Walking in the Shadow

This was a rather emotional read for me as I found the hardship Jimmy, Will and Charlie have to endure living in a tiny leper colony, so heartbreakingly lonely and incredibly humbling the more stoicism they display. The book is uplifting in many ways but it also caused a tiny crack to appear in my h......more

I particularly enjoy books based on true stories and Walking in the Shadow is the most superb example of this genre. From the first page I was swept up into the world of the men on Quail Island. Their stories were heart breaking and poignant. But this isn't a sad tale. Rather my faith in humanity wa......more

Remarkable story of a mans growth to become the person he's meant to be. Jimmy has endured sufferings. So much, that his bitterness has overtaken his entire being, which is worse than the leprosy that affected him. Through kindness and decency of those around him, he finds love and reignites his spa......more

What can I say about this book? Having read and enjoyed all of Carmen Radtke's previous books, I was looking forward to this one and it did not disappoint. This is beautiful historical fiction, inspired by true events, and it had the potential to be absolutely heartbreaking - but instead it's a genu......more

This powerful story occurs more than a century ago in New Zealand, and the reader is never left in any doubt about that. The author takes a leper colony of three men on a tiny island—based on historical facts—and lets imagination bring it to life. We encounter social divisions of the time, such as r......more