THE VALLEY

This Australian saga sweeps along as each generation's story comes alive with personalities and visual descriptions of the land. The legends and myths that bind the story relate both to the white ranchers' arrival and to the aboriginal knowledge that is treated by consecutive generations as either a fabulous asset or a dangerous taboo. There are several story lines running through the novel, and they do not necessarily end up converging, but Kate Hood's various voices add richness to the variety of experiences. Whether reading of murderous criminals bent on destroying Isabella Kelly, one of the original settlers, or a twenty-first-century architect bent on developing the valley, Hood maintains the listener's attention. B.H.B. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 07]