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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
This book smells nice inside your brain.
I'm aware that doesn't make much sense - but it will if you read it. Vivid, sensational descriptions of scorched Australian earth, running creek water, clay, and masses of plant matter will make a strong world for your imagination to play in.
The book begins with a knife-edge, an uncomfortable tale of what, as a Kiwi myself, feels like a familiar picture of a (sadly all-too-common) specific flavour of domestic violence in Oceania. As the tale progresses, we learn this is no ordinary husband just pissed off at his boss and the rugby results.
The fraught, complicated relationship between the child and her abusive parent is beautifully told. The way the cycle of abuse perpetrates, is broken, is canonised, is forgotten, is hidden, is unable to be kept hidden, and serves as a catalyst for self-development, is truly gripping. The way the author writes grief, too, is clear and sharp.
Alice forms her own identity, and it's a wonderful journey to be privy to, even if the storyline can be at times a little predictable, frivolous, and ...kinda asking too much in terms of your suspension of disbelief.
There are some tropes you've definitely seen before. There are some passages of the book that will have you wondering if they're just in there to get you to the next plot point. And one thing is CLEAR - it's movie/TV bait. There is an undoubted air of screenplay about this book.
Despite this, characters - particularly the women of Thornfield farm - are charming. Twig and Candy Baby in particular provide a great ensemble-style background cast that gives a nice, solid, opaque feeling to the world-building. They feel like archetypes - but they're nice ones. Who doesn't love a cool "older sister" and a chosen family?
You'll also learn some great fun facts about flowers and what a particular species is said to mean when you gift them.
I'm aware that doesn't make much sense - but it will if you read it. Vivid, sensational descriptions of scorched Australian earth, running creek water, clay, and masses of plant matter will make a strong world for your imagination to play in.
The book begins with a knife-edge, an uncomfortable tale of what, as a Kiwi myself, feels like a familiar picture of a (sadly all-too-common) specific flavour of domestic violence in Oceania. As the tale progresses, we learn this is no ordinary husband just pissed off at his boss and the rugby results.
The fraught, complicated relationship between the child and her abusive parent is beautifully told. The way the cycle of abuse perpetrates, is broken, is canonised, is forgotten, is hidden, is unable to be kept hidden, and serves as a catalyst for self-development, is truly gripping. The way the author writes grief, too, is clear and sharp.
Alice forms her own identity, and it's a wonderful journey to be privy to, even if the storyline can be at times a little predictable, frivolous, and ...kinda asking too much in terms of your suspension of disbelief.
There are some tropes you've definitely seen before. There are some passages of the book that will have you wondering if they're just in there to get you to the next plot point. And one thing is CLEAR - it's movie/TV bait. There is an undoubted air of screenplay about this book.
Despite this, characters - particularly the women of Thornfield farm - are charming. Twig and Candy Baby in particular provide a great ensemble-style background cast that gives a nice, solid, opaque feeling to the world-building. They feel like archetypes - but they're nice ones. Who doesn't love a cool "older sister" and a chosen family?
You'll also learn some great fun facts about flowers and what a particular species is said to mean when you gift them.
informative
slow-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
challenging
emotional
reflective
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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:
Yes
Too slow and lack of connection to characters
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
"Să ai încredere în tine. Să ai încredere în povestea ta. Tot ce poți e să o spui așa cum e, adevărată."
"Să ai curaj, să prinzi inimă."
Ah, ce mi-a făcut cartea asta! M-a durut, m-a vrăjit, mi-a făcut sufletul fărâme și l-a lăsat să zboare pe aripa vântului. Dar, fiecare bucățică a dat naștere unei emoții noi, acolo unde a ajuns.
Dragoste, abuz, femei singure, suferință, pierderi. Și speranță.
Un buchet extraordinar de emoții!
Știu deja că va fi cartea lunii pentru mine.
A apărut la Humanitas Fiction și o recomand din toată inima!
"Să ai curaj, să prinzi inimă."
Ah, ce mi-a făcut cartea asta! M-a durut, m-a vrăjit, mi-a făcut sufletul fărâme și l-a lăsat să zboare pe aripa vântului. Dar, fiecare bucățică a dat naștere unei emoții noi, acolo unde a ajuns.
Dragoste, abuz, femei singure, suferință, pierderi. Și speranță.
Un buchet extraordinar de emoții!
Știu deja că va fi cartea lunii pentru mine.
A apărut la Humanitas Fiction și o recomand din toată inima!
This book was a difficult one to read. It was sad from the very beginning. I really liked this story though, it was (unfortunately) very real. I loved the descriptions of the flowers and the Australian landscape. I loved the native traditions and meanings that were described as Alice joined the Park Service. Overall, it was heartbreaking and hopeful all at once. Cycles can be followed and often time are, but cycles can also be broken and better lives can be formed. This was a good reminder of that.