Review of Hunger of the Pine
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Radhika Nair
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- Latest Review: Hunger of the Pine by Teal Swan
Review of Hunger of the Pine
[Following is a volunteer review of "Hunger of the Pine" by Teal Swan.]
Hunger of the Pine by Teal Swan is a story about Aria Abbott, a modern Jane Eyre, a social outcast who has known little of love, comfort, or family. A ward of the state, she has been tossed between various residences for years without being able to consider any of them home. Forced onto the streets in desperation, her struggle for survival grows more complicated than ever. Alone and aimless, her life suddenly gains direction when she meets another homeless person who plans to chase his dreams in Los Angeles, the land of opportunity. Aria accompanies him into a new chapter of her life where she finds a community of sorts. Barely getting by in a completely unknown city, her life again takes a turn when she encounters a charismatic young man. Will Aria's life come to any good? Read this book to find out.
This book contains a lot of dark and disturbing themes, including drug addiction, sexual abuse, self-harm, racial discrimination and violence, prostitution, etc. It confronts difficult issues and offers a generally subtle critique of unjust social institutions, which is always delivered with graceful restraint, fit to prompt even the most stubborn conservatives to question these institutions, if only briefly. This book does a brilliant job of sparking discussion around divisive social issues without eliciting prompt resistance or stubborn denial of their obvious and pervasive malice.
This book has many remarkable qualities. The characterisation is diverse, nuanced, authentic, and imaginative. The characters are from vastly different backgrounds that the narrative takes the time to elaborate upon. Further, each character has a distinct presence in the story. The characterisation strikes a stable balance between situating the characters in their respective backgrounds and individuating them so that they are neither token characters nor stereotypes. The narrative gives adequate attention and consideration to the story of each character.
The narration is another strength of this book. It is perceptive yet gentle, nuanced, and sensitive. These qualities prevent the oversimplification of the complex subject matter of the book. They also make for an immersive reading experience that draws the reader into the story, an essential prerequisite for conveying as delicate a message as this book has to offer. There is no redundancy in the prose, yet the pace is slow enough to leave a lasting impression on the reader's mind. The story itself is dense with feeling and meaning, rich in texture, and warm and hopeful in its vision.
But the part that spoke most strongly to me was the interracial romance. The author's respect and appreciation for non-white cultures are among my favourite things about this story that secured my complete devotion. I cannot reveal much for fear of spoiling the book, but suffice it to say that it is one of the most beautiful and moving aspects of the book.
My only cause for complaint upon finishing this book is how quickly it ended. Not so much because it was a short or fast read, but because I enjoyed it so much that I couldn't put it down. The chapters were very well organized and I knew that I would only get so much information in one chapter, but there were so many characters that I had to keep a tab on. My investment in the story kept me reading late into the night. Lack of sleep may have made reading challenging were it not for the scarcity of errors that allowed me to keep reading without having to pause too often to note them down.
It's almost like this book was determined to keep me company from the moment I got hold of it. Needless to say, I am glad about our mutual appreciation. I gladly give this book 4 out of 4 stars and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good story. In particular, this is a must-read for young adults who enjoy realism, coming-of-age stories, and heart-warming fiction. And (if I may say so) you may also make a present of this book to racists and snobs. The profanity and explicit content in this book make it unsuitable for young readers. Sensitive readers are requested to exercise caution on account of the disturbing themes in this book.
******
Hunger of the Pine
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Hunger of the Pine by Teal Swan is a story about Aria Abbott, a modern Jane Eyre, a social outcast who has known little of love, comfort, or family. A ward of the state, she has been tossed between various residences for years without being able to consider any of them home. Forced onto the streets in desperation, her struggle for survival grows more complicated than ever. Alone and aimless, her life suddenly gains direction when she meets another homeless person who plans to chase his dreams in Los Angeles, the land of opportunity. Aria accompanies him into a new chapter of her life where she finds a community of sorts. Barely getting by in a completely unknown city, her life again takes a turn when she encounters a charismatic young man. Will Aria's life come to any good? Read this book to find out.
This book contains a lot of dark and disturbing themes, including drug addiction, sexual abuse, self-harm, racial discrimination and violence, prostitution, etc. It confronts difficult issues and offers a generally subtle critique of unjust social institutions, which is always delivered with graceful restraint, fit to prompt even the most stubborn conservatives to question these institutions, if only briefly. This book does a brilliant job of sparking discussion around divisive social issues without eliciting prompt resistance or stubborn denial of their obvious and pervasive malice.
This book has many remarkable qualities. The characterisation is diverse, nuanced, authentic, and imaginative. The characters are from vastly different backgrounds that the narrative takes the time to elaborate upon. Further, each character has a distinct presence in the story. The characterisation strikes a stable balance between situating the characters in their respective backgrounds and individuating them so that they are neither token characters nor stereotypes. The narrative gives adequate attention and consideration to the story of each character.
The narration is another strength of this book. It is perceptive yet gentle, nuanced, and sensitive. These qualities prevent the oversimplification of the complex subject matter of the book. They also make for an immersive reading experience that draws the reader into the story, an essential prerequisite for conveying as delicate a message as this book has to offer. There is no redundancy in the prose, yet the pace is slow enough to leave a lasting impression on the reader's mind. The story itself is dense with feeling and meaning, rich in texture, and warm and hopeful in its vision.
But the part that spoke most strongly to me was the interracial romance. The author's respect and appreciation for non-white cultures are among my favourite things about this story that secured my complete devotion. I cannot reveal much for fear of spoiling the book, but suffice it to say that it is one of the most beautiful and moving aspects of the book.
My only cause for complaint upon finishing this book is how quickly it ended. Not so much because it was a short or fast read, but because I enjoyed it so much that I couldn't put it down. The chapters were very well organized and I knew that I would only get so much information in one chapter, but there were so many characters that I had to keep a tab on. My investment in the story kept me reading late into the night. Lack of sleep may have made reading challenging were it not for the scarcity of errors that allowed me to keep reading without having to pause too often to note them down.
It's almost like this book was determined to keep me company from the moment I got hold of it. Needless to say, I am glad about our mutual appreciation. I gladly give this book 4 out of 4 stars and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good story. In particular, this is a must-read for young adults who enjoy realism, coming-of-age stories, and heart-warming fiction. And (if I may say so) you may also make a present of this book to racists and snobs. The profanity and explicit content in this book make it unsuitable for young readers. Sensitive readers are requested to exercise caution on account of the disturbing themes in this book.
******
Hunger of the Pine
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Hunger of the Pine by Teal Swan
