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serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
The Swan Book is set in a futuristic Australia beset by climate change. At its heart is Oblivia, a young Aboriginal girl abandoned by her family, sexually assaulted then rescued by Bella Donna who tells her many tales featuring swans. After Bella dies Oblivia is taken by a man who became Australia’s first Aboriginal president and forced to marry him. A visit by swans gives her the strength to escape. I didn’t feel clever enough for this book and wish I’d had a literature professor by my side. It had a lot to say about race relations in Australia (that fence separating Aborigines from other Australians) and climate change. I found the use of swan mythology and metaphor especially fascinating. The writing was impressive, switching effortlessly from poetic to prosaic.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence
rosehatton's review
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence
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