The Exiles Summary
Christina Baker Kline

The Exiles Overview

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline is a historical novel that follows the lives of four female characters experiencing the consequences of British colonization of Australia from 1840 to 1843. While Mathinna, a Palawan girl, is forced to assimilate with the governor’s family, the female convicts Evangeline and Hazel become friends during their transport to Australia. The intersections of these females’ lives provide one another with kindness that helps them carry on. The novel closes with Ruby, Evangeline’s biological daughter and Hazel’s adopted daughter, reconciling the positive and negative aspects of the colony of Australia in 1868. The novel deals with themes of colonization, maturation, love, justice, and female relationships.