image of person or book cover 8042365451850674230.jpg
This image has been sourced from online.
y separately published work icon The Mind's Own Place : A Novel single work   novel   historical fiction  
Issue Details: First known date: 2015... 2015 The Mind's Own Place : A Novel
The material on this page is available to AustLit subscribers. If you are a subscriber or are from a subscribing organisation, please log in to gain full access. To explore options for subscribing to this unique teaching, research, and publishing resource for Australian culture and storytelling, please contact us or find out more.

AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'Two women and three men, displaced in different ways by the rapid transformation of Victorian England, travel separately to a small settlement on Australia’s western rim. With them they carry social ambitions and psychological wounds. As their lives intersect in the Swan River Colony, what they encounter is not quite what they expect. Who will struggle, who will thrive, and how will each react when secrets emerge?

'Though fictional, The Mind’s Own Place is partly based on the actual experiences of historical figures: a pair of convicts from respectable backgrounds, talented and enterprising but troubled; two female immigrants, free settlers, not equally fortunate or resilient; and the first detective in Western Australia, who eventually uncovers more than he intends.

'Like Ian Reid’s previous acclaimed novels, this powerful story explores intricate relationships between the shaping of character and the pressure of adversity. It reveals damaged families, mixed motives, and the long shadows thrown by the past.' (Publication summary)

Notes

  • Dedication: To Gale - my ideal reader

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

    • Crawley, Inner Perth, Perth, Western Australia,: UWA Publishing , 2015 .
      image of person or book cover 8042365451850674230.jpg
      This image has been sourced from online.
      Extent: 315p.
      Note/s:
      • Published 19 August 2015
      ISBN: 9781742587479

Works about this Work

Careful Engineering Versus the Randomness of Fate Ryan Henderson , 2017 single work essay
— Appears in: Antipodes , June vol. 31 no. 1 2017; (p. 223-224)

'Spanning two continents, several decades, and multiple characters, the novel depicts the struggle of characters uprooted by the changes in Victorian English society who travel to Western Australia in hopes of finding a fresh start. Reid's depiction of these two men and the challenges they face suggests a harsh reality for convicts trying to create new lives for themselves following the completion of their sentences: although natural talent is necessary for success, luck also plays an important factor. Readers can enjoy watching the story unfold for Reid's characters as he uses historical details to create a realistic depiction of life in Western Australia during this time, while also enjoying the skill that goes into creating such a carefully crafted novel.' (Publication abstract)

Ordinary People Come Alive in Rich Evocation of the Victorian Past Peter Pierce , 2015 single work review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 8-9 August 2015; (p. 20)

— Review of The Mind's Own Place : A Novel Ian Reid , 2015 single work novel
Ordinary People Come Alive in Rich Evocation of the Victorian Past Peter Pierce , 2015 single work review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 8-9 August 2015; (p. 20)

— Review of The Mind's Own Place : A Novel Ian Reid , 2015 single work novel
Careful Engineering Versus the Randomness of Fate Ryan Henderson , 2017 single work essay
— Appears in: Antipodes , June vol. 31 no. 1 2017; (p. 223-224)

'Spanning two continents, several decades, and multiple characters, the novel depicts the struggle of characters uprooted by the changes in Victorian English society who travel to Western Australia in hopes of finding a fresh start. Reid's depiction of these two men and the challenges they face suggests a harsh reality for convicts trying to create new lives for themselves following the completion of their sentences: although natural talent is necessary for success, luck also plays an important factor. Readers can enjoy watching the story unfold for Reid's characters as he uses historical details to create a realistic depiction of life in Western Australia during this time, while also enjoying the skill that goes into creating such a carefully crafted novel.' (Publication abstract)

Last amended 2 Sep 2015 09:22:19
Newspapers:
    Powered by Trove
    X