First - I loved this book. After starting it on vacation (it was the only book at the rental home on the beach where we were) I had to find the others in this series.
The storyline was so fascinating to me as a look into the lives of the poor and downtrodden - prisoners sent from Britain to Australia. Because of the people involved the language is very course and I wouldn't recommend it to people who are offended by such. I don't believe it is filthy for the sake of filth, but if this were a movie it would be R for sure. For me it was almost like reading in another language, a vernacular of our own, but even though I can't stand to watch movies with lots of swearing, this book didn't bother me. Not sure why, but it just seemed raw and true. I was enthralled with the lives of the characters and the human trials they endured.

Was excited to read this book as I went to The Female Factory in Hobart in November last year. It is mentioned in this book, so was very interesting for me.

I'm too lazy to write a review. I think I've written 4 or so to date for GOODREADS. BC deserves one albeit post-humous (sorry BC). If you haven't discovered Bryce Courtenay yet you're in for a treat. It's a great (great!) yarn based on truth. "Fliction" maybe is a little harsh as I thought it was very well written with CORRECT SYNTAX. But it romps along and is an easy and unpretentious read with plenty of action and descriptive details about whores and robbers. As a NZer I've always enjoyed our superior history over the ozzies' dubious one. WE NZ whiteys are not from trashy stock! But this book has a wonderful chapter or two describing the terrible voyage for the transportees and BC has succeeded in educating me to their plight.

I originally gave this a 3 based on my disappointment at the end- but I have now realised it’s a trilogy and this changes my rating back to a 4- much more to come which makes a lot more sense for how this ended

‘The Potato Factory’ by Bryce Courtnay.

This excellent novel sat on my bookshelf for some months before I finally got around to reading it. I am not sure why, perhaps it was the title that did not strike the right cords. I even picked it up a couple of times, but dismissed it. What an oversight that was.
'The Potato Factory' is a journey back in time to Dickensian London and all the filth and squalor that inspired Charles Dickens to pen his many novels, and in particular ‘Oliver Twist’.
Although written as a work of fiction, the author chose this route to publication only as a method of filling out the bare facts as recorded in historical periodicals of the time, both here and in Van Demons Land. As a work of fiction he was also afforded the luxury of adding some excellent dialogue.
The central character in this true tale is Ikey Solomon whom most readers will recognise as ‘Fagan’ from ‘Oliver Twist.’ This was no coincidence, as he was the inspiration behind this well-known classic, as were many other colourful characters, such as Sparrow Fart ( The Artful Dodger,) and Bob Marley (Bill Sykes.) Other Characters include ‘Sperm Whale Sally’ and ‘Billygonequeer’. Charles Dickens himself is reputed to have interview Sparrow Fart in his capacity as a young reporter after the well-documented escape from Newgate prison and trial of Ikey Solomon at the old bailey.
With such a cast this is a hard book to put down. In a society where petty criminals could be hanged or transported for merely picking a pocket, or prostitution, the reader will cringe at the cruelty and hypocrisy of the so called law and aristocracy.
The second half of this book is set in Van Demons Land (Now Tasmania,) but to find out how our immigrants fare you are just going to have to read it for yourself.
Fascinating in its detail of real characters and actual events, and consuming in its prose. ‘The Potato Factory.’

I enjoyed this novel in the audio format, narrated by Humphrey Bower - a perfect match for Bryce Courtenay's writing style. If you like Michener or Follett novels or the BBC show, Copper, Courtenay's historical fiction will likely appeal to you, as it does to me. The first part of this novel is set in London. Later, the reader is transported, along with the novel's characters, to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania). One of the main characters is London's notorious "Prince of Fences," Ikey Soloman (often considered the figure that inspired Dicken's Fagin from Oliver Twist). This novel has its gritty moments, as is to be expected given the setting and subject material. This novel is the first installment in a trilogy and I immediately moved on to the second, Tommo and Hawk, upon finishing this novel.

I love historical fiction. Before I read The Potato Factory I had never heard or Bryce Courtney. He has a way of writing that makes you feel transported back in time. The story of Ikey Solomon and Mary Abacus is brutal, and heartbreaking, however you have to admire the determination and success against all odds. The events of their lives, apart and together, lay a foundation for an unparalleled story you will not be able to put down. I have just started the second of the trilogy (which I did not know until I picked this book) Tomo and Hawk. I have high expect ions for this book!

Can't believe I have never read this before! A good solid tale of victorian England with lovable characters.

3.5 stars

South African born (and later banished), this author has many well-known titles under his belt, yet this is my first book by him.

The beginning of the book reminded me a bit of The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper in so much as the descriptions of London were so vivid, the poverty and struggles so real.

I was not really a fan of Ikey’s character, even if he was based on a true historical figure. I did like his criminal activities in London but once he got shipped to Van Diemens Land my interest wavered a bit. Had it not been for the interesting side characters like Sperm Whale Sally and Billygonequeer I probably would have enjoyed those sections less.

I loved the character of Mary Abacus and she is the reason I rounded my rating up to 4 stars. Time and again she showed determination and perseverance in the face of so much cruelty and curveballs that came her way.

And talking about cruelty – it felt as if the author took pleasure in torturing his characters, coming up with more and more inventive ways for the story to break them.

This is a vivid historical adventure showing life in 19th century London and the Tasmanian Penal colony.

Well worth the read.

Rating: 3 stars

This is my third Bryce Courtenay book, my second this year, and I am noticing a trend. The premises of his books I am overall interested in - they tend to be historical fiction set in or around Australia (which I appreciate because Australian is a quite a large part of my nationality) and they usually have to do with characters, with a prostitute or two thrown in there, who are down on their luck and pick themselves up to keep going with life. And one thing I think Courtenay does really well in his books is consequences for his characters. If someone gets hurt, they get hurt. So on face value, that sounds like something I would quite enjoy. But I always find that I am really interested in some parts of his books, and then really bored in others. Like, at one point I'm saying "wow! I'm quite intrigued! I want to know more!" and three pages later I'm saying "ugh. Just finish already." But I think I will once again settle on three stars.

Anyway, that was my experience with The Potato Factory, as well as a couple of days ago with Tania and The Power of One last year. I will probably read more Courtenay in future, as my grandfather was quite fond of him and I like to read books family members or close friends enjoy.

Bryce Courtenay - always delivers when it comes to outstandingly fantastic Australian Books.

The Potato Factory is definitely up there as one of his absolute best.

The story is about Mary, based in the early 18th century, she is living in London and has been raised by her father, who taught her how to use an abacus, with all intentions of one day being able to obtain a job as the best clerk. This hindered Mary's life as a Clerk's Job was a Male's job, not a female's job, and this because Mary's pitfall from the time she set out. She had been cruelly punished for being such a talented and smart lady.

However, Mary never gave up, she did whatever she could to make ends meet, and life was cruel to her, in many ways we can only try to imagine.

Mary meets Ikey, who makes a living as a pick pocket, and he is the one gives her the start in life that she has always hoped for, he gives her a job as a Clerk and they create numerous business adventures together.

Mary's story is amazingly heroic, it explores her journey from London to being transported to Australia, Van Diemens Land as a convict.

This book is the first of a trilogy.

I absolutely love love loved this book, Bryce Courtenay was an incredibly amazingly talented Author, this is a MUST read for every Australian.


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This is the first in the Australian trilogy:
1.The Potato Factory
2.Tommo & Hawk
3.Solomon's Song

I was hooked after the first chapter!

Bryce Courtenay is noted for his ability to weave dramatic, graphic, human stories with historic fact. He did not disappoint with this book. I could not put it down. We meet Ikey, Hannah and Mary in 1820's England.. "dark times, bleak times, hard times". They survive in the under belly of English society. Their lives and their stories are woven together..Deemed criminals by English courts, they all end up in the penal colony in Van Diemen's Land (Australia). Here the paths their lives take continue to cross.. We cheer for Mary, hate Hannah and always wonder about Ikey. As the last chapter in this book comes to a close, Mary and her two sons, Tommo and Hawk,reunited after horrific events, have finally acquired the financial means to move forward, and upward, in society, as a family and in the legal business world. Looking forward to starting book #2 in the Trilogy: Tommo & Hawk.