The Potato Factory
Ratings8
Average rating3.8
The first in a fictional trilogy that spans the history of Australia. Tells the story of two women Q Mary Abacus, sometime mistress of London criminal Ikey Solomon, and Hannah, wife of Ikey. They both raise separate families, both named Solomon, in Van Dieman's Land where Mary was transported. Determined to survive their past and create a future, the two women set out to destroy each other. The well-known author has written several other works, including 'The Power of One' and 'April Fool's Day'.
Series
Featured Series
2 primary books#1 in The Potato Factory
The Potato Factory is a 2-book series with 2 primary works first released in 1995 with contributions by Bryce Courtenay.
Reviews
Popular Reviews
Reviews with the most likes.
My first Courtenay book and I can see why he's so popular, the man can write.
The story feels loosely plotted, changing between characters a little randomly, and zooming into some moments and then zooming out for a year to pass on a whim, this is a strength and weakness - the ending felt a strangely rushed but the unexpected, extended, and thoroughly enjoyable, sidetrack on Sperm Whale Sally was a little mini showcase of Courtenays ability to create an extremely convincing world and the strange combination of tragedy and warmth he can draw from it.
Mary is delightful, Ikey is great, and once you realise Hannah is basically a Dickensian one-dimensional villain she becomes fun too.
