The Silence of Water by Sharron Booth

Be prepared to be swept away by this lyrical family story that spans from 1840 England to 1906 Perth.

Edwin grew up disappointing his father and nursing a building rage. After his first marriage that rage eventually explodes, which results in Edwin boarding a convict ship to serve his sentence in Perth, arriving in 1861. Her remarries in Perth and fathers a girl child.

His daughter, Agnes, had a difficult relationship with Edwin and she fled to Adelaide as soon as she could. When an ailing and elderly Edwin needs help she is forced to return to Perth with her daughter, Fan, to take care of him. Fan resists the move, but once there is intrigued by the grandfather she has never met, partly to punish her mother, and partly for the stories he tells. As Fan snoops around to learn more about her grandfather, ultimately the family will need to rebuild on truth, not lies.

This little explored side of Australian history is a wonderful backdrop for the novel. The harsh landscape, poverty, convicts and abuse show how hard those early migrants battled to try and make a better life. Water, in many forms, plays a pivotal role and features cleverly in all the character’s lives. Wonderful characters provide the foil to the bitterness Edwin suffers and we see the beginning of that Aussie spirit.

The writing from this first-time author is captivating. ‘Rain thrashed the wagon and the wind wailed like grief.’ I was totally enthralled by this tale and was very sad when the book ended. I will definitely look for the next book by this talented author. 

Reviewed by Nicola Skinstad