By Eila Jameson-Avey
Publisher: Hawkeye Books, 2023
Publisher’s blurb
What happens when your search for the identity of your parents leads you to the one place you fear?
After a difficult marriage breakdown, Ally returns to teach at the school she attended as a child. Ally expected acclimatising to living and working in the rural setting of Widyarra would take time. But discovering her colleagues are hiding deadly secrets, she chooses to speak out.
When Ally’s chance at finally having a family of her own is jeopardised, she takes matters into her own hands. But who is the hunter and who is the prey?
When Ally is pushed to the brink the lines are blurred but one thing is certain, she will stop at nothing to protect her child.
Eila Jameson-Avey is an emerging writer based in NSW. She won The Lane Cove Literary Award in 2021. Wellworth is her debut novel.
Review
by: Sarah Jackson
Ally Williams has accepted a temporary assignment as a math teacher in her hometown. Abandoned at the Wellworth institution for children by her mother at an early age, Ally is curious to uncover the mystery of her heritage, the secrets of Wellworth and the truth about the tales of missing children. Her investigations are hampered by a lack of records, unhelpful locals and the closed ranks of former Wellworth staff.
Ally is a deeply unsettled woman. Her lack of knowledge about her past, the devastating breakdown of her marriage, and repeated failed pregnancies makes her anxious, unsteady, and too ready to fall into ill-considered relationships with men. We all have at least one friend who shares some of Ally’s experiences.
The supporting characters are believable, some likeable and many relatable. Each offer something different to Ally’s life and add colour to the story.
Jameson-Avey’s descriptions of a NSW regional town captures the feel of a struggling rural economy and the importance (and environmentally damaging potential) of big mining. You feel a part of the sights and sounds of country life, encompassing everything from the risk of bushfires to the parochial politics of the local pub.
The story encompasses a wide range of competing themes, covering everything from the foster care/adoption system, institutional abuse and violence, the Stolen Generation, women’s health and fertility issues, mental health and bullying in the workplace.
The plot builds smoothly, with many twists and turns and engaging subplots. You are kept on your toes right up until the end. The conclusion surprised me. The chapters are short grabs, making the book easy to read and hard to put down.