Jamrach's Menagerie | Carol Birch

This novel has one of the best openings I've read: 'I was born twice. First in a wooden room that jutted out over the black water of the Thames, and then eight years later in the Highway, when the tiger took me in his mouth and everything truly began...'

I was hooked into the story of Jaffy Brown, London 1857. He lives in a poor part of London, makes his way in life working hard, no mention of school or education, but there are many wonderful people in his life. It's a story about making the best of opportunities. This is not Dickensian, depressing or melancholic as the story is told in an upbeat manner, characters are drawn believably and we really care about them. Jaffy meets Jamrach (a real person in London 1800's) and works with the exotic animals in Jamrach's shop. Then a rich gentleman orders a dragon, so Jaffy goes to sea with Dan, the animal hunter, to try and find one. 

Loved every minute of this novel and I'll search out the other novels by Birch. Well worth reading and passing on.

Peacocks Dancing | Sharon Maas

This book has been such a treat to read. It's inspired me to read other of Maas' novels as she is a very entertaining story teller.

The setting for this novel is a little known South American country, Guyana. This in itself is fascinating as I have never read a book with this setting and its interesting history.
Rita is the main protagonist, who comes from a predominantly Indian heritage, although as we read her story we discover that most people seem to have an agglomeration of bloods and histories in them. Rita is a very self possessed young girl who doesn't fit the norm. She grows up with her widowed father until he re-marries. Marylyn the step mother is everything Rita is not, very feminine, conscious of her attire, their social standing and getting the right husband for her daughters. A step sister eventuates, Isabelle. And Rita's whole life is transformed. She mothers her baby sister and sets up a pattern of dependency which stretches throughout their lives.
The story spans most of Rita's adult years and her search for identity and purpose in life. This search leads her to  her family in India, and a defining moment when she meets her cousin Kamal. He has his own search for identity and mission in life which is the  rescuing of young girls sold into prostitution in Madras and Bombay. It's harrowing but obviously the author is deeply concerned for these girls and we can sense the desperation of their lives in slavery.
A story well written, researched and told.

I really enjoyed reading this novel, it is worth while and entertaining.