Official Review: Patrick's Journey by Roy T Humphreys

[Rizbi]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Patrick's Journey" by Roy T Humphreys.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The year was 1790. Patrick’s Journey is all about Patrick Rourke, a 17-year old from Ireland. He got his priorities and plans aligned for a future with Catherine, his sweetheart. Behaving more maturely than his age, he has learned to control his temper and be responsible. Then came the English. Patrick ended up in jail, scheduled to be transported to England’s penal colony; New South Wales in Australia. Guided by a priest, whom he met on the ship to the colony, Patrick became a new man. He transformed from being despondent and volatile to someone pragmatic and docile; making the most of every situation he was in.

In Australia, Patrick slowly advanced from the lowest level of the society to a high-ranking official; aided by someone from his past. Just when he felt complete and content, other people from his past showed up in New South Wales, including Catherine; who is now married.

I am a fan of historical fiction, but admittedly, I have never read anything about the early convict settlers in Australia yet. This was a good introduction. Roy Humpreys, the author, based the story on his great grandfather’s journey from Ireland to Australia, six generations back.

The plot is simple and as expected of this genre, the protagonist has gone through ups and downs and came out a better man in the end. However, while there were sufficient twists in the story, everything is quite predictable. The reader can see what’s going to happen a mile away; giving the sense that the storyline is somewhat thin.

The characterization, except for the protagonist is straightforward. There were no gray players; they were either good or bad. Depending on the reader, this might be a positive or a negative. Personally, I prefer to see more complex characters, playing against each other, not just supporting one major character.

The depiction of the two main locations was striking, though. The contrast between Ireland’s and Australia’s environment and climates was vibrantly described. The inclusion of the Aborigines was admirably handled; the author even using the analogy of them being different as the same as what Patrick went through in Ireland.

Overall, I rate this 3 out of 4 stars. It might not be a great historical fiction for me, but it made me want to read other books about Australia’s early settlers. Generally though, readers who are starting on this genre would appreciate this, it nonetheless ticks all the boxes for a historical fiction.

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Patrick's Journey
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[Tanaya]

I've been getting more into historical fiction and, like you, I've never read about this topic before. Actually, I don't know that I've ever read anything set in or primarily about Australia. However, it does seem kinda dull based on your description, with the predictable plot and simply characterizations. That's disappointing to hear, but now I am intrigued in the subject matter. Great review!

[kimmyschemy06]

You got me interested in Patrick's character, being young and still able to control his temper. I love history and I would surely like to learn about Australia, so I may enjoy this one despite its predictability. Great review!

[anonanemone]

I've never read a historical fiction about the early settlement of Australia. It sounds like a particularly ambitious project, especially considering all the unique challenges associated with that country. I'm interested.