Publisher's Synopsis
It is 1788. Twenty-one-year-old Elizabeth is hungry for life but, as the ward of a Devon clergyman, knows she has few prospects. When proud, scarred soldier John Macarthur promises her the earth one midsummer's night, she believes him. But Elizabeth soon realises she has made a terrible mistake. Her new husband is reckless, tormented, driven by some dark rage at the world. He tells her he is to take up a position as Lieutenant in a New South Wales penal colony and she has no choice but to go. Sailing for six months to the far side of the globe with a child growing inside her, she arrives to find Sydney Town a brutal, dusty, hungry place of makeshift shelters, failing crops, scheming and rumours. All her life she has learned to be obliging, to fold herself up small. Now, in the vast landscapes of an unknown continent, Elizabeth has to discover a strength she never imagined, and passions she could never express. Inspired by the real life of a remarkable woman, this is an extraordinarily rich, beautifully wrought novel of resilience, courage and the mystery of human desire. "Praise for The Secret River: An outstanding study of cultures in collision . . . a chilling, meticulous account of the sorrows and evils of colonialism . . . Kate Grenville is a sophisticated writer" (Guardian) "Splendidly paced, passionate and disturbing" (The Times) "This is a novel everyone should read" (Irish Times) "A vivid and moving portrayal of poverty, struggle and the search for peace" (Independent) "Beautifully written" (Financial Times) "Sumptuous . . . Brilliantly atmospheric" (Independent on Sunday) "A rich novel of character" (Sunday Telegraph) "A magnificent novel - an unflinching exploration of modern Australia's origins" (New Yorker) "Here is someone who can really write" (PETER CAREY) "Reading The Secret River may put you off anything less accomplished for a while" (Daily Express)
