"The Exiles" is a novel by Christina Baker Kline that tells the story of Bristol, a young woman in 1840s England who is sent to a penal colony in Australia. The narrative explores her struggles and the harsh realities faced by those exiled for crimes, often minor, in a society that harshly punishes them. The book also follows Katherine, a young girl who becomes an orphan and is taken in by a group of women in the colony. Together, they navigate their new lives, forming bonds and seeking redemption in a land far from home.