First published 1957
Voss prepares to lead an expedition across the unmapped Australian desert in the nineteenth century. Before departing, he meets Laura, a young orphan living in Sydney. Their brief encounter sparks an intense but unspoken connection that will sustain them both through the trials ahead. Voss pushes into the harsh interior with his team, facing the brutal landscape, dwindling supplies, and growing tensions among his men. Some question his leadership while others plot against him. Meanwhile, Laura remains in Sydney, living each day as if suspended between dream and waking. The desert becomes Voss's testing ground, where the elements strip away pretense and his men's loyalty crumbles. Laura experiences their separation as a kind of trance, feeling more connected to the distant explorer than to her immediate surroundings. As Voss confronts betrayal and the pitiless Australian wilderness, Laura endures her own form of exile in civilization. Their hidden love transcends physical distance, creating a bond that neither the desert's dangers nor Sydney society can break. White weaves together this tale of exploration and longing, where an impossible passion becomes the most real thing in two lives.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: epic-journey, impossible-love, separation
Setting: Australia, Sydney
Period: 19th Century
440 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books Ltd