The Winds of Heaven
Vibrant, poetic and deeply moving- award-winning author Judith Clarke traces the different lives of two young women in this compassionate and ultimately heart-stopping novel.
When Fan was little she dreamed of magical countries in the faraway blue hills. As she grew up she dreamed of love, and the boys came after her one by one. Clementine throught her cousin Fan's house in the country had a special smell: of sun and dust and kerosene and the wild honey they ate for breakfast on their toast. But then there were the feelings: the anger that smelled like iron and the disappointment that smelled like mud.
Still, Fan was strong and beautiful and Clementine thought she'd always be like that. But Fan was seeking something, and neither she nor Clementine knew exactly what
As we follow them through their teenage years into adulthood, Fan's zest for life sweeps us along even as we- and Clementine- hold our breath as we sense the inevitability of her tragic story. How their different natures and choices determine their fates makes for a deeply moving novel that resonates long after it is finished. With sharp poetic prose, insight ad compassion, Judith Clarke tells a moving and beautiful story as she traces the lives of two young women, separated by circumstances, but linked forever by blood and friendship.
"a sweetly serendipitous novel about family and friendship. Clarke has created a swag of lovable characters, from teen to octogenarian, whose faults only serve to make them more endearing. There's a charming sense of magic to this story
it's impossible not to get caught up in anticipate for the moment where everything will fall into place." -Angie Schiavone, The Sydney Morning Herald.
"a delicious and audacious piece of writing that weaves realism and 'escapist' fiction, with utterly convincing results. Perfect, satisfying, and elegant."- Kathy Kozlowski, ABR.
"What a wonderful read. If you don't mind sitting on the bus and having tears roll down your cheeks, laughing and crying at the same time, then this is for you."- Fran Knight, SAETA Newsletter.
Judith Clarke was born in Sydney and educated at the University of New South Wales and the Australian National University in Canberra. She has worked as a teacher and librarian, and in Adult Education in Victoria and New South Wales. She now lives in the Blue Mountains in NSW.
A major force in Young Adult fiction both in Australia and internationally, Judith Clarke's novels include the multi-award winning Wolf on the Fold, as well as Friend of my Heart, Night Train, Starry Nights and the very popular and funny Al Capsella series. She is unsurpassed in her ability to convey complex emotional states with acute understanding and compassion. Kalpana's Dream was named an Honour Book in the prestigious Boston Globe/Horn Book Awards. In 2008 her most recent novel, One Whole and Perfect Day was an Honour Book in the American Library Association's prestigious Michael L. Printz Awards for Excellence in Young Adult Literature.
The Winds of Heaven
Allen and Unwin Publishing
Author: Judith Clarke
ISBN: 9781741757316
Price: $22.99
