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arwen_at_the_library's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Beautiful prose, bittersweet story. Nearly dropped my rating in the middle because of an unexpected change of direction in the plot but eventually came to understand and enjoy what the author was doing. Would have also enjoyed it purely as a historical novel without the magical realism also but it was so fantastic it's staying a 5 star read. One of those one that makes you think 'i wish I could write like this'.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Colonisation
Minor: Child abuse and Miscarriage
clemireads's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Child death, and Death
liv_eleanor's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This was such a beautifully written book, and an absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking storyline. I was breathlessly hooked the entire time I was reading it. The main plot twist was unexpected and interesting and avoided the book being just another historical fiction. Absolutely loved it overall.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Animal death, and Colonisation
Moderate: Homophobia and Child death
emmagreenwood's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Lesbophobia, Religious bigotry, Blood, Colonisation, Confinement, Animal cruelty, Child death, Pregnancy, Sexism, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Vomit, and Misogyny
just22jess22's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Juuuuuuuuuust beautiful. Truly unlike anything I have ever read before. Devotion delivered all of my favourite tropes - anyone who knows me knows that I am always up for historical fiction, I love a thinker, I love a hint of the supernatural.. And when it comes to books, honestly? The sadder, the better.
I've seen very mixed reactions to the turn this book makes at the halfway mark - honestly I thought it was so clever and really set us up to view the pilgrimage to Australia, and I really felt the heartbreak and hopelessness of the two MCs.
The writing was immersive and rich, the characters were complex and emotive, the scene was timely and thought-provoking... Truly worth a read.
I've seen very mixed reactions to the turn this book makes at the halfway mark - honestly I thought it was so clever and really set us up to view the pilgrimage to Australia, and I really felt the heartbreak and hopelessness of the two MCs.
The writing was immersive and rich, the characters were complex and emotive, the scene was timely and thought-provoking... Truly worth a read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Miscarriage, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy
katewhite77's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is fantastically beautiful.
I don't know where to start with this it's so good and has so many layers. At it's core it's a queer love story set in 19th century Prushia and Australia.
The novel tells the story of a voyage made by an ultra Conservative religious sect from Prushia to the new colony of Australia escaping religious persecution.
It's about the perils of blind faith death, grief and love.
The writing is exquisite and it has a fabulous twist I did not see coming. I found it heavy going at first but I stuck with it and it paid me back in spades.
I don't know where to start with this it's so good and has so many layers. At it's core it's a queer love story set in 19th century Prushia and Australia.
The novel tells the story of a voyage made by an ultra Conservative religious sect from Prushia to the new colony of Australia escaping religious persecution.
It's about the perils of blind faith death, grief and love.
The writing is exquisite and it has a fabulous twist I did not see coming. I found it heavy going at first but I stuck with it and it paid me back in spades.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Grief, Racism, Colonisation, Religious bigotry, and Child death
malinhalia's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Animal death
Moderate: Miscarriage and Colonisation
Minor: Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, and Sexual content
julesmae's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I found it tough to rate this book. The prose is strong and poetic and earthy, and the musings of the main character often struck a deep chord within me. Still, something about the plot never quite reached perfect harmony for me, something about it out of my grasp enough to save me from giving it a more perfect rating, but overall I really did enjoy this journey and these incredible characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Animal death, and Child death
Moderate: Religious bigotry
thesapphiccelticbookworm's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Animal death, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Child death, Grief, and Sexism
Minor: Rape
ode_to_readers's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really don’t know how to describe this book. It’s poetic and the story is truly profound. Two girls finding each other and falling in love, while living in an oppressed community. The story was a little too slow for my taste at the start, their boat journey (which was super intense btw and super realistic. Kudos to the author for always following the facts) only started about a third/halfway of the way in. Also there is quite an unexpected twist in the story I did not see coming!
So while this story was incredible in its own way, I don’t think it was for me, hence the 3 stars. But I am still glad I read it!
Also TW: animal slaughter, death, suicidal thoughts and attempts. (I personally found the pig scenes to be quite intense 😢)
So while this story was incredible in its own way, I don’t think it was for me, hence the 3 stars. But I am still glad I read it!
Also TW: animal slaughter, death, suicidal thoughts and attempts. (I personally found the pig scenes to be quite intense 😢)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Animal death, Blood, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Miscarriage and Alcoholism