I'll admit, I'm always intrigued by historical fiction based on real-life women from history. Gwyn is tough, smart, and determined even in the face of what appear to be insurmountable odds. This isn't a story for the faint of heart - there are moments that will make your heart race, and others that will make your skin crawl. Keneally did an excellent job of bringing the setting and characters to life, unfolding the story around you as though you had stepped right into the pages. This truly did justice to the unforgettable life of an extraordinary woman. ( )

In 1783 in Cornwall, Jenny Trelawney’s father dies, and her family is hard-pressed to survive. To avoid starvation, she turns to highway robbery. She eventually caught and sent to prison. She is fortunate not to be hanged and is sent to the new Australian penal colony. This book tells her story, including her transport by sea and her daring escape. Along the way, she suffers many hardships and tragedies.

Even though Jenny is no saint, I found myself rooting for her. She is a strong woman who refuses to be mentally defeated. She protects the vulnerable and befriends the aboriginal people. She is hardened by a difficult life but maintains her dignity and concern for others, as much as possible, in harsh conditions.

The book is a fictional version of the life of Mary Bryant, a real person. In the Afterward, the author indicates what is true and what is fiction. I was captured by the narrative and enjoyed the writing style. If you enjoy realistic historical fiction that does not employ excessive romanticism, check this one out. ( )

Fascinating. ( )

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"...[I]t was the first time she had seen full sunlight in four months..."

Jenny Trelawney is indeed a convict, a mother, highway robber, and runaway. But Trelawney is also so much more than that. In Meg Keneally's debut novel, we follow Trelawney on an epic adventure that crosses oceans, dances on the edges of jungles, and is nothing short of incredible.

I had moments of laughter, and moments of tears. I gripped the pages as if I was gripping the gunwale myself, braving a storm that may devour my soul. This is a story of a woman doing everything she can, for herself and for those she loves, to survive and to protect. Be prepared to become encrusted with the salt of the ocean, hear the steady sound of wood creaking, and feel a love that nestles in your heart only to be stirred by the deep churning of the ocean. There is hunger and malady, and yet glimmering glimpses of hope that keep you going. And keep going, Trelawney does.

"While she could, she drew in great gulps of air until she thought her ribs would crack."

Most remarkably, Keneally's novel is a historical fiction based on the life of convict Mary Bryant. Keneally concludes the novel with an Author's Note that divulges details explaining her work of fiction from that of fact.

The narrative, writing, and descriptive details drew me in to Trelawney's world. This is a book not excessively laced with romance. Keneally depicts a harsh and wild reality of the past, but also one that is full of wonder and moments worth cherishing. A little gem of a book. ( )

Once in awhile, a book comes along that is enthralling from the very beginning and impossible to put down. Fled by Meg Keneally is one of those gems.
I have always been fascinated by the early European settlements of North America (13 colonies), and Australia. I have read quite a few books on the 13 colonies but Fled is the first I have read of Australia.
I have read the story of Mary Bryant but in dry clinical articles. Meg Keneally brings new life to the story of an amazing woman who beat all the odds but ended up paying the price.
The story is based on the life of Mary Bryant who managed to escape from the penal colony in Australia. Most elements in the story told here are based in truth but names have been changed and some parts of the story have been changed or invented. It is understandable considering that only court records exist and it is next to impossible to know what Mary (Jenny) felt and thought or the reasons why she did what she did.
Jenny Trelawney makes the life-changing decision to become a highwaywoman after her father dies and her family is facing poverty. Needless to say, she is caught and convicted but instead of execution, Jenny is condemned to serve her time in a new land (Australia).
The story is so well researched and written in such a vivid way that you can feel the ship under your feet and the horror at the prospect of trying to survive in a new world.
Highly recommended for anyone who wants a taste of what it must have been like for these brave new colonists. ( )