Review: Dominique Wilson's historical novel is an ambitious saga set in early Sydney

In this epic novel, Bessie's and Katherine's narratives are woven through the history of the late 19th and 20th centuries, until the early part of World War II.

The women's journeys involve making a living and discovering love during tumultuous times, when women had little power, when there was prejudice not only against women but also against people of non-European descent, and when poverty affected the lives of many.

The novel's title, Orphan Rock, relates to a real location in the Blue Mountains that is for Bessie a dream and ultimately a symbol of betrayal and deception.

"Look," [her husband] said, taking the painting from the wall. "It's called Orphan Rock. It's near The Crushers in the Blue Mountains. Far from anywhere, but that's where I want to buy some land. You'll love it there..."

Bessie and Katherine's stories are told consecutively. Largely narrated from their individual viewpoints, they span Australian, French and to a lesser extent Chinese issues. It's also a tour through historical and social events of the times written from the perspective of an omniscient narrator.

The historical detail, when it is included sparingly, is wonderful. There is also some beautiful, moving and evocative writing:

It was already evening when the omnibus came for them, with no driver but two police constables leading the horses, two more following on foot. A gusty southerly was blowing and storm clouds were gathering. Bertram lay on one of the long benches; Bessie sat opposite him, Flora asleep on her lap. She stared out the omnibus window. Smallpox. Her daughter had smallpox. Men hurrying home from work stopped to watch them pass. Did they guess why it was being led by the police? Smallpox!

The Bessie part of the novel is the most powerful. It could have stood in its own right as a compelling story, the impact of which is a little diminished by the addition of the Katherine's narrative in the book's second part and the distraction of too much historical detail.

Historical events are outlined comprehensively, so that the reader who does not know the events of those times will be well-informed by the time the novel ends.

While some readers may appreciate the detailed historical accounts, others may feel, as I did, that the longer blocks of text about historical events could have been more subtly integrated into the narrative, to advance the plot and to expand the characters' development. As it is, they sometimes serve as a distraction.

Nevertheless, Orphan Rock is a well-researched and ambitious achievement, and lovers of historical fiction may find much to admire in this wide-ranging novel.