Finally after 108 days, completed this novel THE SECRET RIVER(349 pgs) which is written by an Australian writer Kate Grenville, and this is my 1st read of her. Now I don’t know when I will buy another book from her coz this is not my genre. Some details about the writer: Born in 1950 in sydney, she has published 15 books including fiction, non fiction and biography(Source: wikipedia)
It is a story of a poor man William Thornhill and his wife which were send to Australia from England during 1800s. The man was convicted and jailed for stealing and then he was pardoned and sent to Sydney with other convicts. The story is about his survival and how did he got a land for himself near banks of Hawkesbury and what problems he faced with aboriginals.
The book also showed how the whites had captured the lands of australian natives. It is a wonderfully told story and I took so much time just because you cannot read this book too fast unlike a thriller, and also maybe because its not my fav genre. Language-wise its pretty okay but you need some concentration(unlike action thriller genre- except Agatha Christie) to be in sync with happenings and some hard words to cover but all-in-all a 1st time reader can also try it out. But the theme can click you, and you can have feel for the characters. Characterization was okay. I will rate the book 5.5/8 for the story and the feel.
GRuchirG.
Jai Raam ji ki ??