Published: Oct. 05, 2011
Words: 58,689 (approximate)
Language: English
ISBN: 9780987197115

Short description

A photo of an 8 year old girl, Sophie, from 100 years ago is found with a perfume bottle in the fireplace of an old house in Sydney. What happened to this girl and what does it have to do with the family who lives there now. This book is a discovery of Sophie and her story. It tells of childhood friendship, loss, grief and finally, after generations pass, of trancendant discovery

Extended description

Who was Sophie and what happened to her?

On buying an old weatherboard house in Balmain, Sydney, we discover her photo, dated 1900-1908, long hidden, along with a small perfume bottle in an old fireplace. Then we discover that she disappeared with a childhood friend in 1908 and was never seem again, leaving a trail of sadness through generations of her family.

This book tracks the journey of the discovery of Sophie and her family, from their first arrival in Sydney, over five generations of the family, until the mystery is finally laid to rest.

It is a story of loss and grief, mixed with joy, which passes through the successive generations of a family. The way the family deals with unresolved tragedy and finally the the way their love transcends time is the story from which the real Sophie emerges.

Graham Wilson, the author, lived in the house in Balmain around which this story is based for seven years, before moving to Millers Point. This is his first novel.

Graham has previ.. (Read more) Who was Sophie and what happened to her?

On buying an old weatherboard house in Balmain, Sydney, we discover her photo, dated 1900-1908, long hidden, along with a small perfume bottle in an old fireplace. Then we discover that she disappeared with a childhood friend in 1908 and was never seem again, leaving a trail of sadness through generations of her family.

This book tracks the journey of the discovery of Sophie and her family, from their first arrival in Sydney, over five generations of the family, until the mystery is finally laid to rest.

It is a story of loss and grief, mixed with joy, which passes through the successive generations of a family. The way the family deals with unresolved tragedy and finally the the way their love transcends time is the story from which the real Sophie emerges.

Graham Wilson, the author, lived in the house in Balmain around which this story is based for seven years, before moving to Millers Point. This is his first novel.

Graham has previously written a family memoir, “Children of Arnhem’s Kaleidoscope” which describes his childhood, growing up in a aboriginal community in Western Arnhem Land. This is currently being published.
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Tags

ships, grief and loss, lost child, old house, history 1800s, sydney australia

Available ebook reading formats

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Reviews

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Review by: Sokha Pawson on Nov. 04, 2012 :
A truly gorgeous love story with characters so real you feel you know them as friends.Set in a vividly drawn early Sydney this story of heartbreak love courage and hope springs to life as it tells just what it meant to try and struggle free from a convict heritage .Handsomely researched this was a great read.
(review of free book)

Review by: Jason Smith on Sep. 20, 2012 :
While it took me a little while to get into, once I did I really enjoyed and found myself very moved by the later parts of the story as the parents search for their lost child and finally her distant descendants discover what happened.

Also as someone who has visited Balmain I enjoyed the descriptions of this historic part of Sydney.

Overall a lovely little book with a good feel and well worth reading
(review of free book)

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