Review of Hunger of the Pine

[Stephen Christopher 1]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Hunger of the Pine" by Teal Swan.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Why do teenagers become runaways? It’s a worldwide issue that continues. Is life on the streets better than staying at home? What are the realities of being homeless? Where do they spend their days to keep occupied?

These questions are answered in Hunger of the Pine. We’re introduced to 17-year-old Aria Abbott, whose life in a foster home isn’t ideal. It gets to the point that she decides to leave, which she does in the middle of the night. Not having thought it through well enough, she now finds herself living on the streets of Chicago. Does she remain there forever or does she find a way out—rare for most in her situation? No spoilers from me; you’ll need to read the book to find out.

Homelessness is a serious situation in almost every country. Despite being a work of fiction, this book draws awareness to the problem through its range of exceptionally well-fleshed-out characters, who are all connected to Aria.

The central characters in her story are her foster parents, Robert and Nancy Johnson, who hide behind their ‘perfect’ relationship to avoid facing the reality that they’re not good people. Pivotal to her survival is her new best friend, Taylor, a young gay homeless guy with big dreams whose boundless enthusiasm for life gets him through the toughest times. A surprising character is Luke, the would-be ‘savior of the homeless,’ who many feel doesn’t belong on the streets due to privilege. Finally, there’s Omkar, the Indian student who falls in love with her, something that would mortify his parents if they ever found out.

There’s an abundance of secondary characters, all living on the streets, and for reasons many of us would suspect, a Vietnam Vet with PTSD, a single mother with no skills who uses her body to survive, and a guy addicted to opioids due to over-prescription. There’s also a real estate mogul whose life was decimated by the real estate bubble burst in 2007.

Spiritual leader and bestselling author Teal Swan has become an instant favorite of mine. I love how she paints pictures with her words. Nothing is left to the imagination; the reader can vividly see her descriptions. This is an excellent way to engage with the audience. Even after finishing the book, I can give you a description of each character and setting. This is skilled writing.

The book has four parts, each following a shocking major incident. Talk about a page-turner!

This story will tug at your heartstrings. By Chapter 4, I was on the verge of tears, desperately hoping for something rewarding to happen. Teal Swan has a way of putting you right in the scene with the characters. Thankfully, my hopes were answered in Chapter 7, only to be dashed again, and back and forth it went.

Teal Swan is a professional author. It’s flawlessly edited. I spotted no errors, so I applaud her for caring for her work. I absolutely love Hunger of the Pine and rate it a solid 5 out of 5 stars,

The topics in the book aren’t for the faint-hearted, drug dependence, cutting, rape, prostitution, arson, bullying, and racial profiling. While an excellent read, it’s not a book for everyone. Some scenes may be triggers for some readers; for example, a rape scene is described in vivid detail. God and religion are mentioned numerous times, but it doesn’t get preachy.

By the end of the novel, I confirmed to myself that from today onwards, when I see a homeless person, I won’t judge them or have any negative feelings towards them. I had no idea what they were going through—until now. This book taught me to be grateful for the opportunities that I have in my life. I’ll leave you with two sentences from Chapter 31 that really resonate with me, “Now, she understood that a life on the streets was just a hair’s width away from almost anyone. Given the right cocktail of conditions, anyone could find themselves here.” That’s the essence of the whole book.

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Hunger of the Pine
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[Priya Murugesan]

An excellent review! Like you, I adored this book. I agree with all your views! I can see very well how you enjoyed this book.

[Alissa Nesson]

Hey, Stephen, thanks for a great review! This sounds like an amazing story.

[RJ Reviews]

I absolutely agree that the topics of this book aren't for the faint-hearted. This book sheds light on a part of society and reality that we tend to ignore. As if not acknowledging those ugly faces of life will make them nonexistent. A lovely review, as usual. I enjoyed reading your review as much as enjoyed reading the book.

[Jeff Kanda]

This feels like a non fiction book because the homelessness is common in most cities. I am curious to know more about this book. Thanks for the engaging review Stephen.

[Stephen Christopher 1]

An excellent review! Like you, I adored this book. I agree with all your views! I can see very well how you enjoyed this book.

It was wonderful wasn't it? I'm so grateful you introduced me to it!

[Stephen Christopher 1]

Hey, Stephen, thanks for a great review! This sounds like an amazing story.

Hi Alissa, it really is. It's confronting at times, and I found it really educational. Thanks for stopping by and reading.

[Stephen Christopher 1]

I absolutely agree that the topics of this book aren't for the faint-hearted. This book sheds light on a part of society and reality that we tend to ignore. As if not acknowledging those ugly faces of life will make them nonexistent. A lovely review, as usual. I enjoyed reading your review as much as enjoyed reading the book.

Thanks RJ, this is definitely one of those books that stays with you a long time after reading it. Thanks as always for your kind words.

[Stephen Christopher 1]

This feels like a non fiction book because the homelessness is common in most cities. I am curious to know more about this book. Thanks for the engaging review Stephen.

Hi Jeff, it was so well researched that yes it could almost pose as someone's memoir. Teal Swan is an amazing writer and did the book justice. Thanks for stopping by.

[Priya Murugesan]

An excellent review! Like you, I adored this book. I agree with all your views! I can see very well how you enjoyed this book.

It was wonderful wasn't it? I'm so grateful you introduced me to it!

My pleasure!

[Anu Anand]

I totally agree with you, Stephen. This is definitely a book that stays with us. I loved reading it and cried a river. It was so heart-wrenching to see how they survived on the streets. The book brought many emotions in me. The author definitely did a great job. Thank you for sharing your views on this book. I enjoyed reading your review.

[Stephen Christopher 1]

I totally agree with you, Stephen. This is definitely a book that stays with us. I loved reading it and cried a river. It was so heart-wrenching to see how they survived on the streets. The book brought many emotions in me. The author definitely did a great job. Thank you for sharing your views on this book. I enjoyed reading your review.

It was your review that encouraged me to read it. Yes it is an emotional book, and eye-opening too.

[Anu Anand]

I totally agree with you, Stephen. This is definitely a book that stays with us. I loved reading it and cried a river. It was so heart-wrenching to see how they survived on the streets. The book brought many emotions in me. The author definitely did a great job. Thank you for sharing your views on this book. I enjoyed reading your review.

It was your review that encouraged me to read it. Yes it is an emotional book, and eye-opening too.

Glad I could help!

[Adrian Bouknight]

Stephen! Thank you for your review on this one! I have family that suffers from homelessness so this really hits home for me. This sounds like quite a timely book, given the many challenges that America faces today. I will keep an eye out for this book and look forward to reading more of your review! Thanks again!

[Stephen Christopher 1]

Stephen! Thank you for your review on this one! I have family that suffers from homelessness so this really hits home for me. This sounds like quite a timely book, given the many challenges that America faces today. I will keep an eye out for this book and look forward to reading more of your review! Thanks again!

Sorry to hear about your family members, this book will resonate with you I'm sure. I learned a lot about all the different ways people become homeless.