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Chapters (57)
  1. COVER PAGE
  2. PRAISE
  3. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  4. DEDICATION
  5. PROLOGUE
  6. PART I SEEDS
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. PART II GERMINATION
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. PART III GROWTH
  29. 21
  30. 22
  31. 23
  32. 24
  33. 25
  34. 26
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. PART IV UNDERSTOREY
  42. 33
  43. 34
  44. 35
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. 42
  52. 43
  53. 44
  54. 45
  55. 46
  56. EPILOGUE
  57. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

‘a poignant anatomy of loss. It is a memorable story of broken hearts trying to mend, of personal discovery and recovery. Her writing creates seductive land-edge experiences, light off the ocean, wind over sand, weather coming in.’—The Australian

‘There is a raw saltiness to the writing that vividly conveys the wild moods of the ocean, the crippling nature of emotional baggage and the challenges of a whale rescue.’—The Age

‘The Stranding aptly demonstrates how fiction plays a part in revealing the intricate and sometimes fragile bond that we share with nature.’—Wild Melbourne

‘Steeped in natural beauty, it will have you longing for coastal sunsets and afternoons lost wandering empty beaches.’—Laurie Steed, Readings Carlton

The Grass Castle

‘a story that will return to you time and time again’—Sydney Morning Herald

‘quality commercial fiction for which Viggers deserves a strong following.’—Books + Publishing

‘Karen Viggers weaves her tale against the backdrop of our love of the land.’—Yours Magazine

‘Evocative and thought-provoking.’—Newcastle Herald

‘a breath of fresh air that teaches us humility in the face of nature and the courage to face fears. Live rather than survive.’—Le petit crayon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Karen Viggers is a wildlife veterinarian with a passion for people, animals and wild places. As a biologist and researcher, she has worked with native animals in many remote parts of Australia from the Kimberley to Antarctica, and she brings a unique set of perspectives to Australian contemporary fiction. Her novels have been translated into several languages. In 2016, The Lightkeeper’s Wife (La Mémoire des embruns) was awarded the Les Petits Mots des Libraires literary prize and was short-listed for the Livre de Poche Reader’s Choice award. This novel was on the French national bestseller list for more than 42 weeks, going as high as No. 3. The Orchardist’s Daughter is Karen’s fourth novel. You can read more about Karen and her books at www.karenviggers.com

DEDICATION

For David,

who has dedicated his life’s work

to studying the mountain ash forests of Victoria

and

For my sister Fiona,

who understands where the heart resides

within the story of life

Only the untamed forest

is home to that silence which

is union with the divine. And only

the forest creatures grasp that

being in the single moment is all.

Jane Baker, ‘Church’ (unpublished)

We dance to the echoes of our own gods.

John Karl Stokes, ‘A River in the Dark’, Chant No. 6,

Riverwater: Eight chants from the Clyde River

PROLOGUE

Prologue