Review: Another excellent episode in the series
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 18, 2014
This is the second book in the Dreaming Billabong series and after reading book one I was looking forward to it. The book takes up where the first left off, though with other characters becoming more central. The book focuses initially on Emily, the young but wise daughter of Leslie and Peter Mayer and her observations of the behavior of the adults around her – her father’s (criminal) activities, Grandpa Roy’s plan to get his hands on the Fife cattle station through his daughter in law’s inheritance claim and her mother’s unhappiness. The focus is subsequently shifted to the young boys Jarrah, Billy and Jim when they are put into the Kellincha Aboriginal Boy’s Training Home against their will to be ‘educated’ and trained to get a job and be assimilated into white society -  and lose their aboriginal roots. Despite their surroundings the boys hold on to the stories, language and traditions of their culture and Jarrah’s dream of living at the billabong gets stronger. The two older boys find success in the boxing ring but Jarrah escapes to return home to the land he dreams of and his family. Once there he starts to learn about his roots, the land and his family, to ‘listen, observe and not speak’ and let nature come to him. Back in the city things aren’t going so well as the Meyer family’s relative tranquility is about to be shattered as Peter’s criminal activities and debts catch up with him. He flees, leaving Leslie and the children to pick up the pieces which they are ill equipped to do so. Leaving the cattle station, Ian Fife sets off to help them out and bring them to safety at the Fife Downs Cattle station – at this point he and Jarrah meet  (actually for the second time) – Jarrah is looking for work, but is afraid of Ian, the boss, only to have his prejudices dispersed when he sees that Ian is far from being the typical white man Jarrah expects him to be. They head off to Sydney to collect the family and Jarrah meets Emily and their friendship starts, setting the scene for the next book in the series.I thoroughly enjoyed this episode and definitely want to read more – the characters are intriguing and I find the setting and  background to the novel, so well drawn by Ryn Shell, refreshingly different  and very compelling. It is obviously something she feels very strongly about and takes great pains to present all sides of the story – aboriginal and white man – in a balanced way. Highly recommended.