Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Auē by Becky Manawatu

16 reviews

thesapphiccelticbookworm's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Racism

judeeton's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I rate a lot of books highly but I think this may be the best book I ever read. Very sad but hopeful. So nuanced. A tale of generational trauma and forgiveness. I think I need to read it again to really absorb all of it. I couldn’t put it down at the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Racism, Suicide, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Drug use, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Blood, Car accident, and Abandonment

Minor: Alcoholism, Miscarriage, and Vomit

Definitely a heavy book topic wise but well worth the read

liv_eleanor's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

One of my all time favourite books. Auē is raw, tense, heartbreaking and also beautiful and hopeful. It weaves together themes of trauma and togetherness, heartbreak and love, family and identity with poetic prose and such a gorgeous grounding in the geography and culture of New Zealand. I have read it twice now and loved it more each time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

chelseyg's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Car accident

sroberts2's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Brutal, sad, the story of how life can make decisions for you

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

tadah's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Miscarriage, Vomit, and Pregnancy

danbamkiwi's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Drug abuse, and Abandonment

Minor: Rape

oliverwatson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Rape

cecereads__'s review against another edition

5.0

I loved this story so, so very much that I was sad to finish it. I read the last 100 pages in one go. I could not close the book and let it go. I had to stay with it and with them. I will be unable to let them go any time soon. 
I loved the Kiwi and te reo that lined the pages of this book.
I could not have asked for a better book to begin the year with.

I felt helpless as when reading about Stu in particular and wanting to actually end him. A fascinating experience to have such a visceral reaction. Sunset, Hash and Coon as well as the racist slurs making my blood boil too. I had to laugh out loud though when they were shouting while camping. And tearing up a little. It was beautifully written and deeply tragic at the same time. I love that the family came together in the end. Just as I am heartbroken for Beth and Tommy for losing their spark and each other (and themselves).

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

meghar's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Vomit, Car accident, and Pregnancy

Minor: Miscarriage