Women of Wolfram Camp by Jenny Kroonstuiver

A wartime drama featuring a stunning quintet of protagonists, Women of Wolfram Camp by Jenny Kroonstuiver is a remarkable tale of fortitude and community solidarity in wartime.

Freshly widowed Felicity, seeking stability in a world suddenly turned upside down, answers a wanted ad for a waitress at Wolfram Camp, a mining camp on the northeast coast of Queensland. Matilda, liberated from the oppression of her husband who’s away in the conflagration of World War I, becomes an even more respected figure as the owner of a bustling guest house. Bringing what is today a ghost town back to gritty and vivid life, infused with believable struggles and daunting obstacles, the author effortlessly pulls readers a century back in time to the other side of the world.

Crafting a story through five lenses is a challenge enough, but to subtly alter the narrative style and formality for each perspective is the type of attention to detail that makes this story deeply moving and immersive. Mary, Ethel, and Nancy are equally rich in emotional complexity, and the relationships that develop between these indomitable women are powerful and inspiring. From unexpected pregnancies and casual flings with charming miners to the grief of loss and rural power grabs, this story is an unflinching look at survival in trying times.

Though there are occasional repetitive passages and redundant language, this is high-caliber historical fiction embellished with a combination of searing emotion and the grounding details of historical fact.