Trust Me by Pearse, Lesley - 2001

Penguin Books Ltd, 2001. Very Good. There are some elements in good saga writing that never fail, and Lesley Pe arse has the full measure of them in Trust Me. She is particularly good on the theme of the orphanage survivor who makes her way in a hostile world: f amiliar, perhaps, but rarely treated with the colour and exuberance found h ere. Dulcie Taylor and her sister May, who have spent their lives having th eir trust betrayed by those who claim they will look after them, begin a ne w life in a new country. Australia soon turns out to be a grim illusion, ho wever, until Dulcie meets Ross, who has also known what it is to be an orph anage survivor. With a narrative that has the epic qualities of the country it is set in, Pearse is able to deal with the growth of trust and love bet ween the characters in a wholly convincing fashion, with Dulcie a memorably drawn heroine.