Review

In The Dickens Boy, Tom Keneally has spun fiction from historical fact

By Penelope Cottier
April 25 2020 - 12:00am
Tom Keneally raises intriguing questions about the character of Charles Dickens. Picture: Penguin Random House
Tom Keneally raises intriguing questions about the character of Charles Dickens. Picture: Penguin Random House
  • The Dickens Boy, by Tom Keneally. Vintage. $32.99.

Charles Dickens's son Edward (known as Plorn) followed his older brother Alfred to Australia in 1868. In The Dickens Boy, Tom Keneally has created an entertaining and moving novel spinning out from this historical fact, creating a vivid picture of colonial Australia.

Subscribe now for unlimited access.

$0/

(min cost $0)

or signup to continue reading

See subscription options

Get the latest Canberra news in your inbox

Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date.

We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy.