Description
Historical fiction for middle grade readers at its compelling, shocking, fascinating best.
Nic is left in the care of her grandfather at the remote family property that was once her mother’s childhood home; a place with thirty rooms, three dogs and no mobile reception. Left to her own devices, she searches for clues about her mother – who died the day Nic was born. But when Nic learns how to slip through time, she discovers more than she could have imagined. The past holds a dark and shocking secret that haunts the land and the people who live there.
Review
Written by Carole Wilkinson, the award winning author of the Dragonkeeper series, Inheritance takes us on an incredible time travelling journey into Australian history.
Veronica, Nic’s Mum, died at birth and her Dad has been constantly travelling on cruise ships and the like, playing the saxophone with his worthless band. But now Nic is running out of friends and family to live with, and finds herself left with her grumpy Grandad at Yaratgil - the once magnificent, but now decaying, family homestead.
Bored senseless, Nic searches for things to do and uncovers magical stones that allow her to travel to important times in her families past. Or did the stones find her?
Nic discovers that all of her female ancestors could time travel, but what she discovers is not always pleasant. The discoveries that she made about her family, with the help of school friend Thor, a descendant of the local Aboriginal tribe, are particularly confronting. Can Nic travel to the past and alter history to right the wrongs of her ancestors?
This is a fantastic look at Australian history, something that Carole does incredibly well. The setting is real, the past is confronting, and the character’s problems are heartfelt.
With themes of family, friendship and acknowledging our historical failures, particularly regarding the treatment of Aboriginal people, this is an enlightening, enjoyable read for 10 -14 year olds.
Reviewed by Rob
