Sarah Thornhill [Paperback]

Australia has issues with the role and status of Aboriginal people. Much of the current bad situation is believed to have been set in train by previous poor decisions dating right back to the settlement by Europeans and to have been compounded by mistake after mistake. Kate Grenville has addressed this previously in The Secret River and The Lieutenant.

In Sarah Thornhill, Kate Grenville takes us one generation further forward. The young Sarah doesn't have memories of "home"; she is a member of the first generation of Europeans to know only Australia. This allows some of the initial charting and claim-staking by her parents to be ancient history. One of the intriguing aspects of Australian history is how much written detail there is of the convict and migrant generations whilst the relatively recent social history in Australia has been lost to the mists of time.

Thus, the young Sarah has to delve and dig to discover who she is; who her parents really are; and who her family is. Much of this is delivered through grudging whispers and insinuations in a society where neighbours are shunned and strangers receive a hostile reception. Sarah initially seeks solace in her encounters with Aboriginal families who wander across the Thornhill land - until her father puts her straight. Instead, she is sent off to marry a young Irish man whom she tries hard to love.

This is contrasted with the different relationship that European settlers forged with the Maori population in New Zealand - where the Maori culture was embraced and allowed to flourish. At least, that's the story; the reality may have been less rosy at times. Sarah is brought into a position where she has to consider her family relationships and ties in the light of discovering the truth about various family members. History tells us that her well meaning efforts are ultimately going to be in vain and this means that much of the novel is akin to watching an inevitable car crash.

Kate Grenville has tackled a difficult subject with considerable sensitivity. It lacks some of the immediacy of The Secret River but rediscovers some of the personal depth that was missing from The Lieutenant which felt, sometimes, rather too academic. Sarah Thornhill is not a perfect novel and the ending does feel a little contrived, but it is nevertheless very moving. The novel is written in an accessible style with complex characterisation; the tone is non-judgemental; the focus is seldom on how past events occurred - much more on what people are going to do given the position they find themselves in. In doing this, it doesn't feel as though Grenville is preaching and she doesn't offer easy answers.

Kate Grenville writes with amazing assurance. In The Secret River, I was drawn into the story of the Thornhill family's start in Australia. This sequel is equally powerful. Each character has a singular voice making them memorable, vivid and real.

Vernacular speech and narrative can be difficult to deliver well. Kate Grenville strikes a balance which allows both dialogue and descriptive passages to flow with ease. These are not characters, they are people the reader comes to know and care about. It's easy to understand the issues presented and feel for those involved in both happy and heart breaking situations. I found myself willing things to turn out in a particular way; a sure sign of compelling and believable storytelling.

A brilliant follow up, well told and I thoroughly enjoyed every word, along with the food for thought. Unlike some reviewers, I didn't find the social issues intrusive or overdone. They are handled with compassion and sensitivity, without being understated. All round a truly rewarding read.

Sarah Thornhill is the sequel to the award-winning The Secret River by Australian author, Kate Grenville. The story is narrated by Sarah, the youngest daughter of emancipist William Thornhill and starts some years after the events of The Secret River. Sarah is growing up in a fine house on the Hawkesbury River, in a family keeping secrets. Her step-mother, Meg, is a proud and hard woman who will never forget her husband has a taint, has worn the broad arrow. Her father is haunted by the guilt of past acts, and it seems she has a brother that no-one acknowledges. But the eldest son of the neighbouring Langlands family, a half-breed named Jack, makes life worthwhile. Their love will surely transcend any possible challenges. The story moves from the Hawkesbury to parts west and to New Zealand. Grenville's characters are well developed and the dialogue is authentic and appropriate for the illiterate daughter of an ex-convict. As she slowly builds the story, Grenville touches on the hardness of pioneering life and the range of attitudes to the aborigines of people of the time and she illustrates the importance of keeping stories alive. There is joy, sorrow, heartache, betrayal and understanding, all contained in beautiful prose. I was brought to tears at the end. A wonderful, moving tale.