Lillipilly Hill
Eleanor Spence
Lillipilly Hill
Eleanor Spence
Lillipilly Hill is the story of Harriet Wilmot and her family, who have come to live in an inherited house in the New South Wales town of Barley Creek at the end of the nineteenth century.
Harriet is in awe of Australia, despite the heat and unconventional schooling, and much prefers it to dreary old London. Not all of the Wilmots agree, however, and Harriet breaks rules and expectations in her efforts to convince her family to stay in this new and exciting land.
Following an altercation with another boy, Harriet’s brother Aidan even attempts to walk, in the middle of the night, to the harbour. Battling the kind of darkness you only get in the country and impenetrable swampland Aidan comes across a mysterious young man with a dog who will change his perspective on Australia and even life itself.
Lillipilly Hill is a delightful coming-of-age story that is all at once sweet and adventurous, sensitive and exciting.
Review
Alexa Dretzke
Eleanor Spence was one of my favourite authors when I was a young so I was excited when I heard Text were reissuing Lillipilly Hill. The spirited Harriet has moved with her family from England to Australia at the end of the 1800s and while Harriet has immediately fallen in love with the house they have inherited and the surrounding countryside, not all of her family shares her enthusiasm. Her headstrong ways often land her in trouble and her mother is worried that her children will turn into uncouth, undisciplined savages. A return to civilised England appears unavoidable but Harriet is desperate to stay. How can she achieve this in an era when young girls should be biddable and constrained?
Harriet is a gutsy, likable girl who has to walk the fine line of her parents’ expectations and her own less restrictive yearnings. Spence appeared regularly in CBC awards in her career and was a highly regarded author so it is great to see Text offering her to a new generation. Lillipilly Hill is still a compelling read and the characters are well developed. Though the odd word may be a little dated, girls who have loved the Our Australian Girl series will find plenty to enjoy here.
For ages 9 to 12
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