Helpful Score: 6
This is one of those books that you want everyone to read. I absorbed this over a two-day period in which I didn't want to do anything else. It is a painful read that left me still unsettled at the end. The Secret River follows William Thornhill from his poverty-stricken childhood in London to the life he creates in Australia. Thornhill is a compelling main character full of emotional extremes--overwhelming love for his wife and children, despair at his inability to provide a comfortable life, a deep hunger that he struggles to feed. His story becomes the story of the British invasion of Australia and brings to life the historical struggle for ownership on an individual level.
Helpful Score: 2
Absolutely on of the best book I have read in awhile. Very touching book. If you want to read just one great book that isn't "fluff" this is the book.
Helpful Score: 2
While this book was difficult to read at times because of the way the aboriginal peoples (like conquered natives everywhere)were treated, and the violence perpetuated upon them, I loved it! I read it over 24 hours, with much difficulty putting it down to sleep. It taught me a lot of history about the British invasion of what would later become Australia, the plight of the very poor in England and the exiled prisoners. It was very well written, the prose and the characters flowed well. So much again for the sanitized version from our primers.
Helpful Score: 1
I was suprised to find myself so caught up in this book. Couldn't wait to see what was going to happen to William & his family. It's based on the author's family history involving England's penal colonys for convicts in the 1800's: wonderful descriptions of the period & of New South Wales.
Helpful Score: 1
Although I read this book monthes ago, details still resonate through my head. The characters and the times become more real than generic convict stereotypes struggling in England and Australia. Awesome but sad story that remind us who quickly we can turn ugly towards others and quick we are to push our mistakes under the rug.
Another great book! I loved the writing, the story and the characters. I also learned so much about Australia and the native people while enjoying a wonderful story. This is a "can't put down" book.
Excellent novel about early colonial Australia. This is the story of William Thornhill who was sentenced to hang in London for a theft of some wood but is instead deported to the penal colony in Australia along with his wife, Sal, and their young son. William is soon able to get his sentence commuted and then decides to settle on the "Secret River" where he wants to make a home for his family even though Sal is set on returning to London after 5 years. But William finds out that it is not that easy to make a settlement there where he either must peacefully coexist with the native aborigines or find a way to forcibly remove them. Some of the other settlers there are more inclined to kill the blacks rather than try to make friends with them. This leads to an ultimate bloody conflict that is very reminiscent of the American West and the brutality that was waged against the Native Americans in the 1800's. The book contains many instances of the atrocities committed against the natives including enslavery, rape, and murder. In the end, Thornhill is not sure it was worth the cost of his success...
This was a very heartrending and powerful story that was eloquently written by Grenvillle. It was also a good history lesson. Being from the U.S., I was somewhat unfamiliar with Australia's history and some of the language used. I had to look up several words including damper, an Australian soda bread, and humpy, a small shelter like a lean-to used by the aborigines. I found out that this is also the first in a trilogy so I will be looking for the subsequent two novels. High recommendation for this one!
This was a very heartrending and powerful story that was eloquently written by Grenvillle. It was also a good history lesson. Being from the U.S., I was somewhat unfamiliar with Australia's history and some of the language used. I had to look up several words including damper, an Australian soda bread, and humpy, a small shelter like a lean-to used by the aborigines. I found out that this is also the first in a trilogy so I will be looking for the subsequent two novels. High recommendation for this one!
