MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Literary The Secret River by Kate Grenville

Stephjk · 10-20-2013, 08:14 AM

Finished!
This is the first time I have ever re-read a novel and I enjoyed it as much this time as I did the first.

The italics for speech didn't bother me at all, I thought it gave a greater air of narrative to the book. The London part went on a bit for me too, but I did have the advantage of knowing that the story would improve once that section was completed.

I seem to have a fascination with books that tell the story of human suffering e.g. Roots, The Pianist, Escape from Camp 14 etc. I think it is incredibly important for us and our children to be aware of what the human race is capable of and how easy it is to assume that those who are different from us are beneath us, and therefore we should wield power over them. History is different depending on who is doing the telling but all races have their stories of human suffering and innappropriate power.

Works such as The Secret River highlight an era and, hopefully, allow us to explore our responses to the atrocities that resulted. In the western world many people consider that political correctness has gone mad and forget that it's prime purpose is to ensure that all are treated fairly. Hopefully bullying in schools and workplaces will one day be seen as outrageous. The wilfull cause of human suffering is something we should all strive to end. There are plenty of modern day atrocities that will one day be written and read about with horror.

10-20-2013, 08:14 AM	#32
Stephjk Cruiser Posts: 525 Karma: 1157886 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: on a small yacht! Device: kobo glo, samsung galaxy tab note	Finished! This is the first time I have ever re-read a novel and I enjoyed it as much this time as I did the first. The italics for speech didn't bother me at all, I thought it gave a greater air of narrative to the book. The London part went on a bit for me too, but I did have the advantage of knowing that the story would improve once that section was completed. I seem to have a fascination with books that tell the story of human suffering e.g. Roots, The Pianist, Escape from Camp 14 etc. I think it is incredibly important for us and our children to be aware of what the human race is capable of and how easy it is to assume that those who are different from us are beneath us, and therefore we should wield power over them. History is different depending on who is doing the telling but all races have their stories of human suffering and innappropriate power. Works such as The Secret River highlight an era and, hopefully, allow us to explore our responses to the atrocities that resulted. In the western world many people consider that political correctness has gone mad and forget that it's prime purpose is to ensure that all are treated fairly. Hopefully bullying in schools and workplaces will one day be seen as outrageous. The wilfull cause of human suffering is something we should all strive to end. There are plenty of modern day atrocities that will one day be written and read about with horror.