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libscote's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
tense
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
This book was slow-paced, but worth the read. It weaves together three different stories about one place in Australia. Two are Indigenous people, and one is a missionary who thinks he is there to do good. The three different stories give you a look at Indigenous life in Australia, which has the most endangered Indigenous languages in the world. When you read about what happened, you might think, "that's awful, but it happened over there." I can promise you that just as bad things happened to Indigenous and Black people in America.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Rape, Alcohol, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, and Racism
bobbijopmh's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.5
A moving story of finding home, connection and country.
It's a really captivating plot and is written across multiple perspectives and timelines. At first, I found this a little jarring, switching between modern-day August & the 1900s; but the perspective switching really adds to the pacing of the story and sort of helps to gradually feed the reader the right emotions and information at the right points in the main narrative.
This book deals with some painful themes, but Tara June Winch's writing is beautiful and emotive. I'd definitely classify this as an #OwnVoices read, and I really loved the inclusion of Wiradjuri language as central to the book. I also really enjoyed the connection to the land and the environment that was so central to the plot.
The only, singular reason this was not a five-star book for me was the way it ends. I would have liked it to go on just a little longer, but I loved it regardless.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Grief, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Violence
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