The Secret River

· Text Publishing
3.6
60 reviews
Ebook
352
Pages

About this ebook

In 1806 William Thornhill, a man of quick temper and deep feelings, is transported from the slums of London to New South Wales for the term of his natural life. With his wife Sal and their children he arrives in a harsh land he cannot understand. But the colony can turn a convict into a free man.

Eight years later Thornhill sails up the Hawkesbury to claim a hundred acres for himself. Aboriginal people already live on that river. And other recent arrivals—Thomas Blackwood, Smasher Sullivan and Mrs Herring—are finding their own ways to respond to them.

Thornhill, a man neither better nor worse than most, soon has to make the most difficult choice of his life.

Inspired by research into her own family history, Kate Grenville vividly creates the reality of settler life, its longings, dangers and dilemmas. The Secret River is a brilliantly written book, a groundbreaking story about identity, belonging and ownership.

Ratings and reviews

3.6
60 reviews
A Google user
December 5, 2011
Atmosphere, text style and historical detail are written well. I studied this text for school, I thought it has a very slow start...but a good book~
Whitney Keir
August 16, 2014
I enjoyed this book, it was engaging but still reasonably light hearted, something you can digest easily after a long day at work. Well done!
Frances Tomas
May 20, 2014
I loved being in the times of England and Australia.The insights into the hardships of the poor hit home as the characters became so real.A good read and very informative

About the author

Kate Grenville is one of Australia’s finest writers. She won the Orange Prize in 2001 for The Idea of Perfection. The Secret River, published in more than twenty countries, was awarded the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, and was shortlisted for both the Miles Franklin Literary Award and the Man Booker Prize. The Lieutenant was shortlisted for the New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australian Premiers’ Awards.

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