A deeply moving fiction debut, GATHERING STORM is the compelling and thought-provoking story of a young British woman's journey through the heart of Australia in order to free herself from the curse that has been haunting her family for generations.
English artist Storm Cizekova grew up believing that her mother died when she was born. But then Storm finds a photo of herself in the heart of the Australian desert - and in her mother's arms.
Haunted by unanswered questions, Storm embarks on a journey of self-discovery that will challenge everything she holds dear: her family history, her art, even her relationship with her partner Max. Who is she really, and where does she belong?
Her search will take her from the snow-covered Malvern Hills in England to the rich red heart of the Australian outback. Retracing her mother's footsteps through the stark beauty of the desert landscape, Storm must find the courage to confront some shocking truths from her past and the strength to face her future.
'A gritty sandblown kind of story that once begun gets into your consciousness with compelling insistence. Yes, it's a page-turner and yes, it's a thriller-cum-rite-of-passage tale.'
Compelling reading***** Adelaide Advertiser
'. . . A bit of a Heart of Darkness/Apocalypse Now tale. It is part thriller, part hippie road story and part rite-of-passage trip insearch of identity. Above all it is a compelling, stylish and well-paced read. Frightening at times and searching in its awareness of landscape and family secrets, this is a fine debut.' Weekend Australian
'A deeply moving fiction debut in which Dub examines the virtue of truth, the harm of lies, the pain of secrets, the desire for belonging and the difficulty of confronting ones past to ensure the future.' Weekend Gold Coast Bulletin
'A gritty sandblown kind of story that once begun gets into your consciousness with compelling insistence. Yes, it's a page-turner and yes, it's a thriller-cum-rite-of-passage tale. . . The strength of Dub's ability to tell a story and hold an audience is clear in this first novel of hopefully many more. It is a book of many pathways to the heart and soul, of not only a country but families who deny the truth of who they are and what they strive to protect. . .' Sunday Tasmanian
'Here we have a Tasmanian writer with a first novel that grabs you from the very first page. Well written, it is a compelling story that takes the protagonist on a journey of self discovery. . . We will hear more from Rosie Dub; well done.' Tasmanian Life
'. . . a fascinating story of discovery, generations, Romany lore, Australia, and of Storm herself.' Cairns Post
'An absorbing first novel.' Women's Day
'You'll be swept along by this moving journey of self-discovery . . . a great road movie of a novel.' Katherine Scholes, international best-selling novelist
