The Secret River

* A vivid evocation of the rawest kind of colonialism. -- Jem Poster Books * Winner of the 2001 Orange Prize for Fiction with The Idea of Perfection, Grenville's latest, beautifully written novel concerns William Thornhill, a 19th-century convict from London deported to Australia, where he staked a claim on ancient Aboriginal lands - with tragic consequences. Financial Times * In one stroke the author captures both Sullivan's emotional dependence and Will's compassion. Will's relationship with Sal is frequently fortified by such psychological insights. Their mutual awareness gives the couple a convincing weight as well as engaging the reader's sympathy and deepening the narrative tension. By this stage, what started as a sumptuous historical with its brilliantly atmospheric depiction of Georgian London's Stygian gloom, has developed into a profound journey of self discovery. Independent on Sunday * Ambitious new novel... Grenville's skill is to turn what could have been too obviously a representative moral fable into a rich novel of character. Sunday Telegraph * We have had to wait five years for The Secret River but the wait has been worth it...Splendidly paced, passionate and disturbing. The Times