Review: Solomon's Song by Bryce Courtenay

Solomon's Song by Bryce Courtenay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Solomon's Song is the third book in the Potato Factory trilogy by Bryce Courtenay.

It continues on directly from where Tommo & Hawk left off in the previous book. It starts in Sydney Town with Tommo hunting down Sparrer Fart for the death of his brother Hawk's beloved Maggie Pye. A body is found washed up on the shore, and is required to be identified, the body is found headless, and is wearing a Maori medal around it's neck, and Tommo's wallet in the pockets of the clothing. Mary and Hawk are called into Alexandria morgue to identify the body, and Mary confirms it is in fact the body of her son Tommo. It later becomes apparent that Tommo had devised a clever plan and had found and murdered Sparrer Fart, but changing the identity to his own at the very last minute, which prevented further investigations being made.

Tommo has retreated to New Zealand, where his daughter resides and has been raised by the Maori chief. Hawk follows Tommo to New Zealand, and is there with his brother in his last days before Tommo's passing, the wound in Tommo's head making Tommo extremely ill and causing the passing of his final days.

Hinetitema, Tommo's daughter is now 21, she is very strong willed and stubborn just like her father Tommo. Hawk tries to convince Hinetitema to come to Auckland to meet her Grandmother Mary Abacus. Hinetitema will have nothing of it, as she wants to be a nurse, and continue to reside in New Zealand and assist the poor.


Hinetitema is working as a Nurse in New Zealand and succumbs to the effects of alcohol, hawk on one of his annual visits to New Zealand discovers she is missing, and finds her a mess, he cleans her up and brings her back to Hobart with him. Mary and Hinetitema get along famously even though both women are very similar in personality and extremely stubborn.

Mary is getting quite elderly and is desperate for a heir to take over The Potato Factory, with Tommo passed and Hawk' without a partner, her only hope is in Hinetitema. Mary sends multiple suiters for Hinetitema to consider, none of them are of interest to her. Mary makes a risky move and arranges for a former flame of her niece's to come to Hobart, he is an alcoholic and a card shark.

The move pays off for Mary and Hinetitiema and the Dutch man, marry and conceive two children Ben and Victoria.

20 years later and Ben has gone to Gallipoli with the Anzacs and becomes and Victoria is learning the business of the Potato Factory under the guiding hand of her Uncle Hawk.

This is a must read story for every Australian. Bryce had detailed the story of Gallipoli in a clear heart-wrenching descriptive, you feel like you are there with the soldiers and hoping not to die. Make sure you have a book of tissues on hand when you read this book.

An outstanding story and deserves 10 stars. This is a book that stay with you for eternity.

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