War Flower

- Blurb -

From the political upheaval of sixties Sydney to the killing fields of Vietnam, an epic story of love, war and forgiveness. The 1960's are beating a fresh pulse of political and cultural upheaval through Sydney but for sheltered convent schoolgirl Poppy Flannery such changes seem redundant. But that doesn't stop her from longing to join in, especially if it means spending time with the popular boy she secretly loves, Ben Williamson. So when the opportunity for a dream escape to Surfers Paradise arrives, Poppy and her twin sister Rosemary seize it, and find themselves in the midst of the swinging sixties at last. Rosemary embraces their secret new life with a vengeance, discovering drugs, boys and radical politics in a haze of parties, music festivals and protest marches. But such freedom is stolen when Rosemary's great love Angus is sent to Vietnam, along with Ben. Soon a war fought thousands of kilometres away will arrive on the twins' door in the form of orphaned refugee Thuy. As many more victims begin to appear, including shattered versions of Australian soldiers, they must decide how far they will go for the men they adore, and ask themselves whether love really is all that you need. "Through her sensitivity, beautiful writing and gift as a storyteller, O'Connor's readers come to know and love her characters." -- Weekly Times