![]() ![]() In the midst of emotional upheaval and uncertainty, the one constant in Bertie’s life is her passion for drawing, where she is free to find expression and escape. Bertie’s gift and calling as an artist is everything her mother hates, but it is the very thing that gives her life meaning and purpose.įamily tensions permeate Bertie’s childhood through to adolescence. The relationship between Bertie and her mother is at the heart of this novel. Her mother’s idea as to what Bertie should want, however, is not what Bertie needs or wishes for herself. Her strong-willed mother is determined to ensure that Bertie will live a normal existence and eventually have a career as a doctor. Set in the 1950’s to early sixties, beginning in Melbourne, with interludes in Sydney and then moving on to Port Moresby, the novel follows Bertie’s development from child to teenager.Īged six, she falls victim to polio which changes her future forever, the handicap and disfigurement affecting her young life profoundly. ![]()
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