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flame_red's review against another edition
5.0
A must read for any Australian, or person living on this continent. The power of story is incredible.
jess_mango's review against another edition
4.0
A fictional account of aboriginals in Australia. Depicts a not pretty picture of their treatment by white society. #ownvoices
tildahlia's review against another edition
4.0
An engrossing and expansive story woven from three threads, exploring family, sovereignty and history (and more). The way Wiradjuri language is woven through the book is beautiful and a tragic reminder of the way colonisation has eradicated or suppressed so many beautiful dialects in Australia that are inherently linked to the stories, cultures and experiences of First Nations communities. I loved the audiobook for this one (Tony Briggs' narration was fantastic) as I got to hear language spoken. This book leaves the reader plenty to think about.
aweekinthelife'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? It's complicated
4.25
started this on audio last summer but I immediately realized I would like it better in print and swapped my hold. The Yield has three different storytellers: August in real time, her grandfather Poppy through his dictionary, and an European missionary who encountered the Gondiwindis in his time setting up a mission.
appreciated learning more about Australia (although unsurprisingly the attitude towards indigenous peoples and use of residential schools was very much like Canada and the US) and the subtle queerness that is just a part of August as she reflects on her identity and belonging.
dictionary storytelling format reminds me of:
- A Dictionary of Maqiao (https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/257926aa-dd08-4563-901a-619043429998)
punkinmuffin's review against another edition
4.0
A cracking read, loved the story and the characters! This is a such a great book, and a valuable one too. As a non-indigenous person who wants to help with the work of reconciliation, one of the few things I feel like I can actually do is read indigenous writers and try to amplify their voices. I feel like I'm starting to see and hear a lot more First Australians telling their own story. This can only be a good thing.
wetherspoonsgf's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-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
4.0
Much preferred this to My Place, though I was expecting it to commit to a trans/lesbian angle by the end and it did neither. Love the way Winch dives into aborginal language and uses it to drive characterisation and plot. I didn't expect it to end as hopeful as it did, and I'm not sure how I feel about it doing so. Really dislike the Yuval Noah Harari citation in the author's note at the very very end but what can you do.
jesslolsen's review against another edition
4.0
As a white Australian female there were a lot of times part of this story made me feel uncomfortable, it would have been so easy for me to put down this book and ignore it, but that’s what motivated me to push through and keep going until the end.
I started off listening to the audiobook for the first 35% and hearing the indigenous words spoken with their correct pronunciation was great, but the way the chapters strung together was sometimes confusing especially when the other narratives came into it. I finished reading from a hard copy novel and that was easier to keep up with the flow of the story.
I started off listening to the audiobook for the first 35% and hearing the indigenous words spoken with their correct pronunciation was great, but the way the chapters strung together was sometimes confusing especially when the other narratives came into it. I finished reading from a hard copy novel and that was easier to keep up with the flow of the story.
falsey's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
anna_hayward's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
gabmc's review against another edition
5.0
I enjoyed this book so much that after reading just over half of a library copy, I went out and bought a copy as I think it's something I will return to again and again over the years to come. It's a compelling and powerful story of a young woman who returns home after her beloved Poppy, Albert Gondiwindi has died. The story is told partly through a narrative of events August experiences once she returns home, partly through a letter from the Reverend who ran the Mission between 191o and 1915 and partly through the dictionary of the Wiradjuri language that Albert was compiling in the months leading up to his death. Albert's dictionary contains centuries of knowledge and wisdom gathered from his elders, and he travels back to a time before white people colonised Australia to learn from them. When August returns home after ten years in England she finds that her Nana has to pack up her house as a mining company is taking over the land. She wonders if Albert's dictionary might somehow hold the key to saving the land.