The Lieutenant by Kate Grenville is a historical novel based on the life of William Dawes, an officer on the First Fleet to New South Wales in 1788. The story follows Daniel Rooke, who, from a young age, is different from his peers due to his intelligence and passion for astronomy. As he matures, he faces social isolation, but forms a deep bond with a fellow officer, Talbot Silk, who teaches him the art of connection. Rooke is later assigned as the astronomer on the First Fleet, where he encounters the brutality of colonization and begins learning the Cadigal language from the indigenous people. His growing connections with them, especially with a young girl named Tagaran, lead him to question the cruelty of British rule. Ultimately, Rooke refuses to participate in the violence against the natives and returns to England, forever changed by his experiences in Australia.
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