A slow and steady (in a good way) family saga.

The Kimberley region of north-western Australia is home to the Rider family and the Walker family, connected by marriage. In this story, the family history of four generations back to 1916 is told. In 2005, Dancer is sixteen years old and living in Broome where he deliberately provokes a bikie gang. To protect him, his father Andy takes him back to his mother’s country deep in the Kimberleys where he connects with his family and his country, learns family truths, and discovers a hidden inheritance.

“On the other side of the small valley, beyond the Old Camp, there is an overhang like the one at the valley’s entrance, but deeper, and taller. It is too open, too full of light to be a cave, but it’s an almost perfect natural shelter.”

“In every direction the thrusting granite ranges of the Kimberley plateau turn the skyline jagged.”

Quotes from the book.

• Australian Book Review: “Hawke’s representation of Kimberley characters and communities, the Bunuba chief among them, and traditional and contemporary cultural practices are rich and evocative.”
• Better Reading: “A big-hearted and sensitively told story, The Valley is a tale of love and loss, of family and the importance of owning your past and finding your identity. A highly recommended read.”