The book “The Exiles” by Christina Baker Kline is a historical novel taking place in the 1840s. It tells the story of Evangeline, a young English governess, and Hazel, an Irish teenager, who meet on a transport ship to the penal colony on Van Dieman’s Land, (Tasmania), along with the story of Mathinna, the orphaned daughter of the Chief of the Lowreenne tribe, who has been appropriated by the wife of the new British governor of Van Diemen’s Land. While this is a gritty, fascinating story with plenty of substance, I found it to be a quick read. Along with the strong female characters, the background of Australian history will pull you in and keep you interested. Two things I found disappointing, Mathinna’s story has a very thin connection to Evangeline and Hazel and eventually just peters out. I wish the author had given her storyline a stronger ending. Also, about halfway through the book an upsetting event occurs that almost made me stop reading the book, but the story was compelling enough to keep me reading until the end. — Denise Runyan