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Cover of The Secret River

Historical Fiction · 2005 · PG-13

The Secret River

by Kate Grenville

A transported convict claims land on the Hawkesbury River — and collides with its Aboriginal people.

For14+GenreHistorical FictionLength346 pagesRead time~9.5 hours

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Content snapshot

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What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.

Violence

A lot

Colonial violence; a massacre of Aboriginal people

Language

Barely any

Mild language

Sexual Content

Barely any

Brief sexual content

Substance Use

Barely any

Drinking

Emotional Intensity

Some

Themes of dispossession, colonial guilt, and the violence of settlement

What this book is about

Grenville's 2005 Miles Franklin-winning novel follows William Thornhill's journey from London's slums to colonial Australia, where a violent confrontation with the Darug people awaits. Features graphic colonial violence and a massacre. For mature adults.

Notes for sensitive readers

Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.

Graphic colonial violence

Massacre of Aboriginal people

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