The Fever Tree transports us to the colonial mining towns and “diamond rush” of South Africa in the late 19th century. The story begins in Victorian London, where Frances Irvine is used to a life of leisure and privilege. When her father dies suddenly leaving her alone and penniless, Frances is forced to choose between becoming a live-in nurse for her aunt's children or moving to South Africa and marrying family friend, Edwin Matthews. While on the ship bound for South Africa, Frances falls in love with charming William Westbrook, who appears to be everything Edwin is not. Once in South Africa, Frances must learn to adapt to a life filled with hardship, disease, greed and injustice which her upbringing has totally left her unprepared for. Beautifully written with cinematic descriptions, Jennifer McVeigh brings to life colonial South Africa. You can almost feel the dust in your throat and the unrelenting sun on your skin.
Highly recommended for adults.
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