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plutojette's review
5.0
Graphic: Colonisation, Violence, Racism, Genocide, Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, Suicide, Police brutality, Death, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Racial slurs, Rape, Ableism, Animal death, Religious bigotry, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Antisemitism and Alcoholism
avisreadsandreads's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Confinement, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Murder, Racial slurs, Stalking, Animal death, Suicide, Medical content, Sexual assault, and Rape
Minor: Antisemitism and War
nonfluorescent's review
4.25
Graphic: Death and Racism
Moderate: Animal death, Suicide, Violence, and Genocide
Minor: Animal cruelty, Rape, and Sexual assault
kari_f's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Tony Birch has a way of writing about oppression and trauma in a way that doesn’t feel too dark or heavy. In this book, he tells the story of Odette (an Aboriginal woman) and Sissy (her white-passing granddaughter) in a way that allows the reader a glimpse into life in rural Australia during the 1960s, when indigenous families were ripped apart under the guise of so-called protection.
This story examines the regulations from multiple perspectives, as well as the everyday fallout that happened because of them. It explores human interaction, power struggles, the conflict of honesty vs. survival, the want to fit in, resilience, the fear of “other,” and the lengths one will go to in order to protect family. The book is beautiful, unsettling, informative, and tender.
The only real criticism I really have is that the end came quite suddenly, and I would have loved a more detailed wrap up, especially concerning a character who I would have loved to know on what terms they left this family’s story.
Minor: Animal death, Racism, and Rape