I loved every word of this book. It was beautifully written and when I got to the end I could have happily gone straight back to the beginning and started it all over again.

The book is narrated by Elizabeth, the wife of John Macarthur, and is inspired by her letters to family and friends in England. Ms. Grenville has taken those documents and given Elizabeth a voice of her own from a time when the voice of women was very rarely heard. This is the memoir that Elizabeth never wrote but the author has such acute understanding of what Elizabeth's life was probably like that this reads as an extremely believable account.

The author's description of New South Wales was highly evocative and she describes the brutality towards the indigenous population and the transported convicts with perceptive skill. This is a brilliantly imagined account, of the lives of the first settlers in Australia.

An excellent mix of women's and historical fiction. It's intriguing, well written and gripping.
I loved the story of this woman who chose to wrong man and how she was able to turn her life and prosper.
The descriptions of Australia are amazing and the historical background is well researched and vivid.
The characters are fleshed and interesting, you cannot help rooting for Elizabeth and I'd be curious to read about the rest of her life.
It was an excellent read, strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Elizabeth, Mrs John Macarthur, travels from her home on the Devon/Cornwall border to Sydney, Australia, in 1790, one of the first soldiers’ wives to do so. This is the story of a strong, canny woman finding a way to make her own space, in a world that offers her limited choices and in a marriage not of love, but of grudging appreciation.

A fictionalised memoir, based on the letters of the real Elizabeth Macarthur, I enjoyed this a lot and could happily have spent more time discovering her new world.

This is the story of a woman making the best she can from an unfortunate marriage at a time when there was no escape. Her husband, John MacArthur is a self opinionated bore of a man who Elizabeth learns to manage quite skilfully. They travel to New South Wales where Elizabeth finds her true home, not only the land but home to herself too. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

This is a literary composition – pleasantly obscure and powerful in language of the era. I found our protagonist Elizabeth so amendable in her older and wiser years – a friend to all women. She was a feminist who was compelled to succumb to the restrictions and limitations of the eighteenth century and the values and beliefs of that era.

“It was new, undreamt of, that I had reduced a man to this inarticulate yearning. Almost begging. It filled me with a sense of how powerful I must be, after all. I felt myself to be as big as the night, free, a thing with no boundaries. The sky was infinite, the stars blazed like the exhilaration that filled me, their shifting pulses and shimmer a promise of time, space, eternity, all the things a woman never had. I was at last free to find my own size, and I was gigantic.”

Eventually in this life she is propelled to lead, she has to rise up out of her previous limitations and use every sinew of voyage and passion just to survive.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story of passion and discovery, and as it is inspired by a real woman, I found myself even more drawn into her thoughts and experiences.

Beautifully written. I know that the history wasn't 100% accurate but the descriptions of the landscape, the social etiquette, the whole trial of moving to the end of the world and the hardships it entailed. As a fairly recent migrant from England to Australia I enjoyed the contrast between Mrs Macarthur's journey and my own, including how they settled into the new culture and everything else. Recommended.

Absolutely wonderful. I've been wanting to read another Kate Grenville book for a long time. She evokes the era and creates characters in a way few can.

This is a beautifully written & unassuming work of historical fiction based on a real life woman.
Told as a memoir, we are taken from childhood through the very interesting married life of Elizabeth Veale/Macarthur. Mrs Macarthur, as we know her through most of the story, is a strong likeable character and by this account a force to be reckoned with. She is resourceful, resilient and at times cunning.
The writing throughout is beautiful, particularly the closing chapters, which I read twice through.
This novel explores a part of history that I have very little knowledge of and has definitely piqued an interest that I shall be exploring more.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and will happily be recommending it.

One of my favourite books of all time is The Secret River by Kate Grenville, and it is a books that has stayed with me even though it’s nearly ten years since I first read it. I was really excited to receive a copy of her new book A Room Made of Leaves to read and review. As with her previous books, Kate Grenville takes us back to New South Wales, Australia and the penal colony there. This is the story of Elizabeth Macarthur, who arrived in New South Wales in 1791, in the early years of the penal colony with her husband John who was a Lieutenant in the New South Wales Corps. Whereas a lot is known about her husband and his rise among the ranks, Elizabeth’s story is lesser known, but just as interesting. Taken from memoirs, this is the story of a young woman, in a marriage with no love with a self aggrandising man, who uses her resources to adapt, and make a life for herself in difficult and inhospitable circumstances.

This is definitely another wow novel from Kate Grenville, with a main character in Elizabeth that I doubt I will ever forget. This book has it all, there is adventure, romance, drama, a wonderful cast of characters and a moving and fascinating plot line. As with her previous books, Kate Grenville captures the atmosphere, the historical climate both cultural and social, and the human emotions of her characters. The descriptive prose paints a portrait of the landscape, the exotic flora and fauna, the harshness of the new land where crops can’t grow and the lives of those who live there; the soldiers, their wives and the indigenous peoples.

Elizabeth is an intriguing and fascinating character who I grew to admire and love the more I read her story. She finds herself in a loveless marriage with a husband who is cold, selfish, full of self importance and a cruel streak, and then finds herself on the other side of the world. Whereas this may break many women, Elizabeth turns the negatives into positives and plays her husband at his own game. She uses her time to learn new skills, hosts afternoon tea with music for the soldiers stationed there, and takes an interest in botany to learn what crops and plants can grow in New South Wales, eventually using that knowledge to grow crops when John gets a portion of land to farm. Her positivity and adaptability to her circumstances comes through in this book, she succeeded in a climate where many failed and made a success of her life, at Elizabeth Farm that she ran with her husband.

Whenever there is a book about the penal colony in Australia the subject of Colonialism. It’s never an easy subject but Kate Grenville shows how Elizabeth, after befriending Mr Dawes a scientist, sits down with the local indigenous tribal people and tries to learn more about them rather than spreading fear about them, finding the common link of children, music anf language. The land wars, where the British just took land, are shocking in today’s eyes, and it is not surprising that the indigenous people fought back, causing destruction and death. It also raises the issues of women’s rights, marriage and the justice system in the late eighteenth century.

A House Made Of Leaves is an honest and powerful story of one woman facing adversity head on and coming out on top. She could be seen as a victim of circumstance, but Kate Grenville shows that Elizabeth was no victim, she was intelligent, and resourceful in making a life for herself. Beautifully written, with engaging prose this is a fascinating and inspirational read, and I think historical fiction at it’s best.

Devon, 1788 and Elizabeth Veale knows her options are limited so she allows herself to be seduced by an officer and accepts the marriage that follows. Her husband is ambitious but egotistical and Elizabeth learns to be compliant even when his debts cause him to accept a posting to the penal colony of New South Wales. Elizabeth finds Australia difficult at first but then she allows herself to open, firstly to passion, then to the natives and finally she finds her vocation in farming.
Written as a purported memoir, this book tells the story of Elizabeth Macarthur, wife of one of the first prominent men in the colony and producer of fine merino wool. The introduction claims that the story is based on a series of papers recently discovered but in the author's notes she explains that this is just a literary device. It's a clever one as the reader believes the story to be a slightly exaggerated biography based on primary sources whereas it is actually a fictionalised story based on secondary sources. The story itself is wonderful, a small woman finding herself in the vast new country, racism is addressed as well as feminism, and all is wrapped up in wonderful prose.

A well written novel creating the take of how Elizabeth McArthur came to live and survive in Australia . Married off to McArthur who was a difficult man at the best of times. She found life to be more bearable in her own world With her special secret love , Dawes, and had the empathy for the indigenous people that peppers some of her earlier works. She triumphs in farming going on to make her husband a renowned wool merchant but I felt that part of the story was rushed over in the closing section where many years were glossed over. I enjoyed the River Trilogy much more than this recreation of a life

I think I stepped out of my comfort zone and was taken in my the gorgeous cover, this book is truly beautiful, end papers and I love it when a Publishers got that extra mile.

It is 1788. Twenty-one-year-old Elizabeth is hungry for life but, as the ward of a Devon clergyman, knows she has few prospects. When proud, scarred soldier John Macarthur promises her the earth one midsummer's night, she believes him.

"But Elizabeth soon realises she has made a terrible mistake. Her new husband is reckless, tormented, driven by some dark rage at the world. He tells her he is to take up a position as Lieutenant in a New South Wales penal colony and she has no choice but to go. Sailing for six months to the far side of the globe with a child growing inside her, she arrives to find Sydney Town a brutal, dusty, hungry place of makeshift shelters, failing crops, scheming and rumours.

All her life she has learned to be obliging, to fold herself up small. Now, in the vast landscapes of an unknown continent, Elizabeth has to discover a strength she never imagined, and passions she could never express.

Inspired by the real life of a remarkable woman, this is an extraordinarily rich, beautifully wrought novel of resilience, courage and the mystery of human desire."


This sounds such a sweeping tale, and feel upset that I did not really enjoy it, it seemed to have a promising start but for me it just tailed off.
However, this does not mean to say that this is not a good book, I know many people that would enjoy this, I shall most definatly pass the word on and perhaps, i shall pick it up again one day.

My thanks to Canongate for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘A Room Made of Leaves’ by Kate Grenville.

This is a work of historical literary fiction based on the life of Elizabeth Veale, who in 1788 accepted the proposal of soldier, John Macarthur. Although her new husband is initially charming, Elizabeth soon realises that she’s made a terrible mistake. They travel to New South Wales where he takes up the position of Lieutenant of a penal colony. As might be imagined life in Sydney Town is brutal.

John Macarthur is a notorious historical figure though Elizabeth manages to establish herself in the fledgling society despite his corrupt activities. Elizabeth eventually gets involved in sheep rearing and is known for her role in establishing the Australian wool industry.

Grenville has written this as an epistolary novel drawing on letters, journals and other material linked to Elizabeth Macarthur and expanding on them. She writes in her Author’s Note: “I’ve taken some liberties in order to shape this work of fiction. .. This book isn’t history. At the same time it’s not pure invention. Those old documents were my inspiration.” She believes that Elizabeth’s demure letters home were carefully crafted to both conceal and subtly reveal the truth.

This was well written with some truly breathtaking passages as Elizabeth reflects upon nature. Elizabeth was certainly an inspiring woman. I was also pleased that Kate Grenville focused on Elizabeth’s relationships with the local aboriginal peoples though it was painful to read the account of how their lands were ruthlessly taken by the English colonialists.

She has Elizabeth reflect upon the fact that her land is stolen even though she endeavours to be kind to those living within these boundaries. “underneath that goodwill, we all know an undigestible fact: I am not prepared to give them back what has always been theirs. Not prepared to gather up my children and get on a ship and return to the place of our forebears.”

I could easily see this novel being popular with reading groups given the quality of writing, its subject matter and the scope for fruitful discussion.

Overall, I found ‘A Room of Leaves’ an engaging and thought provoking novel.

Loved this book. I wasn't sure at first, but it was well worth carrying on. It's not easy to write historical fiction based on real people, because lives don't always take a nice novel-shaped direction, but the main character here is so captivating that even though there's no central question pushing the story along - no mystery, no will she or won't she, no physical danger - she comes so readily to life off the page, you just keep wanting to know what happens to her next, and how she deals with the difficult hand life deals her. And the story that rolls out is compelling, moving, and ultimately well concluded and satisfying.

I loved learning about a place and time in history that I knew little about, and like all the best historical fiction, it made me want to find out more. Would definitely read more by this author.

This is an interesting story which has obviously been very well researched. This is a fascinating read about some of the early settlers in Australia told from the perspective of Elizabeth MacArthur. It is fascinating and insightful and shows Elizabeth’s determination to survive and thrive.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Inspired by the real-life of a remarkable woman, this is an extraordinarily rich, beautifully wrought novel of resilience, courage and the mystery of human desire.

It's 1798 & young Elizabeth Veale, a girl with an appetite for life, makes a mistake which affects the rest of her life.
She finds herself married to soldier, John Macarthur  and sailing for six months to Australia where he is to take up a new position. He's a brash man, full of his own self importance. He has great plans and even greater schemes.
Elizabeth quickly learns how to live alongside her husband. She discovers an inner strength she never knew she had and over time carves a good life for herself.
I liked this book, Elizabeth flourished despite her circumstances and built a good life. She became a wonderfully respected woman.

A Room Made of Leaves is the explosive biographical novel by Booker-shortlisted Australian author Kate Grenville and boy was it worth the almost decade long wait. Inspired by a slew of letters written by Elizabeth Macarthur and sent from Australia to family and friends in England, Grenville believes present carefully constructed, lady-like fictions designed to both conceal and subtly reveal the truth, she both gives a voice to the voiceless and examines the impact of brutal colonisation on Elizabeth as a woman and the wider indigenous populations.

What if Elizabeth Macarthur—wife of the notorious John Macarthur, British-officer-turned-wool-baron in the earliest days of colonial Sydney—had written a shockingly frank secret memoir? And what if novelist Kate Grenville had miraculously found and published it? That’s the starting point for A Room Made of Leaves, a playful dance of possibilities between the real and the invented. Marriage to a ruthless bully, the impulses of her heart, the search for power in a society that gave women none: this Elizabeth Macarthur manages her complicated life with spirit and passion, cunning and sly wit. Her memoir lets us hear—at last!—what one of those seemingly demure women from history might really have thought. At the centre of A Room Made of Leaves is one of the most toxic issues of our own age: the seductive appeal of false stories. This book may be set in the past, but it’s just as much about the present, where secrets and lies have the dangerous power to shape reality. This is historical fiction turned inside out, a stunning sleight of hand by one of the most original writers of our generation.

This is a fantastic, moving and rumination-inducing read from the moment you pick it up until the moment you put it down and tells both a personal story, of Elizabeth and her rather sad life, and the brutal colonisation happening in Australia at the time with Grenville adeptly illustrating how each intertwine. It was a time when self-censorship was ubiquitous, and although fictional this is likely a lot closer to what Elizabeth wanted to say but was afraid of the possible consequences when women were told to ’put up and shut up’ and to put on a polite public face no matter how they were feeling. Beautifully written with delicate attention to detail and weaving in her own family history, the author has treated us to another profound novel I feel is destined to be nominated for awards. This novel changes the way you think about the earliest days of the colonial experience in Australia: about the role of women, the fickleness of the official narrative, the power of conversation, and the possibility of love. It’s a book which dramatises the past in order to speak directly to our times, to our aspirations, and the debates that matter most to us. It is a book you will ponder long after you turn the final page. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Many thanks to Canongate for an ARC.

Inspired by the real life Elizabeth Macarthur, this is a wonderful historical account of one woman's life, or at least a life that is imagined by the author.

Married to John Macarthur, not out of choice, but necessity, she is taken from her life in Devon, to the penal colony of Sydney Harbour. She feels lonely and completely disconnected from her ruthlessly ambitious husband. She cries out for affection and human kindness, and finds this in the shape of shy and awkward, Mr Dawes. Whilst a love affair that could never last, it gave them both the gift of happiness.

Elizabeth bore many children, and when land was granted to her husband, she begins to live a life with purpose. With help, she successfully cross-breeds their flock of sheep to produce high quality wool, that her husband, John, begins to export. The added bonus being that he leaves Sydney for London, for many years at a time. Elizabeth feels like she is home on her farm, and she embraces her solitude fully.

A fascinating historical account of a remarkable woman. Compassionate, intelligent and kind, she is the true success story behind the facade of her overbearing husband.

Kate Grenville will never cease to impress me. Her writing is effortless, flawless and so accessibly lyrical. Her historical novels about the early colonial period of Australia are each more fascinating and absorbing than the one before. Her respect for Australia’s Aboriginal peoples, and the way her novels navigate through Australia’s dark colonial history, are awe-inspiring. Her descriptions of the Australian landscapes are always absolutely stunning. And her explorations into women’s status in society and women’s inner lives are sublimely astute. If you’ve never read anything by Kate Grenville, now is the time to start. If you have read her novels before, I can assure you A Room Made of Leaves will not disappoint.

This is a beautiful historical fiction and is inspired from a real woman. It is a tale of courage, resilience and human desire.

The writing is beautiful and I loved reading it. Elizabeth's life was quite interesting and difficult. I love how resilient she was and I was rooting for her throughout the book. She is resourceful, intelligent and social. She makes the best of the situation and rises. I love the bonds she forms with the people around her.

I hated her narcissist husband.

Definitely recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for giving me an e ARC in exchange for my honest review.