The Secrets of the Huon Wren by Claire Van Ryn
“How this old woman played with her heart! But there it was, the truth laid bare. She loved the erratic, wounded and determined woman in front of her. Enough to traipse into the night searching for her, to burrow into historical records looking for some morsel of information about her identity and to sit quietly at her bedside without searching for something unnamed. Just being.”
The Secrets of the Huon Wren (2023) is the debut novel from awarded writer and journalist Claire Van Ryn. Hailing from Launceston in Tasmania herself, this wonderfully evocative read is set between the Central Highlands and Launceston and centres on the ways two lives can become inexplicably intertwined.
We’re introduced to Allira Ambrose, a writer and editor for a local magazine called ‘Folk’. Allira spends her days utilising her creative storytelling abilities to uncover and bring to life local stories at the same time as managing her boss, Justin, a borderline alcoholic with an even bigger ego problem.
Within the first few chapters, we’re given a broader view of Allira’s life - her dedicated husband, extroverted best friend, and deep passion for her work. Allira’s life is seemingly one of quiet satisfaction, yet the itch for something more – the itch that drives her to uncover the next big story – is always present.
On her way to meet with an elderly gentleman at a local nursing home for a story, Allira learns he has recently passed away. Instead, the domineering but well-meaning care home manager, Sally, nudges Allira towards another resident: a lady called Nora. With no known living relatives and suffering badly from dementia, Nora spends her days caring for a baby doll – the only thing that seems to keep her calm and grounded amidst the fluctuations of her condition.
Before Allira realises, she’s drawn deeply into Nora’s world. Who is the older woman, and how did she come to be alone in this home? Why is she so attached to the baby doll, and what tragedy struck her past?
“Allira couldn’t hide the curiosity from her face, the sixth sense for a deeper story that had served her well in her writing career. There was something about Nora’s interaction with the doll … It wasn’t a doll to her. It was the way of a mother with her child.”
From here, the story alternates between present-day Launceston and the Central Highlands in 1953. We learn about Nora’s teen years living at home with her social butterfly mother and father, a carpenter and undertaker. Van Ryn does a beautiful job of creating a strong sense of place, weaving a comprehensive picture of life in a small Tassie town while expressing the sense of awe the natural landscapes of these places create.
“And there they were, the Great Western Tiers, like a family of rowdy children, tugging on the skirts of their ma, Mother Cummings Peak. Their dimpled forest-flesh and tangled tableau of want and greed juxtaposed with their Mother, standing sentinel.”
I won’t give too much away here about Nora’s mysterious past, but with a great knack for keeping us engaged, Van Ryn ensures there are enough little twists in the narrative so that just when I felt I knew where Nora’s story was going, it took a new direction.
Bit by bit, Allira uses her journalistic prowess to piece together Nora’s story, all while building a deep relationship with her. Over time, the two form a bond that begins to heal Allira from a tragedy in her own past in ways she could never have anticipated.
Focusing on themes of love, grief, healing from trauma and the redemptive power of connection, this was a refreshingly hopeful read – with a hilarious billiards scene to boot.
For a debut, The Secrets of the Huon Wren is a wonderfully polished read that balances vivid mystery without becoming too twee (although some of the romantic scenes and details, like young Nora’s palomino horse and curmudgeonly old cat, almost tip it over). I did find that the pacing slowed towards the end, and the wrapping up of connections, and Nora’s story was a little too polished, but overall, it suited the novel's tone and feel.
This one took me a little beyond my usual preferred reading genres – in the most delightful way. If you’re looking for the perfect summer read, this may be it.
CW: Readers should be aware this book handles the sensitive topic of the premature death of an infant.
Elaine Chennatt is a writer, educator and psychology student currently residing in nipaluna. She has a special interest in bibliotherapy (how we use literature to make sense of our lives) and is endlessly curious about the creative philosophies of others. She lives with her husband and two bossy dachshunds on the not-so-sunny side of the river (IYKYK). Find her online at wordswithelaine.com
