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The Secret River

The Secret River

Author(s): Kate Grenville

Location(s): London, New South Wales

Genre(s): Fiction, Historical

Era(s): Early 1800s

Location

Content

First book in a Trilogy about early Australia (The Lieutenant and Sarah Thornhill).It is set in the early nineteenth century, on what was then the frontier: the Hawkesbury River, fifty miles beyond Sydney.

The story begins in London in 1806: William Thornhill is a waterman on the Thames married and is married to Sal. William is arrested one night, escapes hanging but is sentenced to life in New South Wales. Here they have to learn to adapt to a new life, and this is the story of how they have to adapt to very different surroundings and a rugged way of life.

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Book Reviews

Lead Review

It really takes you into the world of early colonial Australia and gives you a sense of how difficult a life the early settlers had. (Julia Flyte) Fantastically atmospheric book, wonderful descriptions of London...

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