Review

Sue Williams' Elizabeth & Elizabeth is the story of two women forging a life in the colonies

By Frank O'Shea
February 13 2021 - 12:00am
Historical drama, but nothing on the real thing
Historical drama, but nothing on the real thing
  • Elizabeth & Elizabeth, by Sue Williams. Allen & Unwin, $29.99.

Elizabeth Macarthur arrived in Sydney with her husband John in 1790. He was a belligerent character who would be central to the Rum Rebellion against Governor William Bligh which resulted in the former sea captain being replaced by Lachlan Macquarie. In 1808, accompanied by his young wife Elizabeth, Macquarie was sent to tidy things up in the new colony. The two Elizabeths would become close friends and allies, sometimes scheming against their own husbands and it is this aspect of their lives that is the basis of Sue Williams' novel.

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