The Wattle Island book club: For all bookworms out there

I'm a little ashamed to say that I am not a fan of stories set in Australia written by Australian writers. Australian fiction doesn't resonate with me, perhaps because I go for dark reads and that's not the Aussie vibe. I wonder, too, if there's a thread weaving through Australian stories that matches the lighter shade of the landscape. The only Australian writer who writes Australian stories whom I love is Christian White, and his works are unique and far from standard Aussie fare. That said, Michael Robotham is one of my favourite authors, but his stories are set in the United Kingdom so he doesn't really count! And neither does Kelly Rimmer, an Australian writing historical fiction set outside of Australia.

All that aside, I was drawn to The Wattle Island book club partly from the book's gorgeous cover and partly because a book club is at the centre of the story. The novel has been described as romance fiction and that is definitely NOT a genre I read. There is a strong historical element to it, though, and that IS up my alley.

The Wattle Island book club | Published January 2021 | Read October 2023

There are two women at the centre of the story, following two different timelines. Anne Sato is a long-time resident of Wattle Island. Anne first lives there as a teenager, coming to live with an aunt after her parent's death and later returning with her Japanese husband soon after the end of World War 2. A tragedy in Anne's life brings about the establishment of the island's book club that becomes part of her healing process.

Grace Elliott is a feisty and adventurous librarian (love it!), living on the mainland in the present-day timeline, ticking off bucket list items since childhood. She has been experiencing some health issues when the opportunity to visit Wattle Island come up. Grace jumps at the chance to help Anne re-establish the now dormant book club, although there is an intricate web of relationships and past traumas to unravel before Grace can tick this item off her bucket list.

The best way I think to describe this book is charming and heartwarming. It is about friendship and forming deep connections with people through books. The story champions the power of books to bring people together, to escape into different worlds, and to heal.

I enjoyed reading Anne's story and the harsh realities of the racism her husband suffered as a Japanese man in post-war Australia and the forbidden relationship that they formed during this time. Sandie Docker writes with warmth and authenticity and her book doesn't feel too cliched or trope-filled. It's a sad story yet ultimately one of hope.

All the characters are fleshed out and convincingly portrayed, adding something meaningful to the narrative. There are some heavy subjects dealt with in the book (not mentioned here for fear of spoiling) but they are handled sensitively, creating a poignant story set in a beautiful Australian landscape. I won't give away the ending - decide for yourself how you feel about the final pages of the story once you have read the book.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐