English Passengers

A historical novel with some characters and incidents that are based on real life events. The author makes mention of this in an epilogue. I was also aware while reading that I was familiar with a lot of the history of the times, the mid 1800's, in Van Diemen's Land / Tasmanian via both fact and fiction. Van Diemen's Land / Tasmanian writers of both history and novels are easily my most interesting and/or enjoyable reads in terms of Australia. This wonderful book just adds to that thought.

Told in the first person by a large cast with the major character's having the most input I found myself racing along as each and every character, be they repulsive or pleasing made this plot driven book a kind of pleasure and pain. The sheer buffoonery of the English colonialist made me laugh out loud at times. On the other hand, the genocide committed on the inhabitants by the English colonialists left one aware that there is that stain on English history. English? I think some may ask. Yes English as this is the point of the story.

My favourite characters were Captain Illiam Quillian Kewley the Manx speaking captain of a smugglers ship and Peevay, the aboriginal man who plays a big part in this story. He is the voice of his peoples sad and slow death via genocide and illness. In this reader's opinion, the author Mathew Kneale has done an exceptional job of giving each and every character their own distinctive voice throughout the story told.

Recommend to both the lover of historical fiction and fact.