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The Secret River
The Secret River | Kate Grenville
'Winner of the Commonwealth Writers Prize and Australian Book Industry Awards, Book of the Year. After a childhood of poverty and petty crime in the slums of London, William Thornhill is transported to New South Wales for the term of his natural life. With his wife Sal and children in tow, he arrives in a harsh land that feels at first like a death sentence. But among the convicts there is a whisper that freedom can be bought, an opportunity to start afresh. As Thornhill stakes his claim on a patch of ground by the Hawkesbury River, the battle lines between the old and new inhabitants are drawn. 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 groundbreaking story about identity, belonging and ownership. There is no doubt Grenville is one of our greatest writers. A book everyone should read. It is evocative, gracefully written, terrible and confronting. And it has resonance for ever'.
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Hooked_on_books
The Secret River | Kate Grenville
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Pickpick

After being sentenced to death for stealing wood, William‘s sentence is commuted to banishment to Australia. His wife is permitted to join them and we see their world turn upside down as they try to make their way in this new place. And while we definitely see the abhorrent way the Aboriginals are treated by the white Europeans, I wanted more of a character arc along these lines for William. A low pick for me.

43 likes3 comments
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Andrew65
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Finally got the first book finished for #ReadingOceania2024 @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB This one has been on my shelf for years and covers #Australia, following a family who are transported to Australia for theft and covers their early years there. Overall enjoyable but at times found it a chore to read.

#ReadAway2024 @DieaReader @Ghabi4Roses

Librarybelle Hooray!!! 2mo
BarbaraBB One down 🇦🇺 😀 2mo
Andrew65 @BarbaraBB Number two lined up, for New Zealand, and also been on my shelf for years. 1mo
See All 8 Comments
Andrew65 @Librarybelle T hanks, good to be off and running with it (finally) 1mo
BarbaraBB That‘s one I still want to read too. I am looking forward to your review 1mo
Andrew65 @BarbaraBB Hoping to get to it soon. 1mo
DieAReader 🥳Great 1mo
Andrew65 @DieAReader Thanks 🥰 1mo
65 likes8 comments
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TheEllieMo
The Secret River | Kate Grenville
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I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in if you want!

#ABookADay2023

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Messiejessie
The Secret River | Kate Grenville
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Pickpick

Heartbreaking. Even though I knew how it would end, every step of the way I was willing things to be different.

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quietlycuriouskate
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Pickpick

I wanted a good solid novel, nothing tricksy or "groundbreaking", to keep me emotionally invested, with characters I could root for. It delivered! Will gets on the wrong side of the law and transported to the other side of the world. He and his wife Sal "take up" (i.e take) land. Cue the inevitable culture clash between white settlers and aboriginal people. The bonus book, KG's story of researching and writing the tale is a ripping yarn in itself.

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thegirlwiththelibrarybag
Secret River | Kate Grenville
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I‘m trying to keep my mini vacation photos book related - so please enjoy this author portrait I found in The National Portrait Gallery (tbh, I didn‘t even realise 🇦🇺 had a Portrait Gallery but worth the trip if you find yourself in Canberra)

🖼 Kate Grenville by Jenny Sages, 2013, encaustic and oil on board.

The setting is the Hawkesbury River - where this book and its sequel, Sarah Thornhill, are set.

kspenmoll I am so enjoying your posts from this museum! 3y
CarolynM I love the portrait gallery. Always worth a visit. 3y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @kspenmoll, that‘s good - because I took a lot of photos! ☺️ 3y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @CarolynM, I enjoyed it more than the National Gallery (the cafe was better, less people, the exhibition I wanted to see was still on... and they have a Ken Done!!!) 3y
49 likes4 comments
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TrishB
The Secret River | Kate Grenville
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Pickpick

Good historical fiction, exploring many themes, but most importantly colonial exploitation.
Thanks Sally 😘
#booked2021 #setinaustralia

Cinfhen Wow!!! Your reading #MoJo is BACK💜 (edited) 3y
TrishB @Cinfhen I read most of this last night when I couldn‘t sleep! I‘m pretty sure it won‘t last. Or hopefully I‘ll sleep. 3y
Cinfhen I hope u get some sleep xx 3y
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Freespirit Glad you enjoyed it Trish. Stay safe over there xxx 3y
TrishB @Freespirit thanks Sally, it‘s a bit like being in the middle of a dystopian film at the moment! 3y
Freespirit You couldn‘t write a book stranger than life in 2020-21 so far! 3y
TrishB @Freespirit we‘d definitely all pan it! 3y
105 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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Petelord
Secret River | Kate Grenville
Pickpick

Fabulous book about Australia past. Entertaining and informative

2 likes1 stack add
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Mitch
The Secret River | Kate Grenville
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Maybe I should give up on waiting for the sun to shine on London and dip into some fictional summer!

https://crimereads.com/australian-gothic-literature/

cathipink Love the Crime Reads site so much. 5y
Mitch @cathipink it‘s good isn‘t it - I‘m not really a crime reader, I‘ll dabble a little. But the site always has something of interest! 5y
jenniferw88 Thanks, just added 7 to the tbr - my ma dissertation was on 18th century gothic! 5y
See All 7 Comments
Mitch @jenniferw88 enjoy!👏🏻 5y
LapReader I‘ve read four out of the 10 and they were fantastic reads. Some have a mini series if you are interested and enjoy tv Ta for the share. 5y
Mitch @LapReader do you have a favourite of them? 5y
LapReader Definitely The Dry. 5y
73 likes1 stack add7 comments
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ValPenny
The Secret River | Kate Grenville
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Pickpick

This was a recent book of the month in our book club. I hadn‘t read anything by the author before - but it is a brilliant historical novel & I highly recommend it.

Megabooks I enjoyed this too! 5y
ValPenny It is beautifully written, isn‘t it Megabooks? - although some of the scenes are so violent, but sadly very accurate of the time. 5y
6 likes2 comments
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andrew61
The Secret River | Kate Grenville
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#winterwonderland #icanseethesuninlatedecember
I immediately thought about the experience of those people sentenced to be transported to Australia for their crimes and the idea of seasons turned upside down must have been disconcerting - that and all the other ignominies they suffered - this is a brilliant book which i loved and bizarrely the only by kate Grenville i have read - a timely reminder to read some more soon.

CarolynM I've started two Kate Grenville novels (including this one) and bailed on both. For some reason I can't explain even to myself I really don't like her writing. (edited) 5y
32 likes1 stack add1 comment
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LapReader
The Secret River | Kate Grenville
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Pickpick

Just home from the second excellent meeting of my new book club Reading between the wines in my neighbouring apartment building. This was tonight‘s book. I took this picture as I deposited my finished copy in my building‘s book exchange and unknowingly picked up our next pick. Our hostess with the mostess made us Jamaican Jerk which was delicious. Our next meeting will be at our local pub, the Custom‘s House Hotel at happy hour of course.

CarolynM Sounds like you've found a good group. Enjoy! 6y
24 likes1 comment
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eggreenfield09
The Secret River | Kate Grenville
Pickpick

Enjoyed

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thewanderingbookmark
The Secret River | Kate Grenville
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This quote really got me thinking about colonialism and a nation as a collectively accepted concept.
What about those who don‘t accept the idea superimposed on a place? #aussielit

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Abailliekaras
The Secret River | Kate Grenville
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Amazing play directed by Neil Armfield and staged in a quarry. True, devastating and superb. No photos in the auditorium so this is us pre-show. 👏🏼

Marchpane Looks like a stunning location! 7y
Abailliekaras Amazing & very evocative @Marchpane - a special & devastating experience. 7y
LeeRHarry I heard Annabel Crabb raving about this on her Chat10Looks3 podcast - it sounded amazing! 7y
26 likes3 comments
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MariettaSG
The Secret River | Kate Grenville
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Mehso-so

Grenville writes quite nicely. Nothing new in the plot though. Sort of reasonable, if not a brief, brushed over history of the treatment of Indigenous Australians; reasonable in that it at least acknowledges that many who came as convicts or pioneers did kill, violate and abuse the traditional custodians of Australia. But I tend to agree with the above article. #24in48 12.5 hrs in. #LitsyAtoZ S. Now to cook dinner whilst reading a book.

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MariettaSG
The Secret River | Kate Grenville

Starting to feel a little "vertiginous" myself. ♥️ finding words in books that I have forgotten about. I love the sound of this one Verrr, tijjj in erss. Even sounds swirling and lurching.

The quote in Fahrenheit 451 about the second great thing about books being the leisure to mull over them has powerful meaning for me right now, but I will plod on. It is a luxury to devote time, so much time to reading. ???

6 likes1 stack add
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McFarchie
The Secret River | Kate Grenville
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Pickpick

I'm not normally one for historical fiction, but I love this book ❤️❤️❤️❤️

66 likes7 stack adds