The Secret River History

I think that the concept of The Secret River is pretty interesting! Published in 2005, the book started off describing life in late 18th century London. I feel like most books I read are stories about the time period in which they are written. So, it's been interesting to see how Kate Grenville has been able to make commentaries on historical societies as an author in the 21st century. I think the thing that has stood out to me the most while reading The Secret River is the wealth imbalance in the London society. Grenville's writing has prompted me to consider her commentary on society and wealth. I believe that she's making an argument that, despite the challenges many impoverished people face, that doesn't mean that they are inherently greedy or bad people. For example, when she writes about William's friend Dan, who steal chestnuts and shares them, she is showing how these kids, who have close to nothing, can still be generous and thoughtful to others. At the end of the day, stealing is bad but, in some cases, it does make the difference between life and death. Writing about these kids' experiences humanizes their actions and makes the reader reconsider class divisions and societal norms. I like how Grenville does this by showing instead of telling. Clearly, this takeaway is applicable to any point in history, but I just think it's cool to see how she has been showing this through the lens of an impoverished kid in 18th century London.