A history novel with too much history and not enough novel?

The Jade Widow

by Deborah O’Brien

Published by Random House

This book is a triumph in combining actual historical events and people with fictional characters in an entertaining and convincing manner.

While this is a sequel to ‘Mr Chen’s Emporium’ it is not at all necessary to have read it to appreciate ‘The Jade Widow’.

The novel centres on Amy and Isobel who are forceful young women in an age when women were expecteed to be meek and subservient. Amy has dreams of building a grand hotel in a small country town while Isobel pursues the difficult career of a doctor. Just how they go about pursuing this dreams. overcoming the obstacles, and debating within themselves the roles and demands of career women, marriage and motherhood makes interesting reading.

The story is set in a country town in the 1880s as women aimed for political equality and the colonies worked towards Federation. Many notable actual people from these causes appear in the book and converse with our heroines. It is also a time of racism as Amy experiences through her young son whose father was Chinese. The depiction of life in a country town of this period seems well realised, although I am no expert. The countryside is depicted well.

The narrative is fast paced and I kept reading till I finished the book – thanks to the low light on the kindle.

Despite the above I have serious misgivings about the novel. I did not like the characterisation of the the two young women. Amy was too rigid in her thinking and behaviour, Isobel appeared to be a mouth piece for the arguments of the day that were pro women’s sufferage and pro Federation. The men seemed to be set pieces to be moved around to further the plot.

If you’ve read the book I really would love to hear if you think I’ve been too harsh on what is in many ways a fine historical novel.

Available for $26.40 via Booktopia.

Have you read The Jade Widow? Did you like it?