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A Room Made of Leaves

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A Room Made of Leaves

By: Kate Grenville
Narrated by: Valerie Bader
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About this listen

What if Elizabeth Macarthur – wife of the notorious John Macarthur, wool baron in early Sydney – had written a shockingly frank secret memoir?

In her introduction Kate Grenville tells, tongue firmly in cheek, of discovering a long-hidden box containing that memoir. What follows is a playful dance of possibilities between the real and the invented.

Grenville's Elizabeth Macarthur is a passionate woman managing her complicated life-marriage to a ruthless bully, the impulses of her own heart and the search for power in a society that gave her none - with spirit, cunning and sly wit.

Her memoir reveals the dark underbelly of the polite world of Jane Austen. It explodes the stereotype of the women of the past - devoted and docile, accepting of their narrow choices. That was their public face - here's what one of them really thought.

At the heart of this book is one of the most toxic issues of our times – the seductive appeal of false stories. Beneath the surface of Elizabeth Macarthur's life and the violent colonial world she navigated are secrets and lies with the dangerous power to shape reality.

©2020 Kate Grenville (P)2020 Bolinda Publishing Fiction Historical Fiction Women's Voices Marriage Inspiring Heartfelt

Critic Reviews

"There is no doubt Grenville is one of our greatest writers." (The Sunday Mail)

"Kate Grenville is a literary alchemist, turning the leaden shadow of the historical Elizabeth Macarthur into a luminescent, golden woman for our times. Intelligent, compassionate, strategic and dead sexy, Grenville’s Macarthur is an unforgettable character who makes us question everything we thought we knew about our colonial past. A polished gem of a novel by a writer who is as brave as she is insightful. I simply loved it." (Clare Wright)
All stars
Most relevant
Australian colonial history is predominantly about men. Men’s actions, men’s voices, and much of the primary source material obscures the stories of colonial women. Their letters were not personal so much as acts of PR.

Kate Grenville’s novel asks the question of what would a women write about these times if she knew she would have no audience until some time in the unknowable future. As Elizabeth MacArthur, the wife of John MacArthur of rum rebellion fame, Grenville paints an engaging and satisfying picture of life in a hostile land with a husband who can only really be described as a dick. It is a warm, captivating concept that is well executed. I’d recommend listening to it while out in the Australian bush for an even more immersive experience.

Intriguing and engaging speculative history

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Love Grenville's writing, and this was no exception. I love that Grenville writes with her feminist lens on, championing the self-efficacy of women and paying homage to their ability to work with what they've got. Grenville's character development was on point, and her portrayal of the early colony was brought to life with her rich descriptions. I would recommend this title to other listeners.

Great Read - a shame its not historically factual

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Well written and extremely well narrated. I never read a book twice, life is too short, but this will be an exception.

I couldn’t stop reading, it is such a gripping story.

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quite enjoyed it. good to see the original Australians are acknowledged. narators voice is pleasant.

a good listen

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Someone might have checked what a Devonian accent sounds like... NOT northern! Apart from that, I enjoyed the book.

Accent check

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.