A powerful & well written story.

***As always, I have to state that I was given this book for free in exchange for a review.
I never let the fact that I was given this book for free effect or sway my opinion in my review. My reviews are always my own opinion and thoughts on the books that I review.***

The author has an amazing way with words. Beautifully-crafted sentences and an acute sense of place and description. The first third of the book had me hooked, and the last third of the book kept me breathless. The middle third was a bit slow for me--I must admit though, I am a plot-driven reader. And while I enjoyed the twist at the end--I didn't see it coming--I felt the surprise was more because the events didn't jive with one of the main characters. I can't say more, unfortunately. No spoilers! But after that revealing, I was kept on the edge of my seat about what might happen next. Will she do this? Will he do that? How will it end? I will definitely look at other books by this author.

‘Forgotten Places’ is a story of two broken people trying to survive in a brutal landscape. Inspired by true events, it thrusts the reader into Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) in the 1830s where convicts and British settlers have converged to begin a new life in Australia. An English nanny accompanies her employer, Harris and small twin daughters, Violet and Nora there after the death of Harris’ wife. They leave England on the Duchenfield to travel to Hobart Town. Later, Grace flees from her abusive, soon-to-be husband with Violet into the wilderness but becomes lost. She encounters Dalton, who has escaped into the remote Derwent Valley and isolated himself for eleven years with only his strange, carved life-sized dolls for the company in his hut. Grace sees loss, suffering, and shame in his eyes and clings to him. When Violet goes missing, their lives and the awful truth begin to unravel.

This is a gripping and powerfully told story with several unexpected and shocking twists. The wild landscape echoes the tangled lives and horrors the pair endure. The natural world is authentic and beautifully described. Craven has developed strong and many-faceted characters, who at times have you believing they are brutal savages, and at other times, make you empathize and care for them. Not only do they have to fight to survive but also deal with the social and class order that has followed them from England. I felt Grace’s anguish deeply at losing Violet and Dalton’s struggle to be human and distance himself from his horrific past. The story is compelling and has you glued to the pages to discover the unpredictable conclusion.

2 people found this helpful

Amazing story

The story grabbed my attention and never let go. I really felt like I was part of the story and felt the same emotions the characters were experiencing.

I’ve never heard of the events Forgotten Placed was based on so the educational information included at the end was much appreciated.

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy to review. I’ll definitely be looking for more of Johanna Craven’s work.

2 people found this helpful

Great Historical Book

This a great story based in Australia when it was a penal colony. I really enjoyed this and the way it was written. I was so entertained but the combined stories is Grace and Alexander.

I was given a copy of this audiobook in return for my unbiased opinion

1 person found this helpful

Dreary & dismal

This is a brutal story, with nothing much good happening. I finished it because I wanted to learn the outcome, I kept hoping for a good one. There is a twist that explains a lot & makes things more interesting, and the ending was more satisfying than the rest of the book. I will say that it is very well written; it’s just a tough, hard story about life in the penal colony of Australia. If you are looking for uplifting, this isn’t it, although you will learn a lot .

Gosh💜

An unpredictable tale, at times harsh and brutal at others moving and emotional.
A difficult and terrible journey well worth experiencing.
The narrator did a grand job.

captivating

I loved this story. it's very intriguing and keeps the listener in suspense, eagerly wanting more of the story.

Fantastic historical fiction

This has got to be one of the best historical fiction books I have read in a long time. Excaped convict meets almost society girl and her daughter, while on the run. Grace's husband has her commited she escapes and returned to get her daughter Violet, and the two go on the run for fear she will be put back in the nut house. She meets an escaped convict and during the night Violet goes missing. The two of them search for her in the deep woods where no man has ever been. Their lives entangle as they search the woods. They flee to a different area she wants to return for her other daughter who wouldn't leave with her at the beginning. Grace blames the convict for her dissaperance. Only the truth is much sadder.
I received this free for an honest review.
The narrator did a wonderful job and I can't wait to hear more from this author and narrator.

Different Kind of Awesome

This story is based on true events that happened in Australia in the 1800’s. Focused around two very broken people, this story has a lot of time jumps and flashbacks so the beginning is a bit confusing, however, the story really picks up around after about an hour. When we are introduced to Grace, who has fled into the wilderness with her child in the hopes of escaping an abusive husband, the story takes a new angle. Finding shelter with a man who has secluded himself from society for 11 years, the two begin to depend on one another in order to find faith in humanity once again. Their lives are more entangled than either is willing to believe. When Grace’s daughter disappears, they must face the truth.

With beautiful worldbuilding, deep characters, and suspense, this is a very engaging audiobook that’ll hold you until the end. A story of love, loss, and tragedy, this is one that will stick with you long after you’ve finished reading.

The narration is spot on.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

Unforgettable Characters in an Unforgiving Land

I was excited to get this in exchange for a review from audiobookboom.

I had listened to the sample and thought the narrator was a good fit. I read the description and was more intrigued. I browsed reviews on goodreads and couldn’t wait to start listening!

Lately, when I start off with eagerness or high hopes, I end up devastated and/or disappointed. But I keep my fingers crossed.

I’ll be the first to admit. The beginning of the book - was it during the entire Part 1?- I struggled. Time moved back and forth as we learn about the ‘back story’. I don’t think it really flowed for me. Then again, I prefer a beginning, middle, end.

Although told in third person, when the POV changed between Grace and Dalton, it also took me a while to readjust. Then, Grace calls him Alexander (his first name) and the narrator calls him Dalton (last name). Or so I thought. Maybe she was referring to Alexander Pearce. Or maybe I’m confused. Still.

Despite that, it’s a solid 4.75 and maybe I’ll listen again and pay closer attention. Because, damn it’s hit.

So I did like Grace. A lot. Oh, how I’ve missed the strong, opinionated, speak what’s on your mind female leads. I’m so sick of snarky sarcastic teen mentality in an adult body.

But she was strong, less so when dealing with her internal struggles when she wakes up and finds out Violet is missing, which made her more real.

A lot of my friends live, have moved, or traveled abroad to both the UK and Down Under. The dialogue in this book is genuine. I love it. I can’t vouch for historical accuracy, but it sounds like when I’m on the phone with Corey or Gwen. I’m referring to vocabulary, slang. The narrator does have a natural accent, and it also added to the authenticity.

I did have an eye roll moment as our two tortured, lost souls find a common ground to cohabit. But WOW, I LOVED how this was handled.

This book about love, hope, brief violence, uncovered past abuse, betrayal, grief, waiting, desperation, living off grid in the dangerous desolate outback is a new depth of heartbreak, mending, and learning how to cope. It traverses through such raw emotions and bewilderment to a very unexpected, satisfying, heartwarming natural conclusion.

I sincerely hope Rebecca McKernan and Johanna Craven continue to team up for more dynamic audiobooks!

An Area of History Not Widely Known

Forgotten Places is a historical based novel set in colonial Tasmania. Although I'm Australian, the amount of Australian fiction I've read voluntarily, for enjoyment (excluding those forced at school) is probably only in a couple of dozen, and as their entry in to my reading list is pretty rare I do tend to remember them. One historical novel I did read when I was a youth was Marcus Clarke's "For the Term of His Natural Life", which I thoroughly enjoyed, and wish was on Audible as well. A lot of the setting, circumstances and feel of Forgotten Places reminded me of For the Term of His Natural Life. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
The novel follows a straightforward plot initially, but then makes some unexpected changes, leading you to then need to go back and reconsider everything you believed to have occurred and understood earlier. The end result is a satisfying conclusion, and leading you to want to listen to it again with your new level of understanding.
The narration was with English accents, fitting the period and characters, and was easy to listen to and understand.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable, thought provoking, historic novel based on an area of history not widely known.