|
|
| Plot Summary of The Fatal Shore |
|---|
"In Robert Hughes The Fatal Shore the reader is given the incredibly detailed history of a nation and people that was often not taught to its own schoolchildren as the past has long been considered a source of shame. This is the riveting story of the founding of Australia from its initial shiploads of criminal convicts landing on the continent in 1788 until independent nation status. It took only 80 years but Australia became a nation despite the inauspicious colonial beginning.
Not all the early settlers were criminals and many that were had committed mostly petty crimes or minor offenses. Regardless, Britain opened up its overflowing prisons and transported almost over 150,000 men, women and children to their new land in the south Pacific Ocean. Robert Hughes provides all the horror and grisly details one would expect to hear of people totally unprepared for the harsh and dangerous world into which they were brought. Thousands perished during the arduous sea voyage or else within months of landing due to starvation, drought, disease, lawlessness, and natural dangers such as snakes, spiders, crocodiles, etc. It is a marvel to believe that under such hardships a great country could and did emerge. Slowly a society was created out of the chaotic jumble of humanity dropped upon its doorstep through the establishment of institutions modeled after their British counterparts."
David Fletcher, Resident Scholar
|
|
| Review Analysis of The Fatal Shore |
|---|
|
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
|
|
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Kind Of History
Time of history:
- 18th century
History of a people?
Yes
Nationality?
- Australian
Subjects of this Historical Account
Religion? (if plays a major part)
- Protestants!
Ethnicity (if plays a major part)
- European/White
Is the portrayal sympathetic?
- Sympathetic
From a certain profession/group?
- criminals/outlaws
Intelligence of subject of
history:
- Smart
Main Adversary
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an average amount
Religion? (if plays a major part)
- Protestants!
Nationality?
- British
Ethnicity? (if plays big part)
- White/European
Is the portrayal sympathetic?
- Somewhat Unsympathetic
Setting
Asia/Pacific
Yes
Asian country:
- Australia
Ice Caps/Sea?
Yes
Where?
- Ocean
Style
How much gore?
- 5 ()
How fast-paced is the book?
- 2 ()
Accounts of torture and death?
- very explicit references to deaths and torture
Book makes you feel...
- in awe
How much focus on stories of individuals?
- Focuses mostly on the people/nation level
Minor characters feature lots of:
- criminals
Is this a kid's book?
- Ages 16-Adult
Pictures/Illustrations?
- A significant amount
Maps necessary?
- Necessary maps provided
Length of book
- 450 pages+
How much emphasis on small details?
- 8 ()
|
|
|
Click here for more information about this book
Robert Hughes Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 David Fletcher
SCHOLARS:
| |
Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback
Most recent discussions:
General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Norah Lofts
6:49:46 PM
Suzanne Weyn
10:35:23 PM
George W. Bush
5:33:46 PM
Kin Platt
12:58:29 AM
Anonymous
12:47:34 PM
Lilian Jackson Braun
10:05:52 PM
Jane Rubino
10:04:38 PM
LaVyrle Spencer
10:04:00 PM
G.A. McKevett
10:03:31 PM
David Williams
10:03:01 PM
Steven Pressfield
10:02:30 PM
Jeanette Walls
10:00:19 PM
Darryl Ponicsan
9:59:27 PM
Ann Rinaldi
9:58:30 PM
R.L. Stine
9:57:34 PM
Geoffrey Huntington
9:57:14 PM
Betty Mahmoody
9:56:38 PM
Deric Longden
9:56:11 PM
Mary Downing Hahn
9:55:48 PM
Iris Johansen
9:55:24 PM
More message boards
|
