Lillian's Eden
In Lillian’s Eden, novelist Cheryl Adam takes the reader to Australian rural post-war life through the life of a family struggling to survive. With their farm destroyed by fire, Lillian agrees to the demands of her philandering, violent husband to move to the coastal town of Eden to help look after his Aunt Maggie.
Juggling the demands of caring for her children and two households, and stoically enduring her husband’s continued indiscretions, Lillian finds an unlikely ally and friend in the feisty, eccentric Aunt Maggie who lives next door.
With wonderfully drawn characters reminiscent of Ruth Park and Kylie Tennant, Cheryl Adam shows us the stark realities of rural life behind the closed front doors and scented rose-filled gardens. She highlights the endless physical and mental demands on women like Lillian who have to grapple with the challenges of a new homeland as well as never ending family responsibilities.
This rich, raw novel pays homage to friendship and to the rural women whose remarkable resilience enabled them to find happiness in sometimes the most unlikely of places.
2018 | ISBN 9781925581676 | Paperback | 234 x 153mm | 308 pages
Endorsements
Lillian’s Eden opens a magic door into 1950s rural Australia. It is an elegantly-paced, colourful excursion down memory lane, complete with money worries, murky family secrets, an eccentric old aunt, an abusive, adulterous husband, and a feisty, courageous wife. Tragedy, comedy, farce, tenderness, triumph – and grit.
— Carmel Bird
Lillian’s Eden is a garden full of stolen roses, family secrets and ambivalence. It’s also home to one very attractive snake. I couldn’t stop reading till I found who got cast out.
— Kristin Henry
FOUR STARS. Lillian’s Eden is a racy and entertaining domestic drama. It’s a good snapshot of Australia in the 1950s with its racist attitudes, family stresses and Bex Powders antidote. Read the full review here.
—Judith Grace, Good Reading Magazine
This is engaging and tragic-comic historical fiction showing how the lives of women in regional Australia were limited by the laws and social norms of the era. There is a large number of vividly drawn characters, some subtle treatment of the importance of female solidarity in dark times, and a really impressive picture of the dynamics of families, couples and marriage.
—The Age / Sydney Morning Herald
Lillian’s Eden has a rather classic feel to it, harking back to life during the 1950s in rural Australia. In many ways, it is reminiscent of The Dressmaker and Cloudstreet, with its element of the ridiculous that only comes with this type of nostalgic Australian fiction. Unflinchingly honest, this is a novel that will have you in stitches from laughter while stealing your breath away with its emotional intensity...All in all, Lillian’s Eden was an entertaining read from start to finish and I recommend it highly. It’s a very frank novel that doesn’t sugar coat reality, but it’s also nicely balanced and doesn’t ever push itself too far or give up too soon. As far as debuts go, Cheryl Adam is off to an incredibly good start.
Read the full review here.—Theresa Smith, Theresa Smith Writes Blog
Just finished reading Lillian’s Eden by Cheryl Adam. What a read, wonderful book loved Lillian and Aunty Mavis and the kids, Eric and family so real. The Funeral left me with laughter that stayed with me for some time.
... this book would make a splendid film.
—Sandra Beattie, Reader
FOUR STARS.
Lillian’s Eden reminded me very much of The Dressmaker, in multiple ways. It was edgy, smart, funny and somewhat relatable and yet brutally blunt and honest.
...This book was entertaining from start to finish with brutal honesty and striving times. Adam’s definitely hit a banger with this one and since it is her first book, I am gobsmacked. Cannot wait to see what Adam’s writes next.
Read the full review here.—Blue Fairy Tales, Blue Fairy Tales Blog
FIVE STARS. A thoroughly enjoyable, well written read with a good story line and interesting and amusing characters . The story takes place in post WWII Australia. Lillian and her husband Eric, along with their three children are leaving his family's farm and moving to Eden. Eric's Aunt Maggie also happens to live in Eden and is in need of some assistance. Maggie is the owner of two homes and Eric and Lillian are hoping that in exchange for helping her, they will be invited to live in one of her houses. Lillian and Aunt Maggie come to an understanding of sorts and the story meanders through the ups and downs of the relationships between Eric, Lillian and their children, with Aunt Maggie. She is a character and Eric and Lillian have their own issues. Definitely recommend. Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a review copy. This is my honest opinion.
—Lucia, Amazon
FIVE STARS. I absolutely loved this book. It is filled with humour and evokes so many emotions within me. Lillian and Aunt Maggie are wonderful, strong characters, and experiencing how their relationship grows and changes both their lives is a joy. All the characters are very real. The children are good foils to their mother, and show a different side to Maggie, while Eric (and Mavis) just bring out anger and frustration. Cheryl Adam portrays the social aspects of the story very well. In a time when women were predominantly regarded as chattels, it's encouraging to find strong women characters who can show what should be. Lillian is strong, even though she starts off extremely down-trodden, and the irony is that it's her husband who is ultimately the architect of his own downfall. Maggie is delightful in every way, and for me, she is the hero of the story. It's also an interesting insight into a time gone by, although the likelihood is that life in a small town is not much different, today. The writing style flows easily, the dialogue is believable, and in all, it's a well-written, totally engaging story.
—Di Paterson, GoodReads
Lillian’s Eden has much going for it. Debut author Adam writes clearly and the story never wavers. The book’s real strength is its setting, which comes alive in the reader’s eyes. As a setting, Eden is no Eden, but Aunt Maggie’s presence, formidable and forbidding as it is, makes Eden a haven of sorts for Lillian, arguably the story’s main character.
—Librarian, NetGalley
This book takes you back in history and you see a different country,a rural Australia that was intolerant, white and poor. Women were assigned the place at home, men kept all power and made all decisions and life was tough.When the destitute family tries to get into the good graces of a rich relative, the story looks predictable. But here it develops into the something very different. It becomes a story of empowerment, of friendship and character, when Lillian stops being a victim and takes control of her destiny.
—Vicky, Melbourne Australia, GoodReads
Cheryl Adams writes compassionately...Highly recommend a film-maker read Lillian's Eden and option it.
—Hazel Edwards, author, GoodReads