This book tells the story of Jean Paget an English woman who spent time in the war as a prisoner walking the country of Malaya as a walking prisoner. As the group of women trek from one place to the next surviving on what they can and dying as they walk they meet an Australian man called Joe Harmen who goes out of his way to help the women, especially for Jean and subsequently finds himself crucified by the Japanese for stealing some chickens.
Believing him dead when Jean is finally back in the UK she tries to get on with her life. The story told by her solicitor and friend Noel Strachen, unfolds as Jean comes in to a huge amount of money and returns to Malaya to those who helped her survive in the war and builds them a water well. During this time she discovers that Joe did not die and is back in Australia. Jean ventures off to Australia and Joe in the meantime is searching for her in England...all very frustrating. She travels through a prosperous town called Alice Springs and when she gets to the town Joe is from Willstown she eventually with Joe (who eventually returns, joins her and begins a relationship) builds the town up and keeps building until it is a prosperous town to live in attracting many others to come and work there.
It wasn't as good as i thought it would be. I have heard much about this book and when i read it I found it tedious in places and not gripping at all.
6/10
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