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Daniel Rooke was five years old when it was confirmed to him how different he was from his peers. His love of numbers set him apart, made him a person to tease and ridicule, and this was his life until in 1775 and at thirteen, he met Dr Vickery who was a kindred spirit. His love of astronomy lit a passion and enthusiasm which would last Rooke his lifetime.
As a lieutenant who narrowly avoided death during the war, Daniel was assigned to the First Fleet which arrived in New South Wales in 1788. Th ...more
As a lieutenant who narrowly avoided death during the war, Daniel was assigned to the First Fleet which arrived in New South Wales in 1788. Th ...more
Loved it. I knew it was based on a real story, but I didn't realise it was so closely based that it was really a fictional biography - the real story with the blanks filled in. Only the names were changed to protect, etc.
But limiting a review to such an offhand summary would be to sell Grenville short, and she is much too valuable a literary asset to do that. She certainly did more than fill the blanks.
She has dramatised a remarkable set of real circumstances - a sensitive young man who comes o ...more
But limiting a review to such an offhand summary would be to sell Grenville short, and she is much too valuable a literary asset to do that. She certainly did more than fill the blanks.
She has dramatised a remarkable set of real circumstances - a sensitive young man who comes o ...more
It has been many years since I read The Secret River and as this book is some sort of prequel but is set as book 2 in the trilogy, I've no idea how characters between books fit with each other! In any case, it wasn't necessary at all to follow this particular story.
The novel opens with Daniel Rooke as a boy. A somewhat different boy. He has a brilliant numerical mind but never seems to be able to fit in society. Fast forward to him as a young man and on his adventure to colonial Australia. With ...more
The novel opens with Daniel Rooke as a boy. A somewhat different boy. He has a brilliant numerical mind but never seems to be able to fit in society. Fast forward to him as a young man and on his adventure to colonial Australia. With ...more
Kate Grenville returns to the establishment of New South Wales in this wonderful novel that explores the relationship between Lieutenant Daniel Rooke and the Indigenous people.
We follow Rooke as a child in England as he tries to come to terms with being gifted but believing that he is stupid and then as he commences his career in the military. Rooke establishes himself as a loner and a man who is extremely curious.
Grenville has taken a historical fact and turned into a work of fiction. The sto ...more
We follow Rooke as a child in England as he tries to come to terms with being gifted but believing that he is stupid and then as he commences his career in the military. Rooke establishes himself as a loner and a man who is extremely curious.
Grenville has taken a historical fact and turned into a work of fiction. The sto ...more
A novel set during the first 2 years of the colony of NSW, a period well-known and loved by myself, and concentrating on one particular character, named Daniel Rooke in this book.
Well-written and a quick enjoyable read, however I was distracted the whole way through by the re-naming of several key figures (William Dawes, Watkin Tench, Governor Phillip, Bennelong) and felt I would have enjoyed the book a lot more if their real names had been used.
Well-written and a quick enjoyable read, however I was distracted the whole way through by the re-naming of several key figures (William Dawes, Watkin Tench, Governor Phillip, Bennelong) and felt I would have enjoyed the book a lot more if their real names had been used.
Terrific read. I am not sure why this is considered the second in the Thornhill Trilogy, as it seems to have nothing to do with them other than a similarity of themes and setting. Sad and poignant but really enjoyable.
I would have enjoyed studying Australian history at school more if we studied characters like this.
A wonderful fictional version of some of the adventures of a very good man.
A wonderful fictional version of some of the adventures of a very good man.
Fascinating story based on real characters. Beautifully written as well. Opening was used for the International Baccalaureate exam a few years back. Worthy recognition of a quality read.
A delightful story of a naive and dogged young Lieutenant of Marines who has been sent with the first fleet to Sydney Cove in 1788. The early days of the settlement are well described and taken from letters and chronicles of the time.
Nov 10, 2009
Rhi1981
marked it as to-read
Mar 13, 2011
Riem
marked it as to-read
May 04, 2011
Victoria Clyne
marked it as to-read
Jun 30, 2011
Dot
marked it as to-read
Sep 20, 2011
Kay
marked it as to-read
Nov 14, 2012
Zoë
marked it as i-will-never-read
Feb 01, 2013
John
added it
Sep 14, 2014
Tess Thomson
marked it as to-read
Dec 31, 2014
Rosie
marked it as to-read
