'Fourteen-year-old Tori lives with her parents, sister and four younger brothers in an old shack in the Australian bush. In 1961, there are very few opportunities for girls, but Tori’s ability and ambition, though isolating her from her classmates, create a desire for a better life than her angry, hard-drinking Irish father can provide. A vicious assault leaves Tori devastated, but the support of her teacher gives her confidence to carry on working towards her desire to become a teacher. However, her father insists she must leave school once she turns fifteen and go out to work. Just as things seem to be looking up, a situation arises that turns her life completely upside-down. Tori becomes bitter and frustrated at a society that treats women as chattels, judging them more harshly than men, and furious at her parents who go along with it. In desperation, she decides to take matters into her own hands. As she sets off towards an uncertain future, she hopes that her courage and desire for justice will be enough to overcome the obstacles that threaten her dreams.' (Publication summary)
