Restless Dolly Maunder was ahead of her time, dreaming of more than just marriage and having children. Jobs available to women were limited and discouraged, especially when Dolly’s father forbade it. Instead, Dolly was thrust into a marital arrangement filled with boredom, obligation and adultery.
Somehow, through it all, Dolly achieved her dream and became a business owner of multiple establishments, but she always wanted more for herself and her family. In doing this, she ended up mirroring her father’s controlling parenting style.
The story follows an Australian woman in the early 1900’s as she navigates family, work and what it means to be a woman during this time. It is a story of oppression and isolation, giving an insight into the turmoil of people who have come before us. It is a reminder that we may not understand why our ancestors made certain decisions, usually they did the best they could within the context of the time.
Kate Grenville is a highly accomplished author and is well known for her foray into Australian history. The depiction of Australian life during this time is clear and the character construction of Dolly is thoughtful, especially given it is based on the true story of Grenville’s own Grandmother. It’s nice to reflect on the experience of first settlers and understand how they battled daily life, while conquering extreme weather conditions, the great depression and an overseas war. Grit and determination are palpable throughout the novel, which can be attested to the women who stay and keep things moving forward. It’s interesting to reflect on a different era of feminism and the small acts of rebellion that paved the way for us today.
However, there are some difficulties within the novel. Grenville made the decision not to use speech indentations, which in my opinion, can flatten a book. It was also written in the second person with minimal dialogue, which only offered Dolly’s perspective and limited the narrative’s scope.
Grenville also included in her Author’s note that she chose not to include any reference to Indigenous Australian’s, because this book only offered the perspective of Dolly. While I understand it is only from the perspective of one person, choosing to write an Australian book in today’s age without including any reference to Indigenous people seems slightly tone deaf. There is an amplitude of Australian literature which fails to address the presence of Indigenous Australian’s during this time, and I don’t think we need another. In my opinion, this is a large failing.
Restless Dolly Maunder is a good book and while I found it an enjoyable read, unfortunately it didn’t offer any new insights or perspective on women during this time. Including multiple perspectives, enhanced dialogue, character diversity and referencing First Nation’s people would have increased my enjoyment of the book.
Rating: 2/5
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