Author: Judith Clarke
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Young Adult
Format: Book – Library
Synopsis: Fran and Clemetine are cousins with very different lives. Clemetine lives in Sydney with loving parents. She likes school and does well. Fran lives at Lake Conapaira with a mother who takes her rage out on Fran. She's not good and school and constantly told she is a dummy. But the two cousins are as close as sisters. Winds of Heaven traces the two girls lives from the early 50's through the early 60's as they grow into adults.
What I thought: This is the last of the 2010 Children's Book Council Young Adult shortlisted books. In fact it was an Honour Book. I found it slow to start with, but it picked up as it went. It provided a great contrast between the paths open to girls during that period and how important opportunity was in how your life turned out. What was also interesting is how in the beginning Clemetine envied where Fran lived, her freedom and where she got to play. Towards the end, Fran envied Clemetine her life. The grass is always greener...
Recommended for: those interested in Australian YA fiction.
Challenges: 100+ Challenge, For the love of YA Challenge, Aussie YA Challenge
