A Crooked Rib
  • Published: 29 July 2015
  • ISBN: 9781775538271
  • Imprint: RHNZ Adult ebooks
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 384
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A Crooked Rib

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A compelling novel based on the disastrous and scandalous marriage of New Zealand’s Governor Sir George Grey and his lively young wife, Eliza Lucy.

A compelling novel based on the disastrous and scandalous marriage of New Zealand’s Governor Sir George Grey and his lively young wife, Eliza Lucy.

Trapped in an increasingly loveless union, Sir George and his wife, Eliza Lucy, each sought affection elsewhere. Lady Grey’s indiscretion caused her to be cast off by her husband and vilified throughout colonial and domestic Victorian high society. Her fall from grace was broadcast by The Times of London, eventually reaching even the ears of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

Meanwhile the nature of Sir George’s liaison with his young Maori protégé was to remain only the subject of speculation.

Eliza’s life is revealed through the perspective of the fictitious English orphan, Fanny Thompson, who offers an intriguing interpretation of Sir George’s behaviour. But Fanny, too, finds herself drawn by the lure of an exotic culture and is forced to question the nature of love and to confront her own values.
  • Published: 29 July 2015
  • ISBN: 9781775538271
  • Imprint: RHNZ Adult ebooks
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 384
Categories:
Share…

About the author

Judy Corbalis

Judy Corbalis was born and brought up in New Zealand. She later moved to London with her husband the admired sculptor Phillip King, who served as President of the Royal Academy. She trained at RADA, and has worked in TV and fringe and community theatre. Her children's books have been published by Deutsch, Hodder and Scholastic - children love them for their humour and the fact that no character behaves as expected. Judy Corbalis is a graduate of the famous MA course for creative writing at the university of East Anglia. Her novels include Mortmain.

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Praise for A Crooked Rib

There's so much in there that's so much fun and interesting . . . lots of wonderful exchanges between people . . . interesting views of Sir George Grey . . . absolutely entertaining . . a lovely, lively way to read a wonderful piece of New Zealand history.

Carole Beu, National Radio Review

I relished the prose of the period, the mixture of historical events and the obviously imagined private conversations and trysts. . . . Real or not, it is a great story

Rachel Gurney, Otago Daily Times

. . . a lively and engaging exploration of the marriage of Sir George Grey and his independent young wife Eliza Lucy. . . . Corbalis’ detailed research results in a vivid picture of life in the New Zealand colony of the mid-to-late 1800s. . . . The novel raises interesting arguments about the English concept of being “proper” and what it really means to be civilised. . . . This is a fascinating way to read New Zealand history.

Herald on Sunday