The Railwayman's Wife - Ashley Hay - Part 1

The Railwayman's Wife - Ashley Hay

2017 Reading Challenge - Day 114

  April 24, 2017 

Book 33 - The Railwayman's Wife
Ashley Hay (2016)
 Part 1 - pages 1 -228
Reading Time - 5 hours

I came across this book in a magazine at the doctor's office. Same as with The North Water. Same doctor's office, same magazine. The reviewer said that The Railwayman's Wife was amazing. I thought... OK... let's give it a go.

It's set in a small town on the southwest coast of Australia. It follows the lives of a young family, Ani and Mac Lachlan and their 10 year old daughter Isabel. Early in the book, Mac is killed in a railway accident and we then follow Ani as she struggles with her grief. Set in the years after World War 2, we also meet a few returning soldiers, one of whom is a medical doctor.

The writing is lovely - very descriptive... almost magical. But, it got to me after a while. I wanted something to happen. It seemed like the characters were just drifting through life. And then... at the end... something did happen... but it wasn't a happily ever-after happening. It's true, life doesn't always work out... but... after drifting along with the author through the book, I wanted something at the end of it. Or maybe that's her point. We just drift through life and then shit happens. Don't know... wouldn't read it again.