I enjoyed the vividness of Park’s Sydney and adored the romantic thread throughout the story. I admit this book has aged along with the depiction of 1980s family life, but for me it was a true and real representation of what life was like and although, I didn’t experience time travel (not for want of trying), I did experience family breakdown and it did scar me as it did Abigail. I adored the storyline and subplots, and even after all this time, I still found myself connecting with Abigail who was at times immature, selfish and annoying (exactly how fourteen-year olds can often be). Park deftly weaves the past with the present and gives readers a wonderful glimpse into The Rocks of the 1870s. She finds herself recognised as The Stranger who has been prophesied to save The Gift for the Talisker and Bow families. She follows a strange young girl up into The Rocks (a historic area close to Sydney Harbour) and slips back a century to 1873. Abigail is lost, heartbroken and just a little harder. I remember all too well the stigma and shame from having divorced parents at that age during the 1980s. Abigail’s family has broken down with the separation of her parents. Playing Beatie Bow was first published in 1980 and I remember being of similar age to Abigail, the fourteen-year old protagonist when I first read the story. Last weekend, I picked it up again and my heart still pounded at the same points and I had to blink away tears before my family spied me crying over this gorgeous little book. Over 30 years ago, Playing Beatie Bow fell into my hands (probably through my school or local library), and I was enthralled.

It’s still a deliciously warm and wonderful read.

Playing beatie bow book