The Indigo Sky

Two children—one dispossessed and impoverished, the other wealthy and privileged—are both on a journey they can't control in this moving follow-up novel about family, friendship, and personal freedom
 
It's 1961—five years since Ilona and her teenage daughter Zidra settled in the idyllic little town of Jingera on the New South Wales coast. Once known simply as the "refugee from Latvia," Ilona is now a respected member of the community. In return, Jingera offers her what she treasures most—peace and freedom. Then, out of the blue, Zidra receives a cryptic message. Four years earlier her friend Lorna was forcibly removed from the Wallaga Lake Aboriginal Reserve and sent to a government school for "training." Now, for the first time since her incarceration, Lorna has the chance to snatch a few moments with her parents—but she can't do it without Zidra and Ilona's help. Meanwhile, Philip Chapman—Ilona's young piano protege—is suffering his own torment at Sydney's exclusive Stambroke College. The sadistic bullying by his schoolmates is matched only by the indifference of his parents. Ilona and Zidra want to help make life better for their friends, but can they do it without sacrificing their own happiness in the process?