Aussie Author Challenge - Book 3

Another participant of a book challenge I'm tackling described a different book saying: "...everything I look for in historical fiction: characters I like and admire, a storyline that holds my attention, and new details and facts about a time period I enjoying studying."

I stole that description because it worked so well for this book, All That I Am by Anna Funder.  Winner of the 2012 Miles Franklin Award (an annual literary prize awarded to "a novel which is of the highest literary merit and presents Australian life in any of its phases".), I had high expectations.

Primarily set in pre-WWII, this is a fictional account based on a lot of factual people and events centered around the lives of politically active refugees that are anti-Nazi.  Don't google while you read. There are that many real people and actual events involved (I learned the outcome of a main character; didn't google anymore until I was finished!). This book includes: Strong women, political activists, plots, murders, intimidation, conviction, betrayal, lovers, family, friends, colleagues, mental illness, personal sacrifice, and more. 

It is written from two different narrators' points of view, and the time frames bounce around quite a bit. It was confusing for a while ... I was starting to get really frustrated.  Somewhere the light turned on, and I just fell knee deep in the story. If you like historical fiction, I recommend.


I read this book as part of the Aussie Author Challenge 2015:

Since moving to Australia, I've discovered bands and music that I love as well as books and authors that I knew nothing about before moving here.  Why not join a challenge that promotes those discoveries?  (Because I'm already in three other challenges, and I host one of them)  I can do it!

I'm diving in to this challenge with the hopes of reaching "Kangaroo" status.  I'm really liking my list, so I'm happy to find yet another the challenge.

KANGAROO
– Read and review 12 titles written by Australian Authors of which at least 4 of those authors are female, at least 4 of those authors are male, and at least 4 of those authors are new to you;
– At least 6 fiction and at least 2 non-fiction, and at least 2 titles first published in 2014 or 2015.

Female authors:
Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
Frantic by Katherine Howell
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty (published 2014)
Girl, Defective by Simonne Howell

Male authors:
I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion (published 2014)
The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan
A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley (non-fiction) - Completed 10 Feb 2015

Authors new to me:
Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
Strange Places by Will Elliott (non-fiction)
All That I Am by Anna Funder  - Completed 29 March 2015
Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher - Completed 11 March 2015
 

Do you like reading historical fiction??