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rachhenderson's review against another edition
2.0
Taboo is set in Western Australia in an area where many decades earlier, the local Aboriginal people killed a white man who had raped an Aboriginal woman, which then resulted in a massacre of the Aboriginal people by the white people. The area has been taboo to the Aboriginal people but a group revisit and are in discussion regarding establishing a peace monument with the white land owner.
I spent most of this book having no idea what was going on. There are so many characters and the story jumps around in time. The bits I did understand were bleak. It was a struggle.
I spent most of this book having no idea what was going on. There are so many characters and the story jumps around in time. The bits I did understand were bleak. It was a struggle.
bronnyb's review against another edition
I can’t rate a book as emotionally charged as this one. It was hard and poetic. It brought me to tears the way only Kim Scott can.
cheyfay1995's review against another edition
1.0
I had to read this for my university reading class and today I finally finished it. While the storyline and everything behind it was great, I am severely disappointed, the author gave no trigger warnings at the start of the book. I found it extremely difficult to finish it and had the book not been selected by my lecturer for us to read, I most certainly would not have continued reading it. The lack of trigger warnings is the only reason why this book is receiving a 1/5 stars from me.
careinthelibrary's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
2.0
I liked the concept behind this book and I liked the author's writing style.
The sexual abuse in this book felt like it was exploitative/fetishizing of the victim. It didn't feel like the point was education of the reader or characters about sexual violence nor did the perpetrator understand their actions' harm or face major consequences.
The sexual abuse in this book felt like it was exploitative/fetishizing of the victim. It didn't feel like the point was education of the reader or characters about sexual violence nor did the perpetrator understand their actions' harm or face major consequences.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Genocide, Grief, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Sexism, Incest, and Toxic relationship
mushimushi's review
challenging
dark
slow-paced
4.0
This story wraps together so many things, and it’s only in the last 50 pages that I began to perhaps have an understanding of what all the dislocated pieces of this story represent and the use of dislocation and haziness itself. The most important thing, to me, is the representation of hope and of acceptance that you may have to start again and again and again and that there is not point at which starting again is a bad thing. I do not like how Tilly is used as a vehicle for showing present wrongs, largely because I am not sure she is given enough of a character or a voice in the story, but I understand how her experience wraps back around to the past and how she can represent justice and perseverance in the future. There is a lot here to reflect upon.
grebegirl's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Colonisation, and Racism
libraryhauntinglesbian's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
1.0
I don't give out a lot of low ratings because I DNF books like there's no tomorrow. For most of this book, I felt like it was pretty average, but held out hope that it might get better, and then it got so much worse. To be honest, I don't even really know what was happening. I am not somebody who is typically judgmental of dark/taboo/disturbing scenes and backstories in books - but this one just felt weirdly gratuitous. I'm not sure if I'm interpreting it that way, but I don't understand why it was part of the story.
bessjoyce's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Racism
Minor: Death of parent and Stalking
amy_heferen's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-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
3.75