the secret river

this book came both highly recommended and as a gift
the timing of the reading of this one also of personal significance
the secret river is the hawkesbury river in the early 19th century
the book starts out in cold, depressing, harsh, unforgiving london
william thornhill is born into poverty and lives in rancid conditions
no social welfare in these times so the poorest live abysmally
work is scarce and poorly paid, food and clothing is minimal
wil's near neighbour and friend sal is the daughter of a waterman
he takes him on as an apprentice boatman working on the thames
so over a period of time learns some useful skills and falls in love
before long there is a child and a wife to provide for
part of the survival process for the poor is petty crime
being caught leads to corporal punishment or execution
in wil's case he and his family are sent on a convict ship to sydney
this sets up the second part of the book as the family settles in
initially in sydney as wil works the boats on the harbour there
before long he is also working on the hawkesbury river
spots a very desirable neck of land and secretly imagines ownership
in the meantime the family is expanding and outgrowing their digs
sheer hard work means wil can buy his own boat and the move is on
sal reluctantly agrees to try out life on the land (and water) for 5 years
and so it is that the 100 acres of thornhill's point becomes his own
which is where this book becomes more than a great history lesson
for it is only a matter of time before the natives of the land are encountered
as a reader i was partially dreading what would unfold in this part
the accuracy, detail and identifiable emotions revealed so far were a clue
and knowing even vaguely the history of the white colonisation of australia
meant that more than likely there may not be a happy ending coming up
the author (kate grenville) however takes the time to introduce the locals
and eloquently allows us to learn more of their lifestyle and habits
friendships are formed between black and white and tolerance has a chance
there are some new australians with a heart and mind to co-habitate
but there are some hard characters amongst the convict whites
and some distant law-makers not interested in accomodating alternative lifestyles
the final part of the book sadly depicts the brutality the locals endured
wil and sal and family survive and prosper in their new home
but they are unknowingly affected by what has happened
this pointing to a possibility of repercussions for future generations
there's a bunch of superlatives on the front cover of this book
passionate and disturbing, outstanding, fiercely intelligent
overwhelmingly beautiful, unforgettable, subtle and satisfying
a book everyone should read, breathtaking, vivid and moving
i actually read this book mostly doing my daily train commuting
so crossing the hawkesbury river took on extra meaning
as i took and had the time to be engrossed in the book
it's not often i am so moved by a work of fiction
and in my case another superlative to add
...life-changing...
(watch this space)