Review of Hunger of the Pine
-
Leonie Vermaak
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 1164
- Joined: 26 Sep 2021, 09:08
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 810
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-leonie-vermaak.html
- Latest Review: Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper
Review of Hunger of the Pine
[Following is a volunteer review of "Hunger of the Pine" by Teal Swan.]
Aria Abbott, has been part of the foster care system from a young age due to her mother’s drug addiction. Moving between foster and group homes at age 7, she never found a place to call home. So, when Nancy and Robert Johnson, a Christian couple, show interest in fostering and possibly adopting her at the crucial age of 14, she experiences a flicker of hope. Unfortunately, her happiness is short-lived, as things turn out to be quite different from her expectations. At 17, Aria had enough and decided to leave. She would rather live on the streets than be forced back into the system or stay any longer in that house. Living on the streets could not be more dreadful than staying in that house any longer, could it? She soon learns that freedom comes at a price.
Hunger in the Pine by Teal Swan cracks open your heart, toys with your emotions, and makes you question your own character. Do you genuinely want to help someone in need, or do you do it merely to be perceived as good by your peers and society? It provokes a soul-searching experience that I found emotional yet exhilarating. This novel made me again realize that, yes, money makes the world an easier place to live in, but in most cases, it strips a person from being real, compassionate, and caring for others. The true gems of humanity are those who, despite having little, generously share what they have with those who need it more. We need to be humble and remember where we came from.
There are just so many positives in this novel that it is difficult to name them all without including spoilers, so I’ll start with the characters. Although there was an abundance of characters, the author fleshed out each one with precision, each with a captivating backstory that kept you engaged throughout. This made it feel like you were hearing their stories face-to-face. Secondly, I appreciated Taylor and Aria’s friendship. They had this unbreakable bond, and no matter what happened, they would not only look after each other but also look out for each other.
The storyline is authentic and written flawlessly. Teal managed to paint such a vivid picture of Aria’s life and experiences, not only while in foster care but also when she’s on the street. You become part of the story - the turmoil, self-doubt, regret and humiliation of others- as well as the constant search for food and a safe place to sleep, if only for the night. It’s an easy read, and you could feel that the author had first-hand experience with the failed foster care system. She didn’t try to hide the ugly truths, nor did she sugarcoat what it is like to be a child in the foster care system, or what it feels like to live on the street. The fact that these children should be protected, but are not, is horrifying. I didn’t find any spelling, typos, or grammar errors, which makes this a well-edited book.
I found nothing negative to say about this novel. However; this is not a novel for the faint-hearted. It contains profanity, sexual abuse and self-mutilation, to name a few aspects. To me this was not a problem, as I felt that without it the authentication would be in jeopardy.
My rating for this book is 5 out of 5 stars. Not only for all the positives I’ve mentioned, but it made me realize yet again that everyone has a story, whether it’s a successful one or not. We should be kind and helpful to others because, at any moment, our success story could transform into a disaster, leaving us with nothing more than the clothes on our backs. I would recommend this book to readers from the age of 17, readers who love real-life dramas and books that are thought-provoking. Lastly, readers who have experienced sexual abuse might want to steer away from this book, or exercise caution when reading it as it may trigger emotional distress.
******
Hunger of the Pine
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Aria Abbott, has been part of the foster care system from a young age due to her mother’s drug addiction. Moving between foster and group homes at age 7, she never found a place to call home. So, when Nancy and Robert Johnson, a Christian couple, show interest in fostering and possibly adopting her at the crucial age of 14, she experiences a flicker of hope. Unfortunately, her happiness is short-lived, as things turn out to be quite different from her expectations. At 17, Aria had enough and decided to leave. She would rather live on the streets than be forced back into the system or stay any longer in that house. Living on the streets could not be more dreadful than staying in that house any longer, could it? She soon learns that freedom comes at a price.
Hunger in the Pine by Teal Swan cracks open your heart, toys with your emotions, and makes you question your own character. Do you genuinely want to help someone in need, or do you do it merely to be perceived as good by your peers and society? It provokes a soul-searching experience that I found emotional yet exhilarating. This novel made me again realize that, yes, money makes the world an easier place to live in, but in most cases, it strips a person from being real, compassionate, and caring for others. The true gems of humanity are those who, despite having little, generously share what they have with those who need it more. We need to be humble and remember where we came from.
There are just so many positives in this novel that it is difficult to name them all without including spoilers, so I’ll start with the characters. Although there was an abundance of characters, the author fleshed out each one with precision, each with a captivating backstory that kept you engaged throughout. This made it feel like you were hearing their stories face-to-face. Secondly, I appreciated Taylor and Aria’s friendship. They had this unbreakable bond, and no matter what happened, they would not only look after each other but also look out for each other.
The storyline is authentic and written flawlessly. Teal managed to paint such a vivid picture of Aria’s life and experiences, not only while in foster care but also when she’s on the street. You become part of the story - the turmoil, self-doubt, regret and humiliation of others- as well as the constant search for food and a safe place to sleep, if only for the night. It’s an easy read, and you could feel that the author had first-hand experience with the failed foster care system. She didn’t try to hide the ugly truths, nor did she sugarcoat what it is like to be a child in the foster care system, or what it feels like to live on the street. The fact that these children should be protected, but are not, is horrifying. I didn’t find any spelling, typos, or grammar errors, which makes this a well-edited book.
I found nothing negative to say about this novel. However; this is not a novel for the faint-hearted. It contains profanity, sexual abuse and self-mutilation, to name a few aspects. To me this was not a problem, as I felt that without it the authentication would be in jeopardy.
My rating for this book is 5 out of 5 stars. Not only for all the positives I’ve mentioned, but it made me realize yet again that everyone has a story, whether it’s a successful one or not. We should be kind and helpful to others because, at any moment, our success story could transform into a disaster, leaving us with nothing more than the clothes on our backs. I would recommend this book to readers from the age of 17, readers who love real-life dramas and books that are thought-provoking. Lastly, readers who have experienced sexual abuse might want to steer away from this book, or exercise caution when reading it as it may trigger emotional distress.
******
Hunger of the Pine
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper
