Great book based on the true story of Mary Bryant. ( )

This was a most compelling read of a difficult chapter in British history - the first convict transport to Australia and the travails suffered by Mary Broad Bryant and her fellow convicts. Author Lesley Pearse, through her extensive historical research, has put soul into a well-documented person of history. Pearse's writing is fine and highly descriptive without being flowery. Her writing calls to the reader's senses as they smell the sweet tropical plants of "Down Under" as well as the tang of the sea mist or that horrendous odor wafting up from deep within the ship's hold. They see the flagging convicts with their vacant visages as well as the encouraging dawn of a new day. One hears the angry voices of native islanders, the roiling surf of a stormy sea and the harrowing cries of hopeless convicts. One feels the tender touch of a caring friend and the horrific grip of a would-be rapist. Mary had been a foolish young woman who embraced her lot in life, yet inspired courage, engendered compassion and managed to survive the transport experience. Pearse has held nothing back. This is a horrific and yet amazing true story which needs to be told again and again. I for one am richer for having spent these hours with Mary, an amazing woman of history.

I am grateful to author Lesley Pearse and publisher Agora Books for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone. ( )

Remember Me by Lesley Pearse

An epic story, one of my favorites. Mary is a 19 y.o. woman who gets transported for a simple crime of theft, after first being sentenced to hang. The jailers don't intend to transport her immediately, so she is sent to one of the prison hulks in the harbor near England, for quite some time. Conditions are deplorable, everyone is kept in chains all the time, locked in the dirty, dank holds of the ship. People die all of the time. There is never enough of anything, especially food, clothing, or water. Mary has a strong personality, she fights for basic human rights for herself and those around her. Some battles she wins, some battles she loses.

Eventually, she is transferred to a sailing vessel, the Charlotte, which will carry her to New South Wales, to a new continent that the English have discovered and intend to put Mary ashore with hundreds of other prisoners, male and female. The book follows Mary, as she struggles to survive in this hostile environment. This is a work of historical fiction, but it has many details that are based upon true events that occurred with the first waves of ships to England's new penal colony.

If you have children while you are in the colony, they become prisoners, also. Poor little children whose only crime is to have been born on the wrong side of the ocean. Mary is frantic that her children will be raised in such a grim environment. Never knowing that elsewhere in the world, there are people who behave humanely and lovingly.

Highly recommended. Much gratitude to #netgalley @netgalley and #rememberme for the complimentary copy, I was under no obligation to post a review. ( )

A story, based (rather loosely I am guessing) on fact which is an easy read if you can ignore the repetition and irritating style. An interesting subject but one that I would have preferred to read a non-fiction account of. ( )

I Husk mig! følger vi blandt andet Mary der deporteres til Australien, som én af de første engelske straffefanger der har til opgave at danne en velfungerende koloni i det nye land. Vejen er dog lang og da de endelig når frem er Australien slet ikke, som hverken officerer eller fanger forestiller sig. Dette er én af de bedste bøger jeg har læst i år og kan virkeligt anbefales! Bogen tager udgangspunkt i virkelige hændelser (dagbogsnotater og andet). ( )