oliviasbooktalk's reviews
237 reviews

I see what the author was trying to do (and believe it was in good faith), but what is being billed as a ghost story examining a relationship, quickly turns into a story about the colonization of the First Nations people in Australia. When the author isn't Indigenous herself, and when the topic comes up suddenly with shocking dialogue, you can't help but wonder: is this traumatic history needed? My answer is no, as it felt like those atrocities were being exploited rather than carefully and thoughtfully explored. No matter how successful the author was in delivering haunting prose that I did enjoy, the intent vs. impact will be the main focus here. I think it would have been easier to digest if the Author's Note was expanded upon and placed in the beginning.

In addition, while the author delivered on successful, haunting prose, it lacked a cohesive narrative direction, and the first four chapters felt like they could have been the start of four entirely different novels. I don't mind different POVs and playing with form, but again, it made me wonder if I was even reading the same novel I started with.

Thank you Knopf and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

DNF for now; I don’t like how the audiobook is narrated but will give it a second chance once my hold comes through at the library.