Stone of Heaven and Earth It’s 1914, and while clouds of war gather over Europe, Australians are signing up in their thousands to help the Allies. In sleepy Brisbane, two women set sail on a passenger steamer for Shanghai to fulfil a promise.
Spanning the years 1914 to 1929, Stone of Heaven and Earth is an epic tale of love and loss, extravagant expatriate lifestyles, intense danger, heroic acts, and the hideous effects of a cruel and barbaric civil war. The complex and volatile politics in China is played out in the intimate story of two intrepid couples, foreigners who embarked on the adventure of a lifetime and made their home in China.
Based on the author’s true family history, this work of fiction is interwoven with real stories gleaned from memoirs, photographs, and from growing up hearing the stories from those who were there. Extensive research, which included a month spent in China tracing the footsteps of the characters in this book, has resulted in a captivating account of foreigners in China during some of the most violent and devastating times.
What the Reviewers are saying:
FIVE STARS: "A wonderful read. I was swept away by this touching and engrossing story of love and courage. Noelle Clark transports us to China with a fine sense of detail and fascinating period insights, skilfully researched. I was right there in all the dirt and heat. China leaps to life with its vibrant sights, smells and shocking brutality. This was a turbulent period and I was gripped by the struggle of the family to survive within the stifling colonial world they have entered. The characters are drawn together through twists and turns and heart-breaking tragedies, naive at first, but growing in understanding as they explore where the boundaries of love lie. A moving story that totally captivated me." FIVE STARS: "Beautifully crafted, this is a story that kept me reading late into the night. Set between 1914 and pre-WW2, it tells the story of two sisters who travel to China before the outbreak of WW1 for the older sister to marry her long-time fiancee. Set against the backdrop of major political upheaval and some of modern China's most turbulent times, it captures a very strong sense of place and time. Meticulous research is seamlessly incorporated into details of daily life, and I felt as though I were there on the humid summer streets of Shanghai with Darl. Strong women characters who faced some of the worst that life threw at them and the men they loved. Recommended read for lovers of historical, exotic, and family focused stories."
