Shame and the Captives

Set against the backdrop of a prisoner-of-war camp near Gawell, New South Wales, during a time of war, this novel explores the personal lives of ordinary people as they navigate profound changes and cultural encounters. When an Italian POW is assigned to work on Alice’s farm, her perspectives and self-awareness are challenged, especially by the unfamiliarity of the Japanese prisoners' culture. As tensions escalate and a prisoner uprising unfolds, the story examines how these events disturb the lives and certainties of the local community.