literaldecolonisation's review against another edition
5.0
I don’t normally leave reviews but that was honestly one of the most staggering books I have read. It not only took me on an emotional whirlwind but also on a long winded road into Australia, growing up in Australia and living in Australian suburbs. What can I say, this book left me short on words. Thank you Trent Dalton!
crystalwilson16's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
4.75
ollie_walker's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
eden_mikahli's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Genuinely one of the best books I've read. Incredible story that will sit with me for a very long time. (6/5 stars).
ippym's review against another edition
2.0
I found this a rambling amalgamation of genres and styles. It's incredibly slow for the majority of the novel and I never felt compelled to pick it up and read it. The writing felt contrived, as if it were trying to be down to earth but literary at the same time. There was a lot of pointed repetition in phrases and words that just felt awkward and jarring. Overall the entire book was way too long.
I didn't find the MC's voice compelling (it was kind of annoying to be honest). He sounded more like an adult instead of the teenager he was stated to be. I don't really understand the message this novel was trying to portray either and the latter half of the book was a bizarre departure from the first half. There were moments that I enjoyed and a few good jokes as well as references that only Australians will really understand. In that sense it was fun and refreshing (like Pasito!)
I feel the Australian book market is very skewed towards a particular narrative and style. I really wish we could celebrate a more diverse range of genres and topics.
I didn't find the MC's voice compelling (it was kind of annoying to be honest). He sounded more like an adult instead of the teenager he was stated to be. I don't really understand the message this novel was trying to portray either and the latter half of the book was a bizarre departure from the first half. There were moments that I enjoyed and a few good jokes as well as references that only Australians will really understand. In that sense it was fun and refreshing (like Pasito!)
I feel the Australian book market is very skewed towards a particular narrative and style. I really wish we could celebrate a more diverse range of genres and topics.
akshay_bonala's review against another edition
4.0
This book was easy and kind of magical to read with some twists and turns.
This review is spoiler-free...
In this book, we go through the life of our protagonist Eli who stays with his Brother August, Mother, and stepdad. He resides in a location where most of the migrants to his country reside were many activities taking place. He learns that his parents take part in drug trafficking and its process a lot of twists and tragedies take place.
We see how Eli & his family fight through hard times and come to a happy ending. We see how Eli comes in terms with the loss of his only friend.
This was a good read for me. I enjoyed how the scattered family has to back together. The book was also written very well.
This review is spoiler-free...
In this book, we go through the life of our protagonist Eli who stays with his Brother August, Mother, and stepdad. He resides in a location where most of the migrants to his country reside were many activities taking place. He learns that his parents take part in drug trafficking and its process a lot of twists and tragedies take place.
We see how Eli & his family fight through hard times and come to a happy ending. We see how Eli comes in terms with the loss of his only friend.
This was a good read for me. I enjoyed how the scattered family has to back together. The book was also written very well.
theshiftyshadow's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I wasn't sure I was going to like this. The first few chapters felt like it was going to be hard to follow, and like it was going to go heavy on the magical realism, which I'm not a huge fan of. And then it took a turn into suburban crime drama, which I wasn't sure I'd be keen on either. Thankfully it quickly gets into it's stride and reveals what it really is, a magnificent sweeping story about love.
One of the central themes explored here is the idea of whether people are good or bad, and main character Eli wrestles with the fact he loves people who do bad things, and that people who do bad things can sometimes do them for good reasons, and sometimes people are just straight up bad people. The circumstances he finds himself in aren't ones that most people will relate to, but that question of are people inherently good, or bad, is universal.
I loved the relationship between Eli and his brother, and his friendship with ex convict Slim. The boy's relationship with their stepdad Lyle was lovely too, and even when they end up having to live with their estranged father, the narrative didn't go the way I was expecting it to, and the way they addressed past mistakes and were able to forge new relationships was extremely well done.
I really liked the scene where the school councillor comes to talk to Eli and August's dad, and we get a logical explanation for the magical elements, but at the same time it leaves enough room for the idea that maybe there is something more beyond our understanding.
I did wish that we got to know all the other characters a bit more, but the story is told from Eli's point of view, so it makes sense that we only see them as he sees them. The writing even acknowledges the fact that every moment that Eli experiences has multiple view points and everyone is experiencing their own version of these events. Which is another really great touch by the writer, to expand the universe beyond Eli's POV, without actually changing the POV.
I've knocked a half star off only because I'm not 100% sure how I feel about the ending. On the one hand, the last 150 or so pages were so gripping and I could not put the book down until I was finished. On the other hand though, the set up for the resolution of all the storylines felt a bit extreme and not quite as grounded as the rest of the book. But it's a minor quibble really, and I still felt satisfied with it.
One of the central themes explored here is the idea of whether people are good or bad, and main character Eli wrestles with the fact he loves people who do bad things, and that people who do bad things can sometimes do them for good reasons, and sometimes people are just straight up bad people. The circumstances he finds himself in aren't ones that most people will relate to, but that question of are people inherently good, or bad, is universal.
I loved the relationship between Eli and his brother, and his friendship with ex convict Slim. The boy's relationship with their stepdad Lyle was lovely too, and even when they end up having to live with their estranged father, the narrative didn't go the way I was expecting it to, and the way they addressed past mistakes and were able to forge new relationships was extremely well done.
I really liked the scene where the school councillor comes to talk to Eli and August's dad, and we get a logical explanation for the magical elements, but at the same time it leaves enough room for the idea that maybe there is something more beyond our understanding.
I did wish that we got to know all the other characters a bit more, but the story is told from Eli's point of view, so it makes sense that we only see them as he sees them. The writing even acknowledges the fact that every moment that Eli experiences has multiple view points and everyone is experiencing their own version of these events. Which is another really great touch by the writer, to expand the universe beyond Eli's POV, without actually changing the POV.
I've knocked a half star off only because I'm not 100% sure how I feel about the ending. On the one hand, the last 150 or so pages were so gripping and I could not put the book down until I was finished. On the other hand though, the set up for the resolution of all the storylines felt a bit extreme and not quite as grounded as the rest of the book. But it's a minor quibble really, and I still felt satisfied with it.
wylaniswriting_'s review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
5.0