A Waltz for Matilda written by Jackie French
Matilda lives in a city, working for a jam factory in 1894. Her friend Tommy brings her sandwiches at work each day. Tommy loves inventing things, and is considered a great help around the factory.
One day, Tommy burns himself badly as a pot of boiling jam upturns, putting him in hospital. matilda visits Tommy every day, but Matilda's mother is ill, and matilda is barely earning enough at work to pay the boarding house rent. That week Matilda's mother passes away, and is burried at a private funeral.
12 year old Matilda flees the city, to find her lost father, who her mother described as 'the golden man', in the country. All she knows about her Dad is that he owns a farm in Moura. Matilda catches a train to Drinkwater, where she meets some men who claim to be in a union with Jim (her dad). They take her to the union meeting, from there, Matilda catches a ride with a Chinese grocer, Mr Doo, to Moura.
Matilda enters the house and prepares diner for her Dad. Dad comes home, and meets his daughter for the first time since she was a baby. He explains how he feels that now her mother is dead, he can make the farm what he wants, rather than a picture book farm for her mum. He says the troopers are after him, accusing him of burning down Drinkwater's shearing shed (which, although he is pleased it has been burned, as he doesn't like Mr Drinkwater, he didn't do) so he had to go 'swaggie' for a bit. After some arguments, it is decided that Matilda will come.
Once out of Drinkwater property, the two set up camp by a billabong, and start preparing dinner. During dinner, a potty (hand raised) sheep wonders in, followed by Mr Drinkwater and three Troopers, who accuse him of sheep theft. With one desperate hope, the Swaggie dives into the billabong. A few minutes later the Troopers go in and retrieve his dead body from the weeds.
Matilda rides back on Drinkwaters horse, but refuses to leave her fathers house. The whole town comes to her Dads funeral. From funeral gifts (chest of draws, pregnant cow, 2 hens 1 rooster, a potty sheep and many other things), matilda turns Moura into a proper little farm.
Letters to Tommy show the months passed. One day, when colecting water, Matilda finds a sick native lady, who she takes in and cares for. Aunty Love (the name of Matilda's new friend) soon gets better and teaches matilda about the bush. Matilda meets Mr Sampson, one of Mr Drinkwaters native stockmen, and takes him in when he losses his job at Drinkwater.
One day soon after this, Tommy arrives in Moura. Everything brightens from then, and with Tommy's amazing inventing skills, Matilda gets tanks and pipes and automatic refilling drinking troughs.
Months turn into years and the fight for Australian federation and rights continue, and Matilda gets used to the drought. But the drought turns into a fire, which immediately heads for Moura. After a house burning, people choking time in that area, the winds change and the fire heads to Drinkwater. With one quick thought, matilda chose to help the rival farm, not because she likes Mr Drinkwater, but to save the sheep.
The next day, Mr Drinkwater presents her with timber to fix the house and a horse for her and Sampson. over the years, Mr Drinkwater and Matilda get closer and more friendly.
Jacky French jumps over years in the following chapters, and we son find Matilda 17 years old, and being asked to a dance with James Drinkwater.k Tommy hears of this and leaves at once to the city.
Soon after, Mr Drinkwater sees them together and James quickly says, to matildas surprise, that he intended to marry her. After a heated argument with his father, James storms out and joins the army.
The reader skips a few years; throug numerous letters, Jaems and Matilda are officially engaged. Autny Love passes on, leaving Matilda with the information that in 3 years, there would be rain.
Skip some months; she moves in at Drinkwater to help Mr Drinkwater. James is killed by the British Government.
Skip some years; there is rain. The drought comes, money pours into Drinkwater and Moura, helped by the extra property and cattle Matilda had prepared.
Skip some years; Matilda is about 27. Mr Drinkwater gives the Drinkwater property to Matilda.
Last skip of years; Mr Drinkwater passes on, Matilda is about 29. Sampson tells her of her family history; Mr Drinkwater once was married to Aunty Love, they had a baby girl. The girl grew up and had a baby. Matilda's dad. She died giving birth. That was why Aunty Love loved Matilda, she was her great grandmother, and dislike the Drinkwater property.
When matilda is 33, Tommy arrives with his daughter Anna. He waited one year before visiting Matilda out of respect to his wife and dead son. So the story ends, with the ghosts of her family by the billybong, and a waltz for Matilda with her best friend in the world.
I enjoyed this novel and rate it 3 & 3/4 stars.
Reviewed by Sophie
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