Customer Reviews

3 reviews

• Lee Rengos

  The Lost Boy of Van Dieman’s Land begins with a tragedy for an ordinary family in Victorian England. It is the story of how they deal with grinding poverty, danger and hunger to escape to a land on the other side of the world. Davy, a ten year old boy, steals a bun and faces prison or deportment. He and his sister Hannah are separated but long to be reconciled. The story takes them through heart-rending hardship to eventually bring them back together in new lives. Clare Cohen paints a vivid picture of the suffering of impoverished children living in Victorian times. The contrast with the privileged classes is well drawn and may be a real eye-opener for the current generation of teens. The adventure picks up pace as the long journey across many oceans starts to unfold. This book makes an absorbing read for any teenager who can imagine life in the not so distant past.

• Ingela H

  It's a lovely book and what a story it grabbed me straight away, I just wanted to know how the siblings would turn out and the ending was surprising and really good. It's a great history lesson of times not so far away and difficult for all of us to understand.

• Linda Dubé

  This tale of a Victorian brother and sister’s extraordinary experiences in London’s old docklands and a penal settlement in Van Dieman’s Land (modern-day Tasmania) is an engaging read for 12–14-year old boys and girls alike. The primary theme of poverty, with its attendant hunger, squalor, cruelty, and unfairness, ends in redemption, gained mainly through hard work, ingenuity, and the odd bit of shenanigans. The adults seem a bit unidimensional next to the more colourful portraits of the children, but the historical content is appealing, and the ending is agreeable. And it’s short (116 pages), so a reluctant reader might find it attractive. Avid readers who enjoy history will find it a good read.

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