The Valley of Lost Stories (Vanessa McCausland)

*Please note: this article contains spoilers about the book The Valley of Lost Stories and triggers around domestic violence, alcoholism, depression, sexuality, pregnancy, mental health, bullying and the death of a child*

As an avid reader, I am drawn to stories that capture how I’m feeling or what I’m experiencing. We all crave understanding and to feel connected. In a world where so much of our lives is lived online, and where, despite hundreds, if not thousands of connections, most of us feel alone, it is the characters on TV, in movies and in books that often bring us the level of comfort and understanding that we are searching for. And that is exactly what I found in The Valley of Lost Stories.

The Valley of Lost Stories shares the stories of seven women. It shares the trials and tribulations of women, of mothers, of relationships, of insecurity, of fear and of grief.

I was first drawn to The Valley of Lost Stories because of its setting - Capertee Valley in the Blue Mountains (NSW, Australia). Having spent some time in Katoomba and Lithgo, I know how beautiful and inspiring this part of Australia is. I have felt its energy and it’s sadness. But this novel is more than its setting, and the beauty of the Valley comes second to the heartfelt struggles of the seven women who live and visit there.

The novel is split between two timelines - the present and 1948 - and we are taken into the lives and mysteries of seven different women, all struggling with secrets, fears, insecurities, and guilt, that they do their best to hide. It is this need to hide that draws us to these women and their truth. Even in denial there is honesty and a truth that so many of us can relate to in our own lives. Why? Because we all have secrets and fears. We all have parts of our lives we are afraid to share out of fear that no one will understand or that others will judge us. We are all trying to appear like we are okay, that we are coping, that we are holding it all together, when in truth, we are all falling apart and feel completely alone. In each of these women we can find something in ourselves and in our own experiences of womanhood and motherhood.

The Valley of Lost Stories centres around the friendship of four school mums who, after having a city getaway cancelled, accept the offer to spend time in an historical Art Deco hotel in Capertee Valley. Once there, they discover the mysterious disappearance of Clara Black, who in 1948, walked into the night and vanished forever. The locals talk of the ghosts of the valley, of the tragedies that have occurred, of the violence towards the First Nations peoples, and the pain and fear that can still be felt within the earth.

For me, this novel isn’t about the setting, the mystery or the history of the area, though they all play their part. It is about the characters. The seven women brought to life by Vanessa McCausland.

It is about Clara, who vanishes without a trace but who we learn purposely disappeared to escape a violent partner who she fears will kill her.

It is about Jean, who struggles with life in a small town, caring for a husband and daughter, after a glamorous life as a dancer. Jean pines for the life she once lived and her inner turmoil is one many of us have felt - the feeling of being something we’re not and of losing who we are. For me, her story is the most poignant of all seven.

It is about Nathalie, who, like so many mothers, turns to alcohol to cope with her unhappy marriage. Nathalie is afraid to walk away, afraid to be alone. She is afraid to speak her truth in case she is judged, as she is seen to have the perfect life. But the need to keep up the illusion of perfection is ever present as her world crumbles around her, something many can relate to.

It is about Pen, the single mother struggling with her feelings towards her son, who she fears is ‘different’. Having a child with special needs (no matter what they are) is a struggle on it’s own but for Pen, her undiagnosed post-natal depression has long contributed to the guilt she feels towards not understanding her son and his needs.

It is about Emmie, who is desperate not only for friends but for another child. Emmie wants to be part of the crowd, to be liked. She wants her life to be more than just being a mother, even though this is something she craves. Emmie’s pain is one that any woman who has struggled with pregnancy understands, especially when it is revealed she is secretly taking the pill because she can no longer bear the heartbreak each month.

It is about Alexandra, who is living in the shadow of her famous husband, in a loveless marriage. It is her guilt at having bullied a friend in high school and her guilt and denial about her own sexuality that strikes a cord.

Finally, it is about Macie, the generous hotel owner and former victim of Alexandra’s bullying. It is her secret pain at having lost her child. It is her guilt at his death and her mental health struggles that are not only understandable but bring a level of empathy towards her for her actions - they may not be right but we can understand what has driven her to the choices she has made.

In each of these women we can find a connection. We find we are not alone. The best characters are those that allow us to feel understood and in The Valley of Lost Stories, Vanessa McCausland has done just that. She has brought to life women just like you and I. Women and mothers who feel alone, who are playing a part, who are hiding their truth. In these seven women, we find a friend who sees us, who understands us and we find a way to our own inner truth.