Swallow (Alexandria Burnham, WestWords)

In Swallow, Alexandria Burnham delivers a compelling work of historical fiction inspired by the documented prison escapes of sailor and petty thief William ‘Swallow’ Walker. Sentenced in 1820 to transportation to Van Diemen’s Land, Walker initially escaped with his lover, John, before betrayal led to his recapture. On his second passage to Tasmania’s notorious Sarah Island penal settlement – from which few ever returned – he hatched a daring plan to mutiny, seize a ship and return to England. Told in the first person, Burnham’s portrayal of Swallow is both nuanced and unflinching. She presents him as a romantic, bisexual man captivated by the sea and compelled by risk. Written in the tough, salty argot of sailors, the narrative vividly evokes the grinding poverty of 1820s England, the grim confinement of prison hulks, the brutality of shipboard life and the hellish transportation conditions. Burnham interrogates the silences of history, drawing attention to the fear and prohibition of homosexuality within naval ranks and highlighting the desperation that could lead men to extreme acts such as cannibalism. Fast-paced and fascinating, Swallow offers both drama and historical insight. Burnham’s debut combines a sharp eye for period detail with a willingness to confront difficult truths, making it a novel likely to resonate with readers of CS Forester or Jock Serong (Cherrywood, The Burning Island).

Books+Publishing reviewer: Katy Briggs is a marketer with a degree in English and history. She is an avid reader across myriad genres. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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