Swallow
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“Told in the first person, Burnham’s portrayal of Swallow is both nuanced and unflinching.” – Katy Briggs, Books+Publishing. Swallow by Alexandria Burnham The true story of William Swallow – Australian convict and the last man put on trial for piracy in an English court. It’s 1829 and Swallow has been sent to Van Diemen’s Land – for the second time. He is sentenced to die in the hell-hole known as Sarah Island. But he has other ideas. On the journey from Hobart to his final prison, he rallies his fellow convicts and leads them to mutiny. Bruised by the betrayal of John, a fellow convict, friend, and lover, William plans to sail back home to England. Back to his wife Susannah and their young children. Swallow is one of Australia's most romantic and untold stories. At its heart, this historical fiction novel explores our most primal urge, to be free from what seeks to cage us - whether that be chains, separation from home and family, or society’s morals that tell us who we can and cannot love. |
Praise for Swallow:
"A rollicking adventure on the scale of Patrick O’Brien, Bernard Cornwell, and C. S. Forester. But it is also a novel about the nature of love itself, and how to break not only society’s shackles, but also the prisons we make for ourselves. Bringing all these threads together is award-winning screenwriter Alexandria (Ally) Burnham - masterful, commanding, youthful, energetic and contemporary. Readers won't be able to put this book down," - WestWords Books
"Fast-paced and fascinating, Swallow offers both drama and historical insight. Burnham’s debut combines a sharp eye for period detail with a willingness to confront difficult truths, making it a novel likely to resonate with readers of CS Forester or Jock Serong (Cherrywood, The Burning Island)." - Katy Briggs, Books+Publishing.
"This is a book that explores the vast ocean of human emotion but scrutinises every drop with unwavering honesty. It fronts up to human failures and inspects foibles ... There are scenes of rip-roaring action, truly hysterical moments, details wrought with painstaking and meticulous research, moments of breathtaking revelation, and they glisten in the book’s prose," K. T. Major.
"The novel is set in the 1820’s with everything you could want in a good historical fiction: pirates, romance, high stakes, comedy and un-put-downable adventures. Through Burnham’s expressive writing, it explores an intricate love on land and the conflagrant heart that lies at sea." W'Sup News
"Alexandria Burnham’s heartfelt and feisty tale of high-seas adventure and high-stakes love – Swallow – joins the growing ranks of historical fiction brave enough to portray complex and endearing characters living in one of the country's toughest eras.” – author and journalist Michael Burge
"A rollicking adventure on the scale of Patrick O’Brien, Bernard Cornwell, and C. S. Forester. But it is also a novel about the nature of love itself, and how to break not only society’s shackles, but also the prisons we make for ourselves. Bringing all these threads together is award-winning screenwriter Alexandria (Ally) Burnham - masterful, commanding, youthful, energetic and contemporary. Readers won't be able to put this book down," - WestWords Books
"Fast-paced and fascinating, Swallow offers both drama and historical insight. Burnham’s debut combines a sharp eye for period detail with a willingness to confront difficult truths, making it a novel likely to resonate with readers of CS Forester or Jock Serong (Cherrywood, The Burning Island)." - Katy Briggs, Books+Publishing.
"This is a book that explores the vast ocean of human emotion but scrutinises every drop with unwavering honesty. It fronts up to human failures and inspects foibles ... There are scenes of rip-roaring action, truly hysterical moments, details wrought with painstaking and meticulous research, moments of breathtaking revelation, and they glisten in the book’s prose," K. T. Major.
"The novel is set in the 1820’s with everything you could want in a good historical fiction: pirates, romance, high stakes, comedy and un-put-downable adventures. Through Burnham’s expressive writing, it explores an intricate love on land and the conflagrant heart that lies at sea." W'Sup News
"Alexandria Burnham’s heartfelt and feisty tale of high-seas adventure and high-stakes love – Swallow – joins the growing ranks of historical fiction brave enough to portray complex and endearing characters living in one of the country's toughest eras.” – author and journalist Michael Burge
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Learn more about the research in this interview with Alexandria Burnham: 'Swallow' Australia's untold story. "Amidst the Covid-19 lockdowns, the idea had been brewing to craft Swallow’s story herself. Burnham set about completing the first draft, immersing herself in the writing for three months, which she described as a “crazy marathon fever dream writing experience”. |
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Podcast interview: Previewing Ally's debut novel Ally Burnham's novel Swallow is coming out this November: listen as the group gathers to discuss her process, beta reading, historical novel(ing) and more. Listened to the episode here. |
