The Exiles is the story of women and girls accused of committing crimes and sentenced to transportation to Australia. I was reading this at the same time as researching my own family history, specifically someone who had been imprisoned for a few months for stealing a handkerchief. The entry below her was for a woman sentenced to transportation and this really made the story hit home. I really enjoyed the book and how the lives of the different characters flowed into each other and I am looking forward to reading the author's other work.

A fascinating story, following the lives of female convicts in the early years of European settlement in Australia. The Exiles is a fast-paced, deeply interesting book with complex characters who perfectly illustrate the idea that these convicts were largely good people put into terrible situations. A great read; highly recommended.

I received a copy of the book from Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.
A fascinating and well written tale.
A good read.

This was another great installment from the author of The Orphan Train- which I loved. How harshly were ordinary human beings treated in the past? And not in ancient times, in the last century or two. Those who were too poor to have a choice, who were too poor and insignificant for others to stand up for their rights and insist they were treated fairly. Previously we read of orphans horrendously treated. Here we see Aborigines living in the native land while dispossessed by the British who claimed it for themselves. We see women, facing the unknown, hoping against all hope to make a life for themselves there, to forget about the tragedies, the deception and the poverty that lies in their past so that they can look forward with hope to the future. This is a lovely read that goes to great lengths to give a clear and accurate depiction of Australia during the 1840s when it on its way to becoming the Australia we all know and love today.

Fantastic book what a storyline line , which kept me hooked from the gaols to the travel to the outback. Must read you will not bè disappointed

I really enjoyed following the lives of Evangaline, Hazel, Matthina and, later, Ruby. Evangaline is wrongly accused of stealing and is sent to Van Diemens Land as harsh punishment. On the horrendous journey she makes friends with fellow convict, Hazel. Running parallel to this story is that of young Matthina, who is forcibly removed from her home on Flinders Island by Lady Franklin, the wife of the new governor of Tasmania, who treats her as an ornament rather than a child. Matthina and Hazel's lives eventually cross paths. The characters are well drawn and it is easy to empathise with them. This was well researched and I found it a compelling story. Thank you to Christina Baker Kline, Net Galley and Allison and Busby Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Exiles is a fascinating story about women convicts transported to Australia in the 1800’s. Evangelina is wrongly accused of theft and attempted murder while working as a governess. She is held in prison for several months before a brief trial finds her guilty and sentences her to transportation.
The novel follows the harsh lives of the female prisoners in Tasmania as well as an indigenous child who is treated like a pet by the Governor’s wife. The lack of basic human rights for the women and their children is staggering as well as the appalling treatment of the local people.
I enjoyed the book but did feel it lacked a true sense of direction in parts. A really interesting topic though with relatable characters.

I read this for a blog tour.

A powerful novel set during a dark period in British and Australian history - when convicts were shipped around the world and essentially abandoned in a foreign and unknown land. Despite a set sentence, it was almost unheard of for prisoners to be brought back to the UK at the end of their time.

Instead they had to build new lives thousands of miles from anyone or anything they knew. As the women in this novel have to.

Hazel endures terrible hardships even after reaching Tasmania, but her strength and will to survive see her through.

Mathinna represents the thousands of Aboriginal people who were moved from their ancestral lands and mistreated by the British settlers, much as had happened in America, India and Africa under the colonisation and expansion of the British Empire.

Both of these women have to find their place in this strange new world, one built on cruelty and the class system, that leaves poor people no choices in their lives.

The book was incredibly moving and at times incredibly sad, the death of Mathinna's pet possum was awful, that stupid man should have trained his dog better. Evangeline deserved better and I am very glad Ruby had such a wonderful guardian in Hazel.

Mathinna was based on a real Aboriginal child, taken from her people by the governor of Tasmania and his wife (neither of whom come off well in the novel) and the female convicts all have their roots too in real women. This history isn't widely discussed either in Australia or here in Britain, but it needs to be acknowledged and books like this help bring these stories to light.

A fascinating look at female convicts sent to Australia on former slave ships; of the hardships and injustices; the cruelty. Woven through the narrative we learn about the life of a young Aborigine girl, removed from her family as an experiment by the governor’s family- to see whether a ‘savage’ could be suitably civilised. We witness the birth of modern Australia through the penal colonies and the accompanying and growing infrastructure to support it. The novel is rich in details and has a satisfying ending.

Evangeline is the daughter of a vicar who finds herself employed as a governess with a well to do family, and soon after being seduced by the son. Unfortunately he promises the world, but what Evangelines ends up with is a conviction for theft, a sentence of transportation to Van Diemen's Land and a baby on the way.

From the crowded cells in Newgate to her transportation on the prison ship Medea, Evangeline quickly loses her naivety, helped along by the women she meets who help her navigate life on board the ship, including Olive and Hazel. Life on board a prison ship is not easy with the journey to the other side of the world being long and perilous.

Hazel is the daughter of a midwife, and has skills in healing and midwifery, who has been convicted of stealing a spoon. Whilst the ship's doctor is initially wary of Hazel, it isn't long before she is being sought out for her healing skills, trading her skills for bits and bobs. Being able to help the doctor soon gives Hazel some additional comforts, which doesn't always sit well with her fellow prisoners, who see it as being given special treatment.

When the prison ship arrives in Hobart, the convicts are transferred into the female prison, known as the Cascades Female Factory. From there, they either worked within the prison, or were hired out to the free folk of the city as housemaids, and other manual labourers, until their prison sentences were completed and they were free to start a new life.

Hazel finds herself assigned to the home of Lady Franklin, the wife of governor of the colony. There she meets Mathinna, a young indigenous girl who has been bought from her home on Flinder Island, and treated as a curiosity to be shown off at social events. But when the novelty wears off, she is left alone, with no family, no support.

Seeing Mathinna's story was important, not least because Mathinna and the Franklins are historical figures. Mathinna's actual story is heartbreaking. I did think that more could have been made of this aspect of the story.

I thought it was interesting to see the brave choices that the author made, particularly in relation to Evangeline.

I chose to read this book to see what a non Australian author would make of Australian history. I am not quite sure why I thought that was an interesting thing to look at. I mean, it isn't unusual for American or Australian authors to write European history, so there is no reason why an American author couldn't write our history. There are also plenty of similarities in the colonisation stories of other countries such as the effect of on indigenous peoples. Some aspects of that story are unique to Australia but others are repeated time and time again all over the world.



I do think that the author did get the history right. It was interesting to read the author's note where she talked about how Australian's feel when they find out they have a convict in their past. Certainly when I was growing up I don't remember anyone proudly announcing that was the case, but I do think that has changed a bit over the last 20 years or so. Certainly when you watch TV shows like Who Do You Think You Are? people are always keen to have a convict ancestor but there is definitely a preference for not a "bad" convict - a political prisoner, or someone who stole a spoon or something.

I didn't feel as connected to the characters as I could have been, but I do wonder if part of that is that this is history that I am familiar with, so I was looking for more depth in the characters. For someone who isn't as familiar with the history that might help keep you glued to the book. It was interesting and I am glad to have taken the chance to read it.

I will say that reading the book did make me want to go to Hobart and visit the Female Factory. Maybe when the borders open again, whenever that might be.

The Exiles is a stunning and original piece of historical fiction. This novel pulls you into the depths of despair that convict women felt in the 1800's with such force you can almost smell the urine. I absolutley loved the stories of all four of the women in this novel. The transition between Evangeline and Hazel was unexpected, but worked amazingly well. This is the first novel that I have read focused on this area of history, and it has made me hungary for more. The plot pulls you along and the characters make you root for them. I will absolutley be looking to read all of Kline's works to date, and this book has earned this author a spot on my 'automatic buy' list for any novels she releases in the future. An absolute must read for fans of historical fiction, heartbreaking stories and female resiliance.

The Exiles is my first introduction to the writing of Christina Baker Kline. My first impression is of being immersed in the sights, sounds and (unfortunately) smells of whatever scene she’s describing, whether that’s the crowded cells of Newgate Prison or the fetid orlop deck of a prison ship. The horrific conditions Evangeline endures alongside the other female convicts aboard the Medea are vividly described and, for me, was the standout section of the book.

A light in the darkness is Evangeline’s meeting with Hazel which will prove significant, not only because of Hazel’s midwifery skills but also her future role as guardian angel. And, it transpires, she’s not the only guardian angel on board.

The experiences of Evangeline and Mathinna could feel like two self-contained storylines but the author skilfully brings them together through Hazel once the action moves to Hobart in Van Diemen’s Land (what is now Tasmania). But there are also neat little connections, such as William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, as well as broader themes of identity and the silencing of the female voice. For example, Evangeline is identified only by a number once she boards the prison ship but her silencing starts earlier even than that when she is forbidden to speak for herself upon her admission to Newgate Prison. Mathinna is renamed Mary and forbidden to speak in her native tongue; instead she is trained to speak French as an amusing display for Lady Franklin’s visitors.

Having recently read the wonderful Paris Savages by Katherine Johnson, the attitude to and treatment of the indigenous people of Australasia was not a surprise but it was no less shocking for all that. Mathinna’s “adoption” by Sir John and Lady Franklin is an example of the worst kind of misguided paternalism. She becomes part of their experiment in “civilizing” the indigenous people of Tasmania, completely dismissing the value of their culture and way of life. As Mathinna comes to realize, she is “just another piece of the Franklins’ eccentric collection, alongside the taxidermied snakes and wombats“.

In the final chapter of the book, things comes satisfyingly full circle with the prospect of a better, more enlightened future; a fitting legacy for the countless women who suffered so much. The Exiles is an engrossing story of injustice, hardship, loss and overcoming adversity.

The Exiles (4.5*) is a well-written, well-researched and gripping account of female convicts shipped to Australia in the mid 19th century. It's moving but not sentimental, with strong and interesting female characters. All in all, one of the best books I've read this year. I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys reading about women's lives.

From the late 18th to late 19th century, many British prisoners were transported to Australia to carry out their sentence. As male convicts greatly outnumbered female, the British Government called for more women of “marriageable” age to be sent to Australia in order to promote family development for emancipate convicts and free settlers. The majority of these women were convicted for minor offences such as petty theft, for which they could receive up to seven years penal servitude.

The Exiles tells the story of Evangeline Stokes, [wrongly] accused of stealing a ruby ring, committed to Newgate prison and sentenced to penal servitude in Australia.

The novel sucks you in from the first, into the immediacy of Evangeline's life as a servant in a wealthy household in London. She is young and naive, believing that the son of the family is in love with her. She soon finds herself thrown into Newgate prison, defenseless, alone and pregnant. And thence to a convict ship bound for Australia where she befriends Olive and Hazel, and receives some protection from Dr Dunne.
It's a day-by-day account of life for the women on the ship, with its stinking living quarters, disgusting starvation-level rations, hostile and dangerous sailors, not to mention burning sun and life-threatening storms. You can almost smell the human waste and feel the lice in your hair as you read.
We then follow the women throughout and after their servitude. They are sent to work as factory workers or servants, while their babies are sent to an orphanage as soon as they are weaned.

Kline has carried off a difficult balancing act exceptionally well. On the one hand, this is a deeply researched book packed with interesting historical fact. On the other, a wonderfully written, page-turning novel, with well-rounded characters and a story to lose yourself in. The historical information is smoothly, almost imperceptibly, blended into the novel, which never feels heavy or academic. Her feminism, empathy and support for all women shine through it all.

I took away a half star because I was slightly dissatisfied with the storyline concerning the Aboriginal girl, Mathinna: it felt a bit tagged on. It was very interesting to add in the perspective of an Aboriginal woman, but it almost felt like a separate story for another book.

My thanks to Netgalley, publisher Allison & Busby and the author for giving me a free copy of this book. All my reviews are 100% honest and unbiased, regardless of how I acquire the book.

Some books just need to be read, even though it hurts reading them. This is one of these books. ⠀
I went into it blindly, barely knowing what is it about, and it ended up being one of the best historical fiction books I have read this year. ⠀
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This is a story about women. Strong women that survived horrible things. It is also a story about a part of the world's history we dont know much about. Did you know that in 1840s there were boats with convicts sent from England to Australia to serve their sentence there and inhabit the new continent? You might even know that. But did you know there were boats with only women on them? Women who were accused of stealing handkerchiefs, staying pregnant with a wrong person and similar benign crimes and then also sentenced to transport and years of service? And that they got marked as a cattle with a number? That their kids were taken away into the orphanages probably never to meet their mothers again? ⠀
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It was heartbreaking, it was eye opening, it was beautiful. The characters of this book were just victims of being born at the wrong place in the wrong time but they still tried to get the best out of life. And they were so wonderful, I loved them so much! The author did a great job combining the historical facts with the story, it didn't get boring for one second (which usually happens for me if the book gets too serious or too historical). ⠀
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I did want more details on some parts of the story and that was the reason that I thought of giving this book 4.5 stars. But its importance is too big, and I think everybody should read this book and learn from it. Learn how not to let this world to become a misogynist paradise again, learn how not to let others make decisions instead of us, learn how to respect and cherish other cultures instead of ruining everything that is different. As they say: we have to learn from the history to make the future better. And that is why you need to read The Exiles, even if it will break your heart in pieces.

But thnx to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

"Maybe she would always be alone and apart. Always in transition, on her way to someplace else, never quite belonging. She knew both too much and too little of the world. But what she knew, she carried in her bones."

The Exiles is a beautifully written, layered and nuanced piece of historical fiction. Set in London and Australia in the 1840s, it is a story about women, survival and redemption. It is a story about our need to belong, about love, loss and how we carry those we love inside us wherever we go.

The voices of three very different female characters tell their stories, which entwine as the novel progresses. Mathinna is an orphaned eight-year-old Aboriginal girl who is taken from her home by Lady Jane Franklin, an explorer who likes to collect anything to do with native people and wants to see if the child can be educated and ‘tamed’. Evangeline is a naive young woman from a small village working as a governess who finds herself pregnant and alone on a transport ship to Australia after allowing her rage to get the better of her when she is falsely accused of theft. And, finally, there is Hazel, a seventeen-year-old girl who is on the transport ship with Evangeline after being forced to steal by her mother.

"Here she was, torn from her family and everyone she knew at the whim of a lady in satin slippers who boiled the skulls of her relatives and displayed them as curiosities.”

Each woman has a character that is rich and compelling, a spark that draws you to them and makes you root for her and care about her story. And while their lives and stories may be different, they also have similarities. Each of them have been exiled from their home and those they love and all face the harsh reality of being female in a time and place where that is hostile and unforgiving towards women. They all navigate these obstacles with strength, resilience and determination.

This is the first time I’ve read anything by this author, and I was struck by her exquisite storytelling and how she seamlessly wove fact and fiction together to create this lush and atmospheric tale. Her imagery makes you feel like you’re there and I could see so clearly the bleak, grim and squalid conditions of the prisons, slave ship and orphanage and could almost feel the heat of the sun bearing down on me in the Australian bush. She writes every character, however big or small, with authenticity, and the research that has gone into the novel leaps from its pages. I will definitely be buying her back catalogue and devouring it as soon as possible.

"She'd learnt that she could withstand contempt and humiliation — and that she could find moments of grace in the midst of bedlam. She'd learnt she was strong.”

A powerful, heartbreaking and thought-provoking book, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

Gently born Evangeline, daughter of the local vicar, was hired as a governess to the children of a well to do London family after her father died. When she was unjustly accused of stealing, she was taken to Newgate Prison where she was sentenced to 14 years transportation to the other side of the world - Van Diemen’s Land. Travelling on the women’s convict ship, Medea, her friendship with Olive and Hazel kept Evangeline sane among the deprivations and horrors the women prisoners faced from the sailors as well as the elements.

Mathinna was the eight-year-old daughter of the tribal chief of the Lowreenne tribe on Van Diemen’s Land. With both her parents dead, she was taken by an English family and made to conform to the British lifestyle, learning her letters, learning to speak French and although the family thought nothing of her, the wife expected Mathinna to become a lady. While she was treated as a pet, her dreadful loneliness never left her.

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline is an extraordinary account of tragedy, heartbreak and the injustices that were served on both the convicts, and the Aboriginals back in the 1800s. Mathinna’s story was based on fact with the treatment of the native Aboriginals appalling. While the treatment of the women convicts for minor transgressions – stealing a silver spoon – are equally appalling. I thoroughly enjoyed this latest novel by Christina Baker Kline and recommend it highly.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

The Exiles is a haunting, visceral novel set during the terrifying period when English prisoners were transported to Australia to serve out their sentences. Following three women, the story is dark and emotional, and yet ultimately uplifting as they battle to survive against the odds.

I adored every bit of this book, an amazing insight into a history and a life of horror and turmoil and injustice.

I loved this. Based on a true story of an aboriginal girl who was sold/adopted to the British governor and his wife of Tasmania of the time. shocking and insightful in equal measure. We also learn of the convict ships that sailed from london to the new colonies of Tasmania and Australia and the conditions for women on them and their fate once they had arrived.

A very well researched and well written novel and it was very moving. Highly recommended!

Thank you, Netgalley and Allison & Busby for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline is a well-researched historical fiction set in 19th century Australia. The book tells us the story of three women, Evangeline, Hazel, and Mathinna. Evangeline and Hazel are the two English convicts who get sentenced to Van Diemen’s Land. The Prisoners from Newgate Prison got often transported to the Island, where they had to complete the rest of their sentences. Mathinna is the Aboriginal orphan who gets uprooted from her life to live with the governor and his wife. The book is vividly descriptive and meticulously researched, giving the readers a distinct impression of the hardships and oppression faced each of these women during their time in England and Australia.

The novel does a phenomenal job of bringing together the forgotten British and Australian history, featuring the brutal British colonization of Australia. It also sheds light on the appalling treatment of convict women both at Newgate Prison and at the prison in Australia. Under the guise of relocating and educating the Aboriginal people of Tasmania, they get uprooted from their land, and their culture erased. The audacity of the British Empire is disturbing. The way the officials and settlers talk about the indigenous people and the harsh treatment they face from them is unsettling, to say the least. I had a hard time getting through the chapters that featured these events. Every time the white people referred to the indigenous people as animals or barbaric or uncivilized, I had to take a deep breath before I moved on from it.

The Exiles is a literary gem that will captivate you with the realistic historical representation of the Colonization of Australia. It brings forward a story of hope, mercy, and rebirth of society from the ashes of ruins. This magnificently crafted novel will tug at your heartstrings and simultaneously leave a lasting impression in the reader's minds. I gave this book 4-4.5 stars. The reason the book didn't make it to 5 stars is because of the conclusion of Mathinna's story. Overall, if you are looking for a remarkably written historically accurate fiction portraying the conditions of convict women and Aboriginal people, then do pick this up. Even if you don't love historical fiction books, I would still recommend this book. It is an outstanding book that needs to be widely read and talked about. A huge thank you to the author for bringing this masterpiece to us readers.