Born at the end of the 19th century, Dolly Maunder was born at a time when women were just starting to have more social mobility. In the face of her poor childhood on a farm in New South Wales, Dolly consistently tries her best to break through the increasingly frail barriers on her way to finding independence and fulfilment.

I think the fact that Dolly Maunder was the author's grandmother really shines through the story because the writing has so much tenderness and sympathy for her, despite Dolly not being a particularly warm character. Although I did read Grenville's closing words, I'm still unsure how much is fiction and how much is family legend. One thing that really stood out for me was the connection between her very restricted, sheltered beginnings and her insatiable wanderlust and search for something new. She is constantly wanting to move on from her situation -even when it's very comfortable- and I think that's a hangover from when she couldn't escape her father's farm.

In some ways, it's a tragic story of a woman who was never satisfied with her lot but in other ways, it's a celebration of a woman of her time. It was really inspiring to see that Dolly's daughter (Grenville's mother) did manage to juggle a career and family in a way that Dolly never could. It certainly ends on a hopeful note that women will continue to flourish.

Some stories make me thing that our great-grandmas were quite strong willed and more indipendent than we think.
This is the story of an intriguing woman, a free spirit even if she's married.
I love her and loved the storytelling.
Great story
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I really enjoyed this book and was disappointed when it ended. I loved Dolly, she was everything I would have liked to be back then

I am a huge fan of Kate Grenville books but I must say that this one was not one of my favourites. But having said that it was still a good and interesting read. Being the somewhat fictional story of the authors Grandmother, who is a person that would have been very hard to live with. This is her story from a youngster into her older years, through life changes marriage, children and beyond.

The way the story/book was written, the voice in which it was written was to me almost child-like which I didn't like that much. The subject matter was good and the characters all brought something to the story. It is a good book but it isn't one that drew me and and gave me that 'I can't put it down' feeling. I'd say it is a 3 1/2 star read for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Canongate for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Kate Greville is one of Australia's finest writers; and she makes excellent use of her family history is her 'novels'.

Dolly Maunder is the fictional account of Greville's grandmother who grew up when women in her community had two choices - marriage or being a spinster. She had the ability to teach but her father prevented this, and she married a farmhand, but owing to her intelligence and drive they managed to make a financially successful (one the whole) life for themselves, even if it wasn't entirely a happy one.

Highly recommended.

With thanks to Canongate and NetGalley for an ARC.

Kate Grenville is an author I’ve wanted to read for years but never have, so I’m pleased to have finally had an opportunity to try one of her books. Restless Dolly Maunder is a short novel, inspired by the life of Grenville’s own maternal grandmother, Sarah Catherine Maunder (known to everyone as Dolly).

Dolly is born on a sheep farm in Currabubula, New South Wales in 1881, the sixth of seven children. Her older brothers and sisters can barely read and write, attending school only when their parents can spare them, but by the time Dolly reaches school-age, attendance has become compulsory. Dolly is a bright, intelligent girl and decides that she wants to continue her education and become a teacher after leaving school. Unfortunately, it’s not her decision to make – her father’s permission is required and he refuses to give it, saying that “over my dead body” will a daughter of his go out to work.

As the years go by, Dolly’s siblings begin to marry and move away, while Dolly herself stays on the farm with her parents, eventually marrying Bert Russell, an old friend from school who comes to work for her father. When Dolly discovers that her mother has been keeping a terrible secret from her, she decides that it’s time she and Bert started a new life somewhere else. Aware that farming leaves them at the mercy of the weather, they agree to try something completely different – running a little grocery shop in Wahroonga. It proves to be a success, but Dolly is still not satisfied…in fact, it seems that she’s never going to be satisfied, with anything.

The rest of the novel follows Dolly, Bert and their three children as they move around from place to place, from one business venture to another. Although I did initially have a lot of sympathy for Dolly and understood her desire to make something meaningful of her life, having had her dreams of becoming a teacher destroyed by her father, as the book went on I began to dislike her more and more. It seemed that she was only ever thinking of herself, giving no consideration at all to the effect on her children of constantly being uprooted and disrupted. She was a cold, unloving mother and although she was aware of her faults, she made no attempt to change.

Despite the unlikeable protagonist – and Grenville acknowledges herself in her author’s note that her grandmother was a difficult woman to love – I did enjoy this book. It was interesting to get some insights into life in Australia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The family live through both World Wars and although the first leaves them largely untouched, by the time the second comes around Bert and Dolly have sons of fighting age, so are affected in a much more personal way. With this being my first experience of a Kate Grenville book, I didn’t know what to expect from her writing, but I found it very readable. She doesn’t use speech marks, which usually annoys me, but it didn’t bother me too much here, maybe because it’s not a particularly dialogue-heavy book. I’ll look forward to reading more of her work.

In Kate Grenville's eleventh novel, "Restless Dolly Maunder," the late nineteenth century sets the stage for the birth of Sarah Catherine Maunder, the sixth and penultimate child of Thomas and Sarah Maunder. Swiftly earning the affectionate nickname Dolly, she becomes a well-known figure on Forest Farm and in the town of Currabubula.

Dolly's fortunes take a positive turn as she benefits from the introduction of compulsory attendance at school. Under the guidance of a strict but dedicated schoolteacher, she discovers a love for learning and takes pleasure in her education. Against the backdrop of the Australian landscape, Dolly's journey unfolds, promising a narrative rich with the nuances of rural life, family dynamics, and the transformative power of education in the late nineteenth century.

The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This is the fictionalised life story of Kate Grenville’s maternal grandmother, Sarah Catherine Maunder, known as Dolly. She was the sixth child of Thomas and Sarah Maunder, born in Currabubula, New South Wales, Australia in 1881. She was not only restless but also clever and determined – she knew what she wanted and she did her best to achieve it.

As a child she longed to be a pupil-teacher but in a world where women were subservient to men she had to obey her father who wouldn’t allow it. She could marry or be a spinster. Eventually she married Bert Russell and began a life away from the farm and her family, moving from place to place and from one business to the next to better herself and her family – a shop, a boarding house, a pub, and a grand hotel.. But she was a difficult person, not easy to like and unable to show love. Hers was a success story but also a tragedy as her wanderlust impelled her to keep striving for more and better things in life.

Restless Dolly Maunder casts light not just on Dolly’s life but also on life in Australia for most of the 20th century. The book has a relentless pace as it tells her life story as she propels herself from place to place and from business to business, enjoying success whilst it lasted and enduring all else, not stopping to pause breath in her restless pursuit of what came next.

Consider reimagining your own grandmother's life as a work of fiction. It would be simple to record the facts of her life - when she was born, married, and had children - but it would be more difficult to think like her, to understand how she must have felt and thought as a child, a young wife, a mother, and an elderly, dying lady.

Kate Grenville has written a nuanced account of her grandmother's life, depicting the difficulties of a lady born around the end of the nineteenth century, intelligent but denied a thorough education, unable to accomplish her early dreams due to the limits of her gender at the time. My grandmothers were both born about the same time. I'm now thinking what they would have done with their lives if they had the same options and liberties that we possess now. My maternal grandmother had a lovely singing voice, and her teacher encouraged her to pursue a professional career, but that was not considered suitable at the time, so she married early.

Dolly Maunders is a challenging character. Life has turned her sour by the time she has children, and she struggles to love or even connect with them. Most of us can relate to her inner turmoil. When we don't behave or speak to someone as warmly as we should, we immediately regret it and berate ourselves inside. Dolly spends her life doing this but can't seem to get away from who she is. I highly recommend.

An excellent depiction of Australian life in the early 20th century through the story of a woman who wanted a different kind of life. She was intelligent but not allowed to become a teacher by her father and her way out was to marry . It depicts a life of struggle and trying to better herself and family but missing out on love of family. Based on the author’s grandmother she brings this character to life for the reader.
At times you love Dolly and then think less of her. Addictive reading

I liked the book a lot. It was an interesting story of a „normal“ life. This story was well told and I liked a lot that the title reflects the situation. The style is good to read and the characters are interesting and multidimensional. The idea of writing a story of a common woman from these times is compelling and I think that I can understand that Generation better now.
I recommend the book.

Dolly Maunder was born in a small town in the Australian bush in the late 19th century. She wasn’t a typically compliant little girl, but a child who, from an early age, wanted more than the restricted life imposed upon her by lack of money and education, and by the attitudes towards women prevalent at the time. This striving for a better life continued throughout her life, and her many successes (and some failures) form this fascinating story. Kate Grenville writes with superb characterisation, a true sense of place and riveting story telling as always, and this is a book to be savoured.

This was a fascinating story which I read in one sitting. It’s so awful reading about the frustrations of being a female, clever, restless, ambitious and having to live with the expectations of the time; also inspiring to read how Dolly never gave up on her dreams and made the best of her situation. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

Ive always loved Kate Grenville's work- I think "idea of perfection" is still one of my favourite books - and was pleased to find this was another success. I imagine it must be quite hard trying to write a truthful, if fictionalised, account of one's grandmother's life especially if she wasn't a particularly likeable character. Ms Grenville manages to write with empathy however, and acknowledge the debt we owe to the women before us who have enabled us to have more choices in our lives.
thank you to netgalley and canongate for an advance copy of this book

The story of Dolly, who was born in the late 19th century to a poor family of farmers. Dolly is clever, academic and ambitious but is prevented from pursuing her dream of becoming a school teacher by her domineering father who does not believe that women should go out to work. Dolly finds herself in an unhappy marriage with an unfulfilling life, and tries her best to make life better for herself and her family. Although I felt sorry for Dolly in that she was prevented from being the person she wanted to be as she was born a woman, I did not particularly like the character. She was also domineering, selfish and at times cruel to her children, but I did question if this was as a result of her own unhappiness and frustration. She was certainly determined and hard working, and the book gives a good account of what it must have been like for women in this era.

4.5 stars. Imagine trying to re-imagine your own grandmother’s life as a work of fiction. It would be easy enough to record the facts of her life - when she was born, married, had children - but not so easy to think like her, to imagine how she must have felt and thought as a child, a young wife, a mother and an old, dying woman.

Kate Grenville has written the story of her grandmother’s life sensitively, portraying the frustrations of a woman born towards the end of the 19th century, clever but denied a proper education, unable to achieve her early ambitions because of the constraints of her gender at that time. Both my grandmothers were born around the same time. I’m now wondering what they would have done with their lives if they had the choice and freedoms that we now have. My maternal grandmother had a beautiful singing voice and her teacher wanted her to study professionally but that just wasn’t considered proper at the time and instead she married young.

Dolly Maunders is a difficult character. By the time she has her children, life has made her bitter and she struggles to love her children, or even to connect with them. Her inner struggles are shared by most of us. When we don’t behave the way we should, or speak to someone as kindly as we should, we regret it instantly and berate ourselves inwardly. Dolly spends her life doing this but can’t find a way out of being who she is.

There were times I wanted to know more about her thoughts and feelings at certain stages (which is why I’ve rated it 4.5 instead of 5 stars) but this is a short novel and the pace is relentless as there is a whole life to cover. Fans of Kate Grenville will know how moving the ending is likely to be but you can never be prepared enough. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and Canongate for a review copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Dolly Maunder was born at the end of the XIX century in Australia, one of five children of a poor sheep farmer. Eager to study since her childhood, Dolly dreamt of becoming a teacher, but her father wouldn't allow it.
Living simple, mundane life working on her father's farm, her only options are marriage or becoming a spinster.
"With the door to being a married woman creaking shut, you took what you could get,"
Eventually, Dolly agreed to marry Bert, a farmhand boy. But she can't settle for a quiet life, just being a wife and mother. In constant pursuit of a better life, she becomes an affluent business owner.

I loved this book and read it in one sitting. I was full of admiration for Dolly's strength and determination. She was born in a world ruled by men, where women had no rights, no chance to make a living on their own.
I have to admit I didn't like her as a person once she became a married woman. Although she hated her father, she repeated the same mistakes with her children, crushing theirs dreams and deciding on their future. On the other hand, not every woman is born to be a mother, but in those days, they weren't really given a choice to become anyone else.

I wish there was more insight into Dolly's personality in the book. However, I understand the book is an account of life someone long gone, and the author didnt want to turn into a novel.
I would definitely recommend this book for fans of strong female characters and complicated mother/ daughter relationships.

4.5★s
Restless Dolly Maunder is the eleventh novel by award-winning Australian author, Kate Grenville. In the late nineteenth Century, Sarah Catherine Maunder is born, the sixth and second-last child of Thomas and Sarah Maunder. She’s quickly known as Dolly by everyone on Forest Farm and in the town on Currabubula. She is lucky enough to have a school teacher who is strict about attendance, recently made compulsory, and enjoys school and learning.

Theirs is a hard, simple life, but at her aunt’s house, “a special pair of scissors just for cutting grapes … told her something important: there was a world beyond the one she knew.” Dolly is smart enough to entertain becoming a pupil-teacher, but that grandiose idea is quickly vetoed by her father: when she leaves school at fourteen, she will be needed on the farm. She soon understands that a life of endless, repetitive chores awaits her, chores that must be done to a standard that pleases her mean father, if she is to avoid punishment.

“Girls were of no account, you learned that early on. Good enough to make the bread and milk the cow, and later on you’d look after the children. But no woman was ever going to be part of the real business of the world.”

“What could a woman do but marry, and once you were married you belonged to your husband’s world and had to turn your back on your own. It wasn’t betrayal. It was the way the world was.” Dolly observes “A beautiful woman might have a bigger choice of men. But she had to pick one, and whichever one she picked, she’d still end up a wife, with a life as small as the plainest Plain Jane’s.”

The alternative, remaining a spinster, didn’t bear thinking about: “… their moment had passed, the wave they might have ridden into marriage had broken and ebbed into a bit of foam and washed them up in a back street in Curra with nothing and no one.” So Dolly marries Bert Russell, and they take up sheep farming in Rothesay.

But soon enough Dolly realises that success at farming is at the mercy of the weather. A hailstorm decides it for her: a little shop in Wahroonga is a much better bet. But once that is running well, Dolly finds herself looking for more: before long, she also runs a boarding house in Newport. And from there, a series of pubs get the Dolly and Bert treatment: hard work, improvement, profit. But “…the old restlessness: it seemed to be dyed deep in the fabric of who she was, her need to keep moving.”

Eventually, Dolly has the insight to see that “A woman … couldn’t take her future in her own hands and shape it in the way she wanted. Couldn’t even be a teacher if she wanted, and that was surely a humble enough thing to wish for.” She and Bert weather adverse natural phenomena, a global financial crisis and a world war, noting “You could do your best, but if life wanted to pull the rug out from under you it would find a way to do it.”

She also comes to acknowledge to herself her inability to connect with her children: “She heard herself sliding the pointed tip of sharp remarks at him… somehow she’d let all her own hurts be made into that weapon, and she’d turned it outwards against Frank in particular, the baby of the time of betrayal. He’d grown a surface to deflect the blade, but eventually it had found a place to slip in.”

Basing her novel on the life of her maternal grandmother, Grenville gives the reader a fabulous collision of reality and imagination, interweaving fact with fiction, all of it rich in historical detail, with a marvellously diverse cast of real people and (probably) fictional characters. It does feel like her intention to understand this enigmatic woman is realised.

As always, Grenville renders her era and setting with consummate ease, and descriptive prose is exquisite. A few examples: “Her red curly hair like a shining river glinting with light” and “It gave him a special bitter satisfaction to go over and over the stories of his humiliations … Dolly’s father told over the hurts like jewels, turning them in his memory so they flashed with his anger” and “His life had curved in towards hers, just for that moment, but curved away again like railway tracks, two sets of rails travelling towards different places.”

Only Grenville’s choice to omit quote marks for speech, at times causing confusion, prevents a higher rating. Brilliant Australian historical fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Canongate