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A review by sighclopss
Benevolence by Julie Janson
adventurous
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Read for NAIDOC Week 2024
Lots of pros and cons for this book. Overall I think it had a really ambitious premise, one that coupled with being authored by someone with lived experience of being Aboriginal, meant that it felt very authentic and important to read, especially for me; a white person who continues to benefit from the aftermath of the brutal colonisation of First Nations People and their land.
It was evidently well researched, but I felt like the characters were really flat, and that let down the tone of the book. I wonder if it had been nonfiction if that would have solidified it more? Very thoughtful read and I am so appreciative to have read it.
Lots of pros and cons for this book. Overall I think it had a really ambitious premise, one that coupled with being authored by someone with lived experience of being Aboriginal, meant that it felt very authentic and important to read, especially for me; a white person who continues to benefit from the aftermath of the brutal colonisation of First Nations People and their land.
It was evidently well researched, but I felt like the characters were really flat, and that let down the tone of the book. I wonder if it had been nonfiction if that would have solidified it more? Very thoughtful read and I am so appreciative to have read it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, and Colonisation