Five women, best friends for decades, meet once a month to talk about books … and life, love and the jagged bits in between. Dissecting each other’s lives seems the most natural thing in the world – and honesty, no matter how brutal, is something they treasure. Best friends tell each other everything, don’t they? But each woman harbours a complex secret and one weekend, without warning, everything comes unstuck.
Izzy, soon to be the first Black woman with her own television show, has to make a decision that will change everything. Veronica, recently divorced and dedicated to raising the best sons in the world, has forgotten who she is. Xanthe, desperate for a baby, can think of nothing else, even at the expense of her marriage. Nadine, so successful at writing other people’s stories, is determined to blot out her own. Ellen, footloose by choice, begins to question all that she’s fought for.
When their circle begins to fracture and the old childhood ways don’t work anymore, is their sense of sistahood enough to keep it intact? How well do these tiddas really know each other?
Finally got time to read and OMG it was brilliant. Really loved the fact that you could relate to it.Have learnt a lot about the aboriginal heritage and racism that i did not realise. This insight to their life is a real eye opener and i couldnt put the book down till i finished it. My daughters have it now and i am waiting on their opinion.
Tiddas was an amazing book, one of the best I've read in a long time. It tells the story of five very different women, who share a deep friendship and use a regular book club meeting as a way of catching up. The women all originate from the same country town,and have grown up in varying circumstances of culture and wealth. I enjoyed the interwoven story of these women and their trials and tribulations and found it to be very relevant to modern day society. Each is addressing their own personal battles and one by one these battles come to light at book club and through luncheons etc. It is a story of deep abiding friendship, that transcends cultural barriers or monetary status. I loved the references to landscape and the richly interwoven cultural references. Once I had read the book I took a look to see what else Anita Heiss has written, as I will seek out her books for further reading. I thoroughly recommend this book.
I am halfway through the book and would have gladly taken my book yesterday to our family Easter celebrations and just read it. It is a lovely story of best friends and how life takes you to places you may not like but friends are always there. I also appreciate the attachment to country and how we are connected to our environment whether it be a suburb, town or river. Everyone needs a copy. I can't wait to finish it all curled up with a cuppa on the lounge.
When "Tiddas" arrived on my doorstep a few days ago I was already reading another book and I knew "Tiddas" was going to have to get my interest fast to keep me - well I'm happy to report that I was hooked by page 5!
This book reveals it's characters over time and I've enjoyed how my feelings have changed towards each of the characters as I've gotten to know them more. I feel like this approach is very clever as it reflects how friendships are formed in real life and whilst the book is about a group of friends it also feels like a study on how friendships develop and change.
It's not clear from the book cover or even the first few pages but this book is also a glimpse into modern Australia for aboriginal women. I've never read a book with Aboriginal characters before and I've been challenged and educated as to why that might be. The insights into Aboriginal life in this book have been well explained yet the book has also shown how issues that women an friends face aren't limited by culture or nationally.
I've still got 1/3 of the book to go and I'm looking forward to seeing how relationships between the friends and their families get resolved.
It was a brilliant read. I really enjoyed this beautiful book
The life's of these woman was so well written you could find your self thinking about the story. Line after you put the book down... Wanting to get back to the book as soon as possible.. I really enjoyed reading this and will look for more by this author. This was one of the nices reviews I have done ... This was brilliant as I was on a cruise and relaxing in a deck chair with the sea breeze blowing reading while having a cocktail. Thank you so much.
I have now finished the book and it was great. Some very strong characters but would of liked to of known them even more and not swap about as much. I would recommend to my friends.
I,m so enjoying this book it's been a long time since I had a great read. I mean a read you can not put down. I love the way it wraps its self around different life's of friends. I,m looking for to seeing how this book ends up . I,m only a few chapters in but really want to sit and read. But like tall things jobs need to be done so should be finished in about another two weeks ...so full review then.. But I would tell anyone what a brilliant great read in fact my daughter wants it after me . As I took it with me to baby sit her girls oh dear ....
Well I finished this book in 2 days after starting out thinking hmm I am not sure after a few chapters in I couldn't put it down. The characters were brilliant and the subjects covered in the novel were so close to my heart. The issues with racism the heart ache and the pain with trying to fall pregnant and carry a baby full term when you want nothing else in the world more than that, the loss and the devastation it causes and the wild child realising they do not want to be this way forever. In so many ways I felt like this book had a part of me in each and every character including the denial of problems as well. I have taken a steep learning curve and path change in my life over the past 2yrs and this novel just put a lot of great things in perspective for me even though it was written as fiction. The story was so easy and light to read but written in such a way you felt like you were there at the book club meetings with them and experiencing all the problems. Truly great and I would love to read more by this author. Great job and I will be recommending to all my reading friends without a doubt. Great Job =)
A highly engaging page turner right from the start!
A beautifully interwoven story of culture, friendship, tradition and the challenges a modern day lifestyle brings for a woman. The story of five women, who in many respects are completely different, yet share a deep abiding friendship and a "sisterly" (Tiddas)love for one another and together help each other face their own battles and inner demons. This is also a story not only of cultural identity, but also of personal identity. Set against two very differing, but equally beautiful Australian landscapes, this book is very hard to put down.
I was bored so thought I'd take another look at TIDDAS by Anita Heiss. Unfortunately, I still couldn't get into it and found it somewhat lacking. It's not one of those books that you'll read from cover to cover in one go, instead, I found myself reading it here and there when I needed to fill in some time.
This book was a bit of a hit and miss for me. The story is readable but the characters are a bit flat and clichéd. I found it very hard to identify with any of Heiss's heroines. It's an ok book but I just felt it was missing something. Not something I'd recommend.
So I finally finished this book. It captured me initially but not exactly a page-turner that had me hooked. The characters were all highly relatable to me but we never completely get to know them all. The author's Aboriginal heritage is on strong display here, but I couldn't help feeling it was a bit of a crusade of hers to constantly reference the characters' culture. Could be just me not relating to that aspect (as a white woman), although some of the historical facts were interesting. I normally read thrillers so found it difficult to get into this book, but it is a gentle, meandering story about a group of girlfriends living in current-day Brisbane.
The story line & setting was Ok & I enjoyed the mention of Brisbane Suburbs & places, but overall I found the writing lacking substance. An easy read best suited to a short story in a magazine
Well written novel with strong characters that are easily to relate to and the language flows well. I would love to read Anita Heiss' other novels! Recommend reading, brilliant. Couldn't put it down.
It was a brilliant read. I really enjoyed this beautiful book
The life's of these woman was so well written you could find your self thinking about the story. Line after you put the book down... Wanting to get back to the book as soon as possible.. I really enjoyed reading this and will look for more by this author. This was one of the nices reviews I have done ... This was brilliant as I was on a cruise and relaxing in a deck chair with the sea breeze blowing reading while having a cocktail. Thank you so much.
I have now finished the book and it was great. Some very strong characters but would of liked to of known them even more and not swap about as much. I would recommend to my friends.
I posted a review when I was halfway through and the book got better. I loved the feeling I had when I read it and I am still raving about it. Strong characters who are easy to relate to and yes, their are some stereotypes and some clichés but for me they didn't interfere with the story that was touching and informative. I am recommending this book to everyone and will read more from the author.
I enjoyed reading Tiddas by Anita Heiss. It was a light read, which I could keep reading even though the kids were quite noisy and in my face most of the holidays. It's a warm engaging story of friendship, life, love and five strong women that are well written characters that just pulls the reader in. It also makes me want to go on a little holiday up to Brisbane. Liked it and would recommed it to anyone who wants a nice easy read for the weekend.
Have just finished reading this book. It's as an enjoyable read, but I found that the author did not delve deep into each character as much as I would have liked. She jumped from character to character too quickly for my liking. However, it was certainly an easy and enjoyable read and one which I looked forward to reading each night before bed.
Tiddas was an amazing book, one of the best I've read in a long time. It tells the story of five very different women, who share a deep friendship and use a regular book club meeting as a way of catching up. The women all originate from the same country town,and have grown up in varying circumstances of culture and wealth. I enjoyed the interwoven story of these women and their trials and tribulations and found it to be very relevant to modern day society. Each is addressing their own personal battles and one by one these battles come to light at book club and through luncheons etc. It is a story of deep abiding friendship, that transcends cultural barriers or monetary status. I loved the references to landscape and the richly interwoven cultural references. Once I had read the book I took a look to see what else Anita Heiss has written, as I will seek out her books for further reading. I thoroughly recommend this book.
I,m so enjoying this book it's been a long time since I had a great read. I mean a read you can not put down. I love the way it wraps its self around different life's of friends. I,m looking for to seeing how this book ends up . I,m only a few chapters in but really want to sit and read. But like tall things jobs need to be done so should be finished in about another two weeks ...so full review then.. But I would tell anyone what a brilliant great read in fact my daughter wants it after me . As I took it with me to baby sit her girls oh dear ....
Finally got time to read and OMG it was brilliant. Really loved the fact that you could relate to it.Have learnt a lot about the aboriginal heritage and racism that i did not realise. This insight to their life is a real eye opener and i couldnt put the book down till i finished it. My daughters have it now and i am waiting on their opinion.
I am halfway through the book and would have gladly taken my book yesterday to our family Easter celebrations and just read it. It is a lovely story of best friends and how life takes you to places you may not like but friends are always there. I also appreciate the attachment to country and how we are connected to our environment whether it be a suburb, town or river. Everyone needs a copy. I can't wait to finish it all curled up with a cuppa on the lounge.
Tiddas is the story of five women who share a deep and meaningful friendship. Their culture and values cementing their bond. Tiddas shares the trials and tribulations of being a woman, relationships, love, sex, values and supporting each other with what life inevitably throws your way.
Anita Heiss offers five main characters that are share their narrative, I enjoyed this style of storytelling as I felt each character had a voice and that you could relate to them. I had a particular connection to Xanthe and her relationship with her husband and her desire and desperation for a child. This really struck a chord with me and I was engaged to keep picking up the novel whenever I could steal a minute.
A negative for me personally was the constant referal to the characters culture and where they were from. I appreciate pride of who you are and I enjoyed the historical information but I felt the references to culture were overused and detracted from the story, at times I was engrossed by the story only to be irritated by a repeated fact referencing the characters heritage.
Would I recommend this to my book group, to be honest not really. I thought the story was an enjoyable read, well written but not something I would be overly excited about enough to recommend to others. In saying that I will be asking one of my book group members who is Aboriginal as to what she thinks of the book. I think this book would appeal to middle aged women who enjoy romance/drama novels with a historical element.
I haven't had a chance to read in ages, so I was excited to receive a new book! I'm only a couple of chapters in, but so far Tiddas is an engaging read. Whilst I'm not particularly knowledgable about issues affecting Aboriginal women in contemporary society, each of these characters resonates with me as I'm right in that 40-ish demographic. I'm excited to see how the story pans out as the blurb alone had me intrigued! Will keep you posted when I finish it.
I have really enjoyed reading Tiddas and can't seem to put it down
This novel has been one that I have not be able to set aside. Once I started reading it I was hooked and while I am half way through I am using any excuse to sit down and read it. It's easy read and a captivating story from the get go. On a personal note as a women who depends heavily on her girlie friendships I have been able to relate easily to the five protagonists and am so far intrigued by the story.
'Tiddas' is an amazingly written, heartwarming story looking closely into the lives of 5 successful woman. Culturally respectful and powerfully accurate, it tells us not only of the history of aboriginal heritage in NSW & QLD but identifies how society today adapts to it's ancestry. Growing up in an aboriginal community myself, I think I learnt more reading this book then from my own past about our native history. I loved each women's personal journey in this book as well, unable to put it down most nights reading well into the early hours. It was a novel I thoroughly enjoyed and hope to find more by this author now. Definitely a great read!!
This book is great! I really can't put it down! So much of this book is so everyday stuff. No one wants to read fairy tales anymore. This is the everyday, average woman book. Such a refreshing change from the drivel that's being bought out these days. Can't wait to turn the page!
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Article
‘Trust Your Intuition’: How To Advocate For Your Child In Hospital
Mother’s instinct is a funny thing. At home, we trust it without question. But put us in a hospital setting with an unwell child, surrounded by doctors, nurses and monitors, and suddenly we start doubting ourselves.
What if I’m overreacting? What if I’ve got it wrong?
So we stay quiet, even when we know something just isn’t right with our child. I’ve been there myself – when my usually ‘tough’ son was doubled over with stomach pain. I was told in the emergency department that it probably wasn’t his appendix. But I knew he wouldn’t have begged me to take him to hospital unless it was serious. Because I know him better than anyone. Turns out, it was appendicitis.
It’s a really common place for parents to land. You’re grateful for the care your child is getting, but at the same time, you feel this huge responsibility to speak up if something doesn’t feel right.
Here’s the thing though: that instinct you’re feeling? It matters more than you might think.
Why your gut feeling matters more than you realise
According to Paediatric Nurse Unit Manager, Canterbury Hospital, Leticia Jackson, parents bring something to the hospital that no test or machine ever could.
“Parents often say they ‘just know’ when something isn’t quite right with their child, and in a hospital, that gut feeling is incredibly valuable,” she explains.
Leticia Jackson, Paediatric Nurse Unit Manager, Canterbury Hospital
While medical teams rely on observations, tests and equipment, parents know the little details. The way your child usually smiles. How they react when they’re tired. What’s normal for them.
So when something feels “off”, even if everything looks okay on paper, it can actually be an early warning sign.
“When parents trust those instincts and speak up, this creates a powerful partnership that can sometimes catch a problem before it becomes an emergency,” Leticia says.
Worried about speaking up? You’re not alone
A lot of parents hesitate about advocating for their child.
You don’t want to come across as difficult. You don’t want to question the people caring for your child. And sometimes, you just don’t feel confident enough to push the issue.
Leticia gets it.
“It is completely understandable for parents to feel hesitant,” she says. “No one wants to be seen as difficult or to second-guess the hardworking people caring for their child.”
But here’s a helpful way to look at it: you’re not challenging the medical team, you’re helping them.
Parents are the constant. Staff change shifts, care for multiple patients, and rely on snapshots of information. You’re there the whole time, noticing the subtle changes.
“Our medical team doesn’t view a concerned parent as overreactive, but as a partner,” Leticia explains. “Your voice matters.”
Remember, we know our children better than anyone.
What to do if you’re worried: the Raise It process
If you’re in a NSW public hospital or health service and you’re worried about you or your child’s condition getting worse, there is a clear process you can follow called Raise It.
Raise It is designed to help patients, carers and family members get help fast if they’re worried about a change in their loved one’s condition.
Here’s how it works:
Talk: Start by speaking to a nurse, midwife, doctor or health worker about your concerns.
Ask: Still worried? Ask to speak to the nurse or midwife in charge and request a Clinical Review.
Call: If you’re still concerned, you can escalate further using the Raise It process to get urgent attention from a senior health worker.
You don’t need medical knowledge. You don’t need to be certain. If you feel something isn’t right, or your child is getting worse, Raise It. You just need to speak up.
What should you actually look out for?
Sometimes it’s not one big, obvious sign. It can be small, subtle changes that just don’t sit right.
Things like:
Changes in breathing (fast, laboured or noisy)
Skin looking pale, mottled, or developing unusual rashes
Your child being unusually drowsy, floppy, or hard to wake
Confusion or behaviour that’s out of character
Pain that isn’t improving with treatment
Or simply that feeling that your child is getting worse
And sometimes, it’s just that gut feeling you can’t explain.
That’s enough.
“You are helping us, not bothering us”
If there’s one message Leticia wants parents to take away, it’s that you aren’t bothering the medical team, you’re helping them.
“In my years as a Nurse Unit Manager, I can say with absolute certainty that many critical changes in a child’s condition have been identified first by a parent. While our clinical staff are highly skilled at performing regular observations and interpreting data, parents are the only constant presence who truly know their child’s baseline behaviour, personality, and what is normal for them.
“I have seen numerous instances where a parent’s insistence that their child is “just not themselves” – despite vital signs appearing relatively stable – has prompted a deeper clinical review that uncovered everything from early signs of sepsis to a life-threatening respiratory crisis.”
The Raise It process exists because healthcare teams know how important parents are in keeping children safe.
“Speaking up doesn’t mean you don’t trust the team,” she says. “It means you’re partnering with us to make sure nothing gets missed.”
And if you’re still worried about being judged?
“Whether your concern turns out to be something or nothing, your instinct to raise it is always valid.”
You should never second guess yourself when it comes to yours or your childs health- or anyones for that matter. Go with your thoughts. It is natural to want to protect a loved one especially when it comes to health situations, and the feeling you get when you think you didnt do enough to advocate or fight for them…it is not a kind or nice way to feel. Many people have ended up being heartbroken and picking up pieces for years because of feeling they didnt do enough.
A very good and informative article. I have read so many stories about mums just knowing when things are not right and demanding second and third opinions until they got the right answer. Sometimes mums just know. It is our job as care takers of our families. Listen to your gut!
Years ago, I spoke up for my 14-year-old daughter, but my concerns weren’t fully listened to. I’ve always wished I had pushed harder. She was sent home without much testing, and two days later, she passed away.
So, if you ever have concerns—no matter how minor—please speak up and keep advocating. Trust your instincts; they are there for a reason.
This is so important for parents to know how to raise it further if they don’t think their child is receiving the medical support they need! I know this article refers to the NSW system but other systems have similar procedures just with different names. I know in QLD it’s called Ryan’s Rule.
It’s so important to follow your gut instincts and express your concerns indeed. I have never hesitated to advocate for my children in various situations and I don’t care what other people think about it. Not all doctors and medical staff appreciate it when you question them, I’ve experienced that it may result in angry indignant responses.
How true this is! While nurses and doctors are the medical professionals doing their job on the daily, we know our children better than anyone and what is ‘normal’ for them. I would always speak up if I had noticed any changes in my child’s health and encourage other parents to do so too. No question is silly!
This really is such an important issue and a good topic to discuss with people, I am often surprised that people are worried about being judged. This is not something I care about; the priority is for the care and health of everyone is my family. Parents know their children and need to work with health professionals for the best outcomes for their children.
This is such an important issue to raise, and no one should ever feel ashamed, nervous or that they are being OTT for advocating for their kids, themselves or loves ones in hospital. In QLD we have Ryan’s Rule. A three step process where your concern will be escalated if they believe the patients condition isn’t improving or is worsening.
I have never been afraid to advocate for my children and partner and extended family and also friends. It is so important to listen and to trust intuition. When people have not listened, I have persevered and kept on with insisting on care and making sure they truly listened and took action.
5:19 pm
Great read
2:52 pm
Could not put this book down.
9:50 am
Hooked
3:12 pm
Hooked by page 5
This book reveals it's characters over time and I've enjoyed how my feelings have changed towards each of the characters as I've gotten to know them more. I feel like this approach is very clever as it reflects how friendships are formed in real life and whilst the book is about a group of friends it also feels like a study on how friendships develop and change.
It's not clear from the book cover or even the first few pages but this book is also a glimpse into modern Australia for aboriginal women. I've never read a book with Aboriginal characters before and I've been challenged and educated as to why that might be. The insights into Aboriginal life in this book have been well explained yet the book has also shown how issues that women an friends face aren't limited by culture or nationally.
I've still got 1/3 of the book to go and I'm looking forward to seeing how relationships between the friends and their families get resolved.
1:47 pm
sounds awesome and looks great
5:23 pm
It was a brilliant read. I really enjoyed this beautiful book
2:33 pm
2nd review FANTASTIC
10:41 am
Best read in a long time
8:45 pm
Great Just what I needed at this time
11:10 pm
A highly engaging page turner right from the start!
1:47 pm
sounds awesome and looks great
10:25 pm
Couldn't get into it
5:33 pm
It's only ok
10:11 pm
Light, gentle story but not entirely to my taste
2:08 pm
Ok reading for a teenager
8:31 pm
Recommend!!!
5:23 pm
It was a brilliant read. I really enjoyed this beautiful book
2:33 pm
2nd review FANTASTIC
10:42 pm
Fantastic
12:29 pm
A light read for the weekend.
10:34 am
Good read.
2:52 pm
Could not put this book down.
10:41 am
Best read in a long time
5:19 pm
Great read
9:50 am
Hooked
8:39 pm
An intriguing read filled with history and drama!
Anita Heiss offers five main characters that are share their narrative, I enjoyed this style of storytelling as I felt each character had a voice and that you could relate to them. I had a particular connection to Xanthe and her relationship with her husband and her desire and desperation for a child. This really struck a chord with me and I was engaged to keep picking up the novel whenever I could steal a minute.
A negative for me personally was the constant referal to the characters culture and where they were from. I appreciate pride of who you are and I enjoyed the historical information but I felt the references to culture were overused and detracted from the story, at times I was engrossed by the story only to be irritated by a repeated fact referencing the characters heritage.
Would I recommend this to my book group, to be honest not really. I thought the story was an enjoyable read, well written but not something I would be overly excited about enough to recommend to others. In saying that I will be asking one of my book group members who is Aboriginal as to what she thinks of the book. I think this book would appeal to middle aged women who enjoy romance/drama novels with a historical element.
11:02 pm
Relatable and engaging
7:46 pm
I have really enjoyed reading Tiddas and can't seem to put it down
2:10 pm
Captivating and interesting
1:31 pm
Amazing and realistic
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