Review of Hunger of the Pine

[Stephanie Runyon]

[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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Aria became a ward of the foster care system when she was seven years old. For the next seven years, she moved from one place to another until the Johnson family fostered Aria. Aria hates Mrs. Johnson and feels that the woman’s love was never genuine. Reinforcing this belief, Mr. Johnson molests Aria as a form of discipline. Aria overhears the Johnsons deciding to send her back to the group home. Feeling abandoned for the second time in her life, Aria runs away. She lives on the streets of Chicago and struggles to find food and shelter.
 
Aria encounters Taylor at a restaurant that offers free lunches. He convinces Aria to accompany him to Los Angeles, where he claims he has a friend to stay with. However, his “friend” answers none of his calls. A week passed as the duo struggled to survive. They run into Luke and his dog. Luke brings them to a tent community in an abandoned car lot. Despite acclimating to the group, Aria still does not feel she has a home. Aria struggles to fill more than her stomach. She pines for a normal home and family.
 
Teal Swan captures the path that homeless people experience every day in Hunger of the Pine. While the main character is Aria, the development of the other members of the car lot’s tent community is thorough. Each person comes from a unique background and set of circumstances. For instance, Ciarra is the epitome of what many people think of homeless people. As a young single mother, she falls into the dark world of prostitution. Darren was a veteran who was crippled in battle, leaving him with a prosthetic limb. Despite his sacrifice, the disability caused him to become destitute. Every emotion of each character adds depth to the unpredictable plot. The details of the surroundings are vivid and show how unforgiving life can be. 
 
I have nothing negative to say about this novel. Each conversation is full of meaning. An example involves a beaver made from wood. “The most important thing to the beaver is his home. Home doesn’t come easy to the beaver, though. He’s gotta put hard work into it and interrupt the flow of nature around ‘im to do it.” The symbolism of the beaver for Aria was profound. There are several conversations throughout the book that made me reflect on how uncertain life can be.
 
I rate Hunger in the Pine 5 out of 5 stars. The realistic accounts given by the characters will invoke empathy. I hoped that some event would alter the living conditions for Aria and the car lot’s inhabitants. The things that most people take for granted are what the destitute wish for. Hot water, clean clothing, a place to sleep, and healthy food items are scarce for homeless people. The book is professionally edited.
 
Readers who enjoy reading realistic stories involving a character overcoming overwhelming odds will enjoy Hunger in the Pine. The ability to see how the world is through the eyes of people who are homeless could change how people view those who are less fortunate. Drug use, prostitution, child abuse, suicidal ideation, rape, and homosexuality may offend some readers. However, these are realities that threaten homeless lives daily.

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Hunger of the Pine
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[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

Is this the same Teal Swan that's causing quite the controversy on YouTube? Anyway, this seems like a meaningful, if sad, story. It's heartbreaking that innocent kids or people who have served their country face this harsh reality.
Great review!