ATAR Notes: Forum

VCE Stuff => VCE English Studies => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE English & EAL => Topic started by: Greatness on December 20, 2010, 11:05:22 pm

Title: The secret river
Post by: Greatness on December 20, 2010, 11:05:22 pm
For those who have read 'The Secret River' is it any good?? Or is it plain boring?
A few friends have said that it is crap and dont bother reading it yet...

Is it really that bad? Ive also heard from others that its good.....
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: eeps on December 20, 2010, 11:10:30 pm
I'm doing it as well.

I've read most of it, it's not too bad. The common perception is that it's quite a boring text, which to an extent I agree - it doesn't really focus on the characters as such, more the landscape/setting. Have you started reading it?..

IMO it's ok - it's not the worst text I've read, yet not the best.
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: Zafaraaaa on December 20, 2010, 11:18:08 pm
If you like creative writing and all that, you'll like it, I think. It's not a boring book but it's not exactly a "can't put it down" sort of book either.
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: Greatness on December 20, 2010, 11:20:47 pm
Hmm that seems to be the general consensus between friends at school...
Ive read the first part where his in Australia, it seemed kind of dull.
Well i may as get it over with.
Are you annotating yours? Because we have to and im thinking of just reading it while taking note if important themes/events but then use some ideas from study guides
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: eeps on December 20, 2010, 11:27:20 pm
Hmm that seems to be the general consensus between friends at school...
Ive read the first part where his in Australia, it seemed kind of dull.
Well i may as get it over with.
Are you annotating yours? Because we have to and im thinking of just reading it while taking note if important themes/events but then use some ideas from study guides

I'll read over it once, then second time round I'll annotate it. I've also got a few study guides for it - though I won't rely on it too much.

@Zafaraaaa, are you doing "The Secret River" as well?
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: Greatness on December 20, 2010, 11:29:30 pm
I was thinking of reading it twice, but after hearing that it was quite boring i wasnt sure... I probably will tho just to get a general idea of it.
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: eeps on December 20, 2010, 11:38:00 pm
Quote
2011 guys, this negative attitude towards the most important VCE subject is not doing you any good.
Read your books TODAY. At least start the books.
Hypnotise yourself, say "I fucking love English". The more you love it, the easier it gets to pick the books up or review your notes. Get motivated like I did.
If you ain't motivated, you won't get through it, and YOU WILL be put under incredible self-imposed stress.
Trust me, see all my less than 40's? But over 95 score? English.
I was a B+ student last year in 2009, A+ A+ A+ 2010 and a 43!
Just get motivated and write the essays like I did.
You'll get there.

That's andrewloppol's advice, I'd follow that. =D

The book doesn't have to be interesting for me to read it. xD
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: Greatness on December 20, 2010, 11:41:09 pm
Oh shit!! Im going to start reading The Secret River tomorrow!!! :D
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: Zafaraaaa on December 20, 2010, 11:53:48 pm
Yupp, unfortunately.. LOL
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: LOVEPHYSICS on December 24, 2010, 01:59:21 am
hey Swarley, the Secret River wouldn't probably appeal to most young adults, given its focus on Australian history. Though, there are many books that I didn't enjoy reading, I found that writing about them was actually quite fun. Books such as Hard Times probably wouldn't be everyone's favorite, but it is actually a great novel to write on. So in essence, as long as you enjoy writing or can write well about the book, its all good. :)
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: kiraxxx on December 24, 2010, 10:24:00 am
I did it this year at school
To me...I found it reasonable probably because I liked the context: Encountering Conflict.
Also, I found that I had a lot to write about Secret River especially conflict that involves different races, conflict of being in a different environment and basically conflict of the unknown and the strange

Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: eeps on December 24, 2010, 10:28:07 am
I'm doing the same thing; "The Secret River" for Encountering Conflict (Context). It's not a bad book.
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: Greatness on December 26, 2010, 02:50:00 pm
Yeah i read a fair bit of it yesterday, it's not too bad but not great either.
Im doing it for Encountering Conflict as well
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: physics on December 26, 2010, 06:40:47 pm
I DID THIS BOOK LAST YEAR.
OVERALL: (offensive content) IT SUCKS BALLS.
I fell asleep so many times. Its horrible. Its so long and draggy. i can summarise it in a paragraph.seriously. and they make  me read this fat book.
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: Greatness on December 26, 2010, 06:43:49 pm
Hahaha each to their own i suppose :) imo it's okay.
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: physics on December 26, 2010, 06:47:31 pm
its not okay. i feel sorry that u have to read it. no offence to the author...
ITS TOO MUCH i reckon. its the thickest book i ever ever read. besides a cinderalla story...which is moe interesting.
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: Greatness on December 26, 2010, 07:25:16 pm
your view on it is epic :D
for it to be the thickest book you've ever read, you must not read much :P
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: physics on December 26, 2010, 08:10:24 pm
your view on it is epic :D
for it to be the thickest book you've ever read, you must not read much :P
reading eyyy....not my type :P
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: Greatness on December 26, 2010, 08:12:46 pm
yeah im not much of a reader either, hopefully i can get it done by tuesday/wednesday then start writing some summaries and finalise annotatoins etc
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: physics on December 26, 2010, 08:17:46 pm
yeah im not much of a reader either, hopefully i can get it done by tuesday/wednesday then start writing some summaries and finalise annotatoins etc
that is dedication. LOL. good for you (:
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: Greatness on December 26, 2010, 08:20:12 pm
i need to get this english stuff done... i still have to dl On the waterfront and answer questions about it :'(
If i dont do this now, i doubt i will do it later on.
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: eeps on December 26, 2010, 08:22:31 pm
I've practically read most of The Secret River.

I've still got to read Richard III (nearly done), which is hard to understand! =D
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: physics on December 26, 2010, 08:34:53 pm
i need to get this english stuff done... i still have to dl On the waterfront and answer questions about it :'(
If i dont do this now, i doubt i will do it later on.
The only thing good about the on the waterfront is the main character guy. his hot. he kept m from sleepingggggg.
Oh. and the awkward kissing scene was a turn off.

hope i didnt ruin it for u totally. :(
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: Greatness on December 26, 2010, 08:37:37 pm
hahah my teacher said that it's an old film... that already ruined it for me :P im not much of a fan of old/balck and wihte movies..
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: fuzzylogic on December 30, 2010, 04:31:00 pm
TSR is a great book...not rivetting, but once you start the context, and get into all the intricate things in it, hopefully you'll find it's a great text to write on.  Also, be sure to read "Searching for the Secret River."  It may give you some inspiration once it comes to writing your own context.  :) 
Title: Re: The secret river
Post by: lockhart24 on January 09, 2011, 08:13:19 pm
Hey, my advice on this is book is dont read too much at a time, have an outline of say 30 pages per day so that it gives you goals to achieve and you feel as if you are getting somewhere. Also listening to the audio of the book whilst reading it helps me. : )