Fled

Once in awhile, a book comes along that is enthralling from the very beginning and impossible to put down. Fled by Meg Keneally is one of those gems. I have always been fascinated by the early European settlements of North America (13 colonies), and Australia. I have read quite a few books on the 13 colonies but Fled is the first I have read of Australia. I have read the story of Mary Bryant but in dry clinical articles. Meg Keneally brings new life to the story of an amazing woman who beat all the odds but ended up paying the price. The story is based on the life of Mary Bryant who managed to escape from the penal colony in Australia. Most elements in the story told here are based in truth but names have been changed and some parts of the story have been changed or invented. It is understandable considering that only court records exist and it is next to impossible to know what Mary (Jenny) felt and thought or the reasons why she did what she did. Jenny Trelawney makes the life-changing decision to become a highwaywoman after her father dies and her family is facing poverty. Needless to say, she is caught and convicted but instead of execution, Jenny is condemned to serve her time in a new land (Australia). The story is so well researched and written in such a vivid way that you can feel the ship under your feet and the horror at the prospect of trying to survive in a new world. Highly recommended for anyone who wants a taste of what it must have been like for these brave new colonists.