Displaced by Cristina Sanders

This book begins in England in 1872 and follows the Sansonnet family ready to begin their new life in New Zealand. Our thoughts of a harrowing long-haul plane flight pale into insignificance when compared to the hardships of sea travel in the late 1800s. The family is moderately comfortable in England, so they do not have the indignity of the assisted passengers in steerage class, instead able to easily socialise with others on the upper deck. The steerage class includes many poorer Norwegian families also keen to begin a new life, but with far fewer resources. But sea-sickness, illness and tragedy do not know a social divide on the trip and Eloise’s family suffers enormously. If it weren’t for the opportunity to share her griefs with Lars, one of the Norwegian travellers, Eloise might have gone under emotionally. Even after they land on the New Zealand shore they must undergo continuing hardship as Mother falls into a deeply depressed melancholy, Father leaves to find an income, Billy must deal with blindness and Martha continues to deal differently with life (portrayed with characteristics of Asperger’s Syndrome) and Eloise is effectively alone holding the pieces together. Were it not for Serenity, the Minister's daughter who travelled with them on board ship, who has her own faith-filled ministry and benevolence to share with them, Eloise's life would have foundered on the rocks of her new home. Things do not go well for the family, and it is clear that life for new settlers was hard.

This historical fiction, winner of the Tessa Duder Award, is based on the circumstances for new settlers in New Zealand and it gives a compelling reminder that the early years for immigrants was not easy. The opening chapter reveals the depths of loss for the family. The relationship with Maori indigenous people is portrayed within the context of those who had some contact via Christian missions of the early years. Faith and faithlessness, and love and cruelty are woven together in this book and it is a reminder that the success of a country is built on the hardships and hard work of those early settlers, but that fear, failure, poor choices and discouragement were never far away. This book will be enjoyed by those who love historical fiction with a touch of romance, and there are situations that reveal that not everything was virtuous in this rough beginning for the family.

Themes: Historical fiction, Immigration, New Zealand, Family, Romance.

Carolyn Hull