Gilberta Brady has spent three years in the Fremantle Asylum because of so-called ‘unnatural’ desires. In that time, she’s done her best to keep her head down and avoid the power struggles of the other women, hoping only to read as much as she can and one day be allowed to go home. Then Norah arrives, screaming curses and insisting that she saw her mother murdered, and it suddenly becomes much harder to stay out of trouble.
Norah is determined to escape and get justice for her mother, and Gil finds that her need to help the reckless, passionate newcomer overwhelms her caution, and drags her back into the world in Norah’s wake. On the run through the bushland outside Perth, the two escapees must avoid the search party after them and try to survive – a task that seems almost hopeless until they cross paths with two Nyungar boys trying to get back to their own home in the southwest. They’re a motley crew, but together they might be able to protect each other and stay alive … unless the man who killed Norah’s mother finds them first.
A Flash in the Dust is both a tense YA thriller and an important, gratifying reminder that queer people have always existed. Their stories weren’t always recorded, but people of all sexualities and gender identities are an inherent part of Australia’s past (and future).
Caddy’s author’s note includes a list of queer Australians from the 19th century whose lives inspired this story, to show readers that while A Flash in the Dust may be fiction, it’s paying homage to a very real group of people. It’s a well-placed reminder that if you choose to look for them, there are always stories to be found of people who lived their lives unapologetically on their own terms.
There’s a lot more I want to say about this wonderful book, but alas – my word count is limited. So let me just say: Caddy has clearly put a great deal of thought into every aspect of this story, and the result is a moving book that’s clearly rooted in its time and place. I highly recommend it for readers aged 13+ who are interested in history, love a gripping thriller, or are keen to see representation for asexual and nonbinary characters.
