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colormecaro's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
As someone who is interested in language and the effects it has on how people think and see the world, I loved this book. As a speaker of different languages (although the languages I speak are nowhere near as complex and full of meaning as many an indigenous language), I appreciated the way in which this book illustrates how words can’t simply be translated. They hold a whole other dimension which is shown in the dictionary chapters of the book. By losing indigenous languages we lose all the knowledge they hold.
Apart from the language aspects, learning more about a culture that has seen the cruelest hardships feels very important. When I was 4 years old, I became fascinated with Australia (mostly its animal world) and as a 6 year old read the stories of the Dreaming (aboriginal origin stories). I was probably too young to reckon with the dark past of Australia, but this feels like a full circle moment. It all ties into my current interests and feelings about the world. I am on a mission to read more indigenous literature from around the world and this was a prime example of my why.
Graphic: Genocide, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Sexual content, and Police brutality
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
libscote's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation
babblingbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Colonisation
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, and Eating disorder
spinesinaline's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
It’s a book about grief in more ways than one: more recent and past losses of family members, the horrific treatment of their ancestors and through that treatment, the loss of lives, culture, language, and land. Winch does not shy away from details so there are some very brutal descriptions in here, so do take note of the content warnings. I wasn’t surprised to learn this history but horrified all the same.
As someone who works in the archives and museum field, I also really appreciated seeing these institutions called out in terms of how they handle Indigenous objects and requests for repatriation to this day. Getting to experience the unfeeling policies from those whose objects are held, without consent in many cases, by museums and archives is a welcome perspective that more professionals should be exposed to in reconsidering these policies.
Graphic: Death, Racism, Rape, Murder, and Colonisation
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, and Pedophilia
madetofly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation
Moderate: Child death, Drug use, Racism, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Murder
Minor: Addiction and Alcoholism
angesquires's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Addiction and Alcoholism
skudiklier's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Death, Eating disorder, Genocide, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, and Colonisation
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Suicide, Vomit, and War
chazaiya's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Racism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child death, Kidnapping, and Colonisation
Minor: Alcoholism and Cancer
avadore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Eating disorder, and Mental illness
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Genocide, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder
This book does not shy away from the experiences faced by Aboriginal people on missions in Australia during the late 19th and through the 20th century, including rape of women, violence, forced work, and the removal of children. The author is not overly graphic in her descriptions but she does not shy away from the realities faced by Aboriginal people who lived through the start, establishment, and continuation of the colony.demo's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Racism, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Slavery
Minor: Alcoholism