While on this forced March, Jean meets an Australian. It’s a tragic and fascinating tale and the Afterword informs us that it was inspired by a woman that Shute himself knew. Many of them die, from disease or exhaustion or a combination of both. There is no where to send women and children and so they are constantly on the move. They travel from town to town, always sent on to the next place because no one wants to deal with them or take responsibility for them. While the men are sent to a prison camp, there is no such camp for women and children and so these captives are forced to march. While living in Malaya, she is taken captive by the invading Japanese forces.

We see Jean’s character grow and develop in interesting and truthful ways.įor me, the most interesting part of Jean’s story was her experience during the war. The sections are each fascinating and fit together cohesively. Which isn’t to say it felt long or unwieldy. This makes the book feel almost more like two or three books. Our narrator learns Jean’s story of her experience as a captive in Malaya and then goes on to tell the rest of her adventures in Australia. Never mind that she’s a smart, independent woman who has already survived World War Two in Malaysia. The great-uncle, having a somewhat poor view of women, leaves Jean the money in trust until she is thirty-five since she is unmarried. The story is narrated by Jean’s lawyer, who first gets to know her when she becomes the unlikely inheritor of a small fortune from her great-uncle. She’s an ordinary young lady in extraordinary circumstances and most of her decisions and actions are easily understandable. She’s tough and sympathetic and smart, without seeming realistic. The book is extremely readable and the main character, Jean, is very likeable. When I finally got my hands on a copy, it took me only days to make it through. With an endorsement like that, I’ve been meaning to read this novel for years. I know someone who moved to Australia, married an Australian, and named her daughter Alice. A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute (Vintage International, 2010)

A town like alice nevil shute summary