The Ladies of Missalonghi

Rating:
Summary: A slight, delicious romp in the Blue Mountains
Review: Colleen McCullough is known for long and winding novels like "The Thorn Birds," so I was surprised at the light touch in this story. It reminds me a bit of "Persuasion," by Jane Austen, but with an inimitable stamp of Australian life. McCullough really makes the charm and deceptive quiet of the Blue Mountains region - still beautiful and aloof from nearby Sydney today - come to life, and her plucky heroine is easy to like.

Rating:
Summary: how to be brilliant and not show it
Review: Talk about taking the mickey out of the male dominated
society of the time! Superb insight into the social
mores of the 19th century. An excellent and sometimes
satirical/caustically witty expose` by undoubtedly one
of Australia's greatest writers.

Rating:
Summary: --Absolutely splendid--
Review: THE LADIES OF MISSALONGHI is the story of Missy Wright, a 33 year-old-woman who has had a very dismal life. She lives with her widowed mother and maiden aunt in a small town called Byron in the Blue Mountains of Australia. The three ladies are part of the very large and self-important Hurlingford family. The story takes place shortly before World War I.

The family members are very wealthy, and happen to own a lot of the land in and around the town of Byron. They also own most of the shops and stores in Byron. To be a Hurlingford is to be very tall and very blond. Missy who is brunette and a little shorter than the other family members is the exception to the rule. Also, Missy Wright, her mother and aunt are the poor relations who live in genteel poverty. Their brothers and uncles rule the family, and life for the widows and unmarried ladies is indeed drab. The ladies are not allowed to work outside the home, and their pride stops them from asking for financial help. The Hurlingford men are mean spirited and have taken advantage of their sisters and nieces in money matters and inheritance. Missy is so painfully thin that her body is that of a tall and skinny child. They live farther away from the other members of the family in a house called Missalonghi. Missy must walk a round trip of about 10 miles whatever she makes the shopping trip to town.

Life starts to change for Missy when Una, a distant relative begins working in the Byron library. Una is divorced and apparently not welcomed by the wealthy Hurlingford clan. She befriends Missy and recommends books that are wonderfully romantic and causes the inexperienced Missy to dream of love. The appearance of a strong and forceful new man, who comes to Byron and buys property right under the noses of the Hurlingford men, also makes Missy aware that just maybe she could find love and happiness. Once she dares to dream she starts to live.

My tape was beautifully read by Davina Porter. This story is so good that I listened to the entire book in just two sessions. It's entertaining and full of surprises!