Despite the fact that I've read many books over the years by Australian authors, I've read far less of Australian stories. I was excited to have won a copy of The Painted Sky by Alice Campion as its country setting and the relationship its characters have with the land is something I had never been introduced to as a reader before.
When Nina's uncle passes away he leaves her an inheritance of a dilapidated farmland property and a house stuffed with junk. The homestead was once the family house of Nina's father, who disappeared when Nina was a child. Nina travels to rural Wandalla to seek answers to the mystery of her father's vanishing act. But, the more Nina digs the more secrets she discovers the farmhouse and the small town of Wandalla holds. As Nina rediscovers her rural upbringing she is torn between unlocking the secrets of her father and returning to her city life.
Brimming with mystery and a cast of characters that each hold their own secrets The Painted Sky is a compelling read. Written by five authors under the pseudonym Alice Campion the writing is seamless and comes across as reading a single voice. I really enjoyed the mystery solving element to this story but more so the pull of Nina struggling to choose between her country roots or city life.
The story line is packed with mystery and does get quite dramatic towards the end of the novel but I really thought the character of Nina was the winning element in this novel. She is a girl lost, looking to find her place in the world and I really felt emotionally invested in what she was looking for. Originally she is searching for clues as to what has happened to her Father, but the longer she stays in Wandalla and the more connections she makes to people who were once in her life when she was young, Nina's soul searching is really for herself.
If you fancy a trip to the outback and a story that will suck you in for a good couple of hours I thoroughly recommend picking up a copy!
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