Jessica is a page turner of a novel that will make you feel an entire spectrum of emotions, and strongly consider what it means to be a woman that faces constant adversity, yet continues to rise. For a book both published in 1998 and written by a male, I am extremely impressed with Bryce Courtney’s ability to delve so intricately into the female experience.

Although the quantity of tragedy littered in this novel often felt unrealistic, Bryce Courtney’s prose never failed to draw you in and remind the reader that not everyone gets a fair go, both in fiction novels, and in real life. It is the most tragic yet inspiring tale I have read in a very long time, and one that will age gracefully. I will miss turning the pages.

I honestly don't know how to rate this. The majority of the story centers on Jessica, one of the few times that I've seen Courtenay feature a woman as his main character. Jessica's family is beyond belief – her mother and sister are just plain evil, like fairy-tale evil villains. And Jessica herself does something incredibly stupid due to her stubborn pride and "her word." Yet, as a soap-opera period piece, it works. I would have easily given it 4 stars. There isn't even any boxing (yay! Courtenay sometimes spends too much time in his books with details of boxing).

But, then the latter part of the book concerns another character, who should really have her own book where she is central, as the issues are far more dire and overreaching than one or two lives being ruined. In this part of the book, Jessica plays the role of the a white savior, along with two white men. And even though the topic is deserving of its own book (or many, many books) – since it was something that affected many, many people – it falls flat jammed into Jessica's story.

And the ending is just rough, rushed, and sad. And the final "secret" is exactly what any reader would have known all along.

Another classic by Bryce, I was not able to put it down and read all night long until 7 am, I can't remember any other book that would captivate me so. The story is as enthralling as it is sad and cruel, I can not believe it is actually based on a true events, which makes it even more heart breaking.

Courtenay, style is at its best: the characters are alive and jump at you from the pages, the realities of life are harsh and at the same time poetically depicted. He has drawn an excellent picture of Australian outback.

Bryce is hands down my favorite author and if you loved any of this other books you must definitely read this one. If you have never read any of this other books, Jessica is a great introduction to his style and you will undoubtedly become a fan just like me.

I struggled with this story - mainly due to the way Jessica was being treated by her own family. For some reason the writing came a bit close to the bone. I skipped a few bits but persevered and finished feeling very benevolent towards Mr Courtney. Only to discover that he had recently died. Over the years I have had a very inconsistent attitude towards his books Matthew Flinders Cat is one of my all time favorites and of course there is a special place for The Power of One. Yet Tommo and Hawk and the Potato Factory were just a too difficult for me to get past the first chapter. Now posthumously I read about the man and understand a little more, he is clearly a gentleman and one to be admired. His gift for understanding the human condition was outstanding and his death a huge loss. For me the way he depicts alcoholism, racism and sexual proclivity have always been a source of admiration and I have the utmost respect for his honesty. Not surprisingly it appears he accepted his terminal illness as many of his fictional heroes did with dignity and grace, I take my hat off to such humbleness in one so talented.

So thank you Mr Courtney for the memories Jessica will always be the book that bought his more challenging books (for me) and my favorites together in one place. Rest in peace......

I went back and forth about this book. There were times when the writing was really good and the story was rich. There were other times when it just seemed way too long. If you're looking for another Power of One, then this book will be a disappointment. If there were half stars I might be tempted to go with 3 1/2 stars. I'm trying to think what to write and really it was such a strange meandering story, so tragic in places, predictable many times but then a beautiful surprise would freshen the narration. I don't know. I'll have to think on this one a bit more.

Thoroughly enjoyed this novel and found it very hard to put down when I started it.
Bryce Courtenay is one of my favourite authors and I wasn’t to be disappointed with this book.
Set in the Australian bush, Jessica is faced with many hardships as she finds it hard to fit into the confines of society. With a close bond to her father, Jessica prefers to work alongside him in the shearing shed rather than spend time with her ladylike sister and formidable mother.
Sadly for Jessica an unfortunate series of events spirals her downwards and consequences last her lifetime.
Jessie, as she is known, is passionate to the cause of fairness and because of this, on her life’s journey meets some wonderful, loveable characters.
The author’s ability to describe people and places makes you truly believe you know them and have been there.
I am sorry to have finished this book, I feel I’ll miss the characters that I have come to love.
Yet another Bryce Courtenay masterpiece!

This book will always have my heart. Although reading it now after having read a lot more books, the writing style definitely isn't my favourite. But that is no fault of the author, just personal taste. I think Bryce has really captured the characters well though, right down to the way they speak.

Jessica, my heart will forever break for you and Jack.

The storyline is interesting but honestly, just get to the point!

I was enraged at the sadness & injustice in this novel. I was disturbed by the graphic imagery & in disbelief at the elaborate drama that just kept on going and going. However I was glued to this book and completely enthralled by the characters & storyline. This is one of the best books I've ever read.

I picked up this book at a hotel in Jaipur (and left my copy of Frankenstein in exchange). A riveting read... although I have a feeling that I may have read it before, or heard it discussed... it was published in 1998 (well before I was keeping track of my books on goodreads!)... as certain parts of the plot were familiar to me. But this book certainly held my attention, and brought me to tears at one point, and it is a rare book that actually brings me to tears. A story of a remarkable woman in the outback of Australia, based on real/true events, involving the nastiness of her own family towards her, and also involving a court case to get the children of an Aborigine woman returned to her after they were taken away by government agents. I won't outline the whole plot, but wholly recommend it as a page-turner.

A re-read of an old favourite.

There is something about a novel by Bryce Courtenay that sets my mind at ease. The way he tells stories and the silky flow of the narrative has me eager each time I am able to (re)read his books, all of which I have found to be stellar. This story focuses on the life of Jessica Bergman and her family, who are living in rural Australia soon after the country’s formal independence. Jessica is unlike the other girls around town—including her sister, Meg—who prefer to remain prim and proper. Rather, Jessica is happy to get dirt under her fingernails as she is reluctantly given work shearing sheep alongside her father. While first seen to be an outcast and the lesser sex, Jessica soon befriends Billy and Jack, leading to a strong platonic connection between them all. When Billy is seriously hurt and suffers a debilitating brain injury, he becomes a pariah and ‘dim-witted helper’ to Jack’s family. One day, Billy comes to Jessica with news that he’s committed a horrible crime, one that no one will understand, especially in his altered mental state. Jessica soon realises that the only way to save Billy from the town mob is to get him to the police magistrate. Their journey is long and slow, but Jessica is determined to find justice for her friend. When the law takes over, it is the influence of those with power, administering it through a lens of judgmental beliefs, that sees Billy face harsh consequences. Meanwhile, Meg and her mother have a plan that could secure the elder Bergman girl into a life of luxury, or at least ensure her status, though an unsuspecting Jack has no idea that he’s soon to be lured into a trap. Seeing what’s happening, Jessica tries to strike back, only to be silenced and used in the larger plot as well. As the story progresses, Jessica comes of age and must grow up faster, not only because of her family’s schemes, but as she comes face to face with some of the racially-motivated laws on the books that seek to subjugate portions of the population. Jessica must struggle and discover that she alone has the power to shape her own future, and those closest to her. A brilliant piece by Bryce Courtenay that shows the power this man has when putting a story to paper. Highly recommended for those who love a strong tale of self-discovery and determination in the face of ever-growing doubt and obstacles.

I have had a long-standing admiration for Bryce Courtenay and his books, all of which have captivated me early in my reading experience. While they are usually long and quite tangential, their thread is one that can be easily followed and the plot constantly evolves, which may explain my vague summary above (which may appease those who chirp about my reviews being too long and revealing for their ivory tower reading sentiments). Courtenay creates a number of strong characters and utilises them effectively to shape the direction in which his narrative moves. Jessica is, of course, the central character in this piece and her life is shaped by those around her. Moving from the age of fourteen through to her mid-twenties, Jessica’s life is influenced by a number of events that take her along paths that could not have been foreseen. She becomes one person that the reader cannot help but admire and her tribulations, while surely placed in a ‘soap opera’ type drama, are usually grounded in something substantial. Others find their place in the narrative and offer poignant life moments to give Jessica even more depth. This is something Courtenay does well and seems to be able to effectively portray in most of his novels, as well as using some of his standing character types in each novel (ie, Jews, blacks). The story, rich with description and development, takes on an interesting approach. Courtenay opens each ‘book’ with a summary of events, then backtracks to play them out through a series of progressive vignettes, offering the reader foresight into what will come, then letting the narrative take control,. It is effective and does not present too many issues for the reader who enjoys a surprise within their reading experience. The plot is strong and well-grounded, providing not only personal growth for Jessica, but touching on a number of political and social issues of the day, not all of which have been adequately resolved close to a century later. Courtenay may have passed on, but his books resonate with me and I hope that by the time my son is ready to tackle them, they will appeal to his passion for reading and learning.

Kudos, Mr. Courtenay, for another wonderful re-read. I find myself so energised when I have read one of your books. Let’s ride that wave through the next little while.

This book fulfills Topic #5: Name That Book, for the Equinox #4 Reading Challenge.

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A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...