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gwalt118's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book immensely. It delves into lots of issues relating to family, childhood, heritage, divorce, etc. while also discussing important issues of race. Although the location is Australia, the issues can be applied to any family in the world that has been affected by racism. The structure of the novel is wonderfully done, with different perspectives from adults, children, and spouses. Characterization is superb - there are individuals you grow to love and ones you quickly despise. I would highly recommend this text to anyone who is looking for an enlightening, but not dense, read.
thecurbau's review against another edition
5.0
This may be the most vital book for any Australian to read this year (2023). Powerful, alive, and thriving. It's a finger on the pulse of history, telling a story that spans generations that have been fractured by colonisation.
mugglemom's review against another edition
2.0
Is this great literature, hell no. Does it have value, yes.
Is there better stories out there - without a doubt 1000%.
Listen, I get that this is someone's take on their family's personal history so we are TOLD everything or at least the bits they want the reader to know so there's zero development of feeling true affinity for the characters. I am told who to pity, who to distrust, who to hate...and if the writing was better, I would have naturally pitied, distrusted, hated...but the persuasive slant was so obvious, I found that I was looking for an objective viewpoint the whole story.
Meh, it's a freebie from the audible plus catalog so no $$ wasted and my time, well, it wasn't a total loss.
Is there better stories out there - without a doubt 1000%.
Listen, I get that this is someone's take on their family's personal history so we are TOLD everything or at least the bits they want the reader to know so there's zero development of feeling true affinity for the characters. I am told who to pity, who to distrust, who to hate...and if the writing was better, I would have naturally pitied, distrusted, hated...but the persuasive slant was so obvious, I found that I was looking for an objective viewpoint the whole story.
Meh, it's a freebie from the audible plus catalog so no $$ wasted and my time, well, it wasn't a total loss.
claire_melanie's review against another edition
5.0
Brilliant, well written saga covering generations of an Aboriginal family and the very human impact of the twists.and turns of government policy.
mmcbride's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Should have been great but poorly written.
justine_the_wandering_reader's review against another edition
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
b_carlson's review against another edition
2.0
After reading 'After Story' I was so excited for this book but it was a bit of a let down. I am cautious as to say it was "too big" as I am aware Australia's history and the culture of Indigenous people is such a large and complex tapestry and I would never dare tell someone their culture was "too big" however, it just felt like Larissa was trying to cram too much into one book. Maybe it just wasn't suited to the audiobook format but I found myself getting lost because one minute we were here then the next we were there. We went from a really emotional family story to talking about being a lawyer and land rights and I know those things are intrinsically connected but I just felt like it was written as a list of things that needed to be included and as we went they were just checked off instead of being seamlessly wound together. The author writes like a lawyer, very methodical and because of that it just lost a bit of its heart.
thepagesilivein's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book and found it incredibly valuable. The fact that the book is based on real accounts of the hardships faced by one Indigenous family gives a harrowing reminder of what Indigenous people have faced in the last century, leading up to today.
I didn't find the writing style too difficult to follow, however the story is completely non-linear, so I wouldn't recommend it as an easy read that wouldn't require too much thought. Definitely worth the read!
I didn't find the writing style too difficult to follow, however the story is completely non-linear, so I wouldn't recommend it as an easy read that wouldn't require too much thought. Definitely worth the read!