, however, she refuses to be resigned to the harsh hand fate has dealt her. She dreams of one day being free and in control of her own actions.

It is at Kendrick’s farm that Kate meets her “family of strangers”, the convict workers bought by him to work on the property. Her times spent with the workers are some of the most delightful scenes in the book, and are described vividly by the author. I do wish, however, that these secondary characters were given more scope, for some of them do not have much of a presence.pp

Following a series of events, Kendrick gives up Kate’s ownership to the dashing Captain Spencer. While still not free, Kate sees a glimmer of hope. Spencer is a far cry from Kendrick, and dotes on her. She, in turn, starts to hope that she will one day be married to him, and be free of the stigma of being a mistress. The path to her happiness, however, is not that simple.

The story is used as a lens to capture life in early Australia and Sanchona does this well. The misery of the convicts, the challenges faced by the British forces, and the uncertain relationship of the settlers with the unfamiliar landscape and Aborigines is described well. The author also manages to humanise the situations, giving the reader a sense of connection.

Furthermore, the struggles faced by the women living in those times are harshly underscored by the story. Thus, we rejoice along with Kate for every little triumph, as she fights against the unjust treatment.

The author indicates in her notes that this will not be the last we see of Kate O’ Neal, as she will be used to take us through the history of Australia in subsequent books. I personally cannot think of a better way to learn about the country’s rise than through the eyes of this spunky, engaging heroine.

Deep late eighteenth century historical tale
December 26, 2006
Reviewer: Harriet Klausner

In 1793 fifteen year old Kate O'Neal is convicted of stealing the silk hanky of her employer's wife. She is being transferred on the Merry Mersey to the Botany Bay penal colony for seven years. Kate knows the charge is unfair, but cannot do anything about this injustice just like when her dad sold her to the Rustands in the first place. However, she has some satisfaction having castrated Lord Oliver, the son of her employer, for molesting her.

On the ship she begins to learn how to survive until she reaches her new home Australia. There the frightened teen becomes mistress to Lieutenant Kendrick, but his beating almost kills her. She soon becomes Captain Spencer's mistress, who is much nicer and kinder to her; he even helps her open up a store. As she dreams of marrying him, he leaves his convict behind for England. Merchant Bert Rowley helps Kate stay afloat even as they fall in love; but Kendrick is back claiming he owns her possessions while Spencer offers to make her his mistress in England.

A FAMILY OF STRANGERS is a deep late eighteenth century historical tale starring a young woman trying to survive in a world in which she has no rights. Kate is terrific as she adapts to her situations starting with the vividly described ocean voyage and at the fully envisioned penal colony. In every case, she is forced to play by the rules of men who often lack scruples. Fans will root for this brave heroine as she proves survival of the fittest even when the rules are rigged for her to fail.

Harriet Klausner

A fine historical novel
December 30, 2006
Reviewer: Robert Sanchez (East Coast, USA)

Sanchona has written a captivating novel about Kate O'Neal, a spirited woman shipped in 1793 from England to distant Australia for commission of a petty crime. Men will protect her, but at what price? Will she become mere chattel, a tool of privileged men? As a convict in a strange new land, she shows intelligence, compassion and increasing independence. Kate is a courageous, principled woman, the type of person you always want to have on your side.

Sanchona writes with grace and skill. A FAMILY OF STRANGERS is a strong historical novel that demonstrates her detailed knowledge of Australia's days as a destination for whatever convicts England didn't choose to hang. I look forward to more of Sanchona's work.