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Sarah Thornhill

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Sarah Thornhill

By: Kate Grenville
Narrated by: Emma Fielding
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*NEW NOVEL RESTLESS DOLLY MAUNDER SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2024*
FROM THE BOOKER PRIZE-SHORTLISTED AND WOMEN’S PRIZE-WINNING AUSTRALIAN NOVELIST

Sarah is the youngest daughter of William Thornhill, a ruthless man who made a life for himself and his family in New South Wales after being sentenced from England. When Sarah finds true love with Jack, an older boy with mixed ancestry, she also encounters disapproval: someone in her family will not tolerate their relationship.

The reason lies in both the past and the present, and it will take Sarah across an ocean, to a place she never imagined she would go, to discover if her love is ever going to be enough.

©2012 Kate Grenville Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction World Literature
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Critic reviews

"Grenville inhabits characters with a rare completeness . . . She writes with a poet's sense of rhythm and imagery"
"Here is someone who can really write" (Peter Carey)
"I was thrilled to find myself back beside the river I'd come to know so well in The Secret River. The power with which Kate Grenville evokes places and people is so remarkable that I could remember the smell of the air there - and it was no surprise to discover that Sarah Thornhill's story is as gripping and illuminating as her father's was" (Diana Athill)
"A graceful, passionate story of love, loss and treacherous family histories."
"Beautifully written."
"Be warned: [Sarah Thornhill] will wrench your heart ... Grenville's description of the harshly beautiful Australian landscape is unforgettable, more poetry than prose."
"Immensely readable"
"Both brilliant fiction and illuminating personal history" (Arifa Akbar)
"This powerful saga of colliding histories blends romance and honesty" (Mary Shine Thompson)
"It is with often marvellous vividness and clarity that Grenville evokes Sarah's world [she] is well inhabited by her creator, and through the eyes of this young woman, the physical and cultural strangenesses of a nation still clambering into existence spring richly to life" (Belinda McKeon)
"Her voice has an attractive personality and proves adept at describing the landscape and those who struggle to survive in its unforgiving beauty"
"Kate Grenville has completed her trilogy with another enthralling tale" (Ion Trewin)
"Richly wrapped in language so colourful and lively, you can taste it" (Tom Adair)
All stars
Most relevant
A hard listen, but satisfactory to reach a completion with Sarah looking forward, the secrets revealed. The description of flora, fauna and people so vivid, one wants to start at the beginning and relive those far off days in Australia- or rather not n

The completion of the trilogy

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I was pleased to come across this follow up to 'The Secret River', having enjoyed listening to it. Whilst it's not quite as good as its prequel, it is still definitely good and worth a listen. About the relationships between the native aborigines and the settlers, it highlights changing attitudes, and just how poor these relationships could be.

Good

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While not quite as powerful as "The Secret River", this is a moving and impressive sequel, following after the River and "The Lieutenant".

Sarah Thornhill grows up, establishing her own relationships, challenging the racism of her parents, and uncovering dark secrets of violence and oppression. This book explores the impact of colonisation on Aboriginal communities and highlights the violence, suppressed and hidden, but all pervasive and powerful.

This is a story about love, compassion, first loves, growing up, care, respect for culture, and humanity ... along with dispossession, racism, dark secrets, violence and denial. It helps explain elements of Australia - outwardly free and fair, inwardly guilt-ridden, shamed and developed on the back of violent dispossession.

Movingly written and read.

Racism and humanity in emerging Australia

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Feels like truth telling amid exposure of dark secrets from the Secret River - caught up with next generation in New South Wales
& the aftermath of a terrible massacre.
Price to pay for freedom & land grab.

Sins of the fathers - Great storytelling packs a gut punch

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Atmospheric, enthralling and engaging, Sarah Thornhill is hugely evocative of the early days of colonial Australia.

Brilliantly narrated, the pictures sprung into my head throughout.

Highly recommended.

A wonderful, beautifully written authentic novel.

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