Pamela Freeman appears to have taken real characters and places from what is known about Mary MacKillop and placed them into a fictional story about what Mary MacKillop’s life was like before she became a nun. As a result this book is interesting and an enjoyable read.The Black Dress is written with Mary MacKillop looking back on the influences of her life, particularly focusing on her childhood. Pamela Freeman presents Mary MacKillop as a girl who is trying to do the right things by her parents, church and the community as taught to her by her parents yet at the same time she is learning about the world in which she will live as an adult, both the good and the bad. Pamela Freeman highlights the struggle between families, communities, those who have money and those who don’t within the context of Australia from 1845-1861 with other dates until 1909. Through highlighting this struggle Pamela Freeman shows the impact of what happened on Mary MacKillop’s life and therefore, her resulting choices with her life.
---- reviewed by Sarah
