Review of Hunger of the Pine

[RJ Reviews]

[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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Estranged from her drug-addicted mother, Aria Abbott finds herself in a foster family. But her hope to find normalcy in life shatters when her foster father gropes and abuses her at every chance he gets. Desperate, Aria runs away and finds herself on the streets. Will she survive being homeless? Will she ever be able to find a family and feel like she belongs? Teal Swan's heart-touching novel Hunger of the Pine is a raw and unfiltered testament to Aria's journey through adolescence and her quest to find a home.

Aria is no simple character. She is not a mere victim. She goes through phases of being homeless, destitute, abused, and hopeless, all the while nurturing her secret hope to find a regular home and family one day. The author did an admirable job of not romanticizing the brutality of Aria's life. The book touches on several themes, like homelessness, self-discovery, resilience, and love. All the characters have their own turbulence and desires. Aria bonds with Taylor in a homeless shelter, and their friendship is like a fresh breeze on a hot day. The simple and inviting writing style moves the plot forward at a steady pace. 

The only thing I didn't quite like was the inclusion of too many themes: LGBTQ, racial discrimination, police brutality, sexual abuse, sex work, and hunger, to name a few. Other than this, there is nothing I dislike about this book. The editing is flawless, with zero errors. The author's in-depth exploration of human resilience and their ability to adapt makes this book a thought-provoking and emotional read. For all these reasons, despite being too crowded with so many different themes, I rate this book 5 out of 5.

This book contains explicit scenes, potent language, and talks about sexual and physical violence. Thus, I would recommend this book only to mature readers. Those who find any of the themes triggering shouldn't pick up this book. This book is a raw depiction of life's struggles under extreme adversity. Readers who enjoy reading about such themes will appreciate this book. This work of fiction will appeal to people who prefer an unabashed version of life and traumatic experiences. 

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Hunger of the Pine
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[Priya Murugesan]

The plot sounds interesting and your review analyses the book thoroughly. But explicit scenes put me off. So I am not sure if I will love this book!

[Laney K]

Aria sounds like a compelling protagonist and the book sounds like one I'd enjoy. Thanks for the review!

[Risper Ouma Anyango]

Sorry to use strong words but I hate abusive people, mostly those who take advantage of kids in their care. I will probably end up hating many people in this book and will entice many emotions in me so I would rather avoid it

[Mfon Ukim]

Life could be so menacing and unfair to some. The life of Aria is common and depicts cruelty of man. Against all the odds, people like Aria must find a way to make it to the other side of the tunnel. And if they do, it's a testimony to their character and strength

[R Chinaza Onwuka]

Aria sounds like a strong and sound mind to me. Stories like this can give people hope that they will be able to heal from similar experiences too. Thanks for the review.

[Kristin Cowan]

I enjoyed this book more than expected. It is a great coming of age novel focused on homeless individuals rather than the average person. Love the character development.

[Gerry Steen]

This review convinces me that this is a book worth reading. Aria's strong and resilient spirit makes for an inspirational plot and story. Survival on the streets is little understood. This book will open my eyes to what I do not yet understand. Thank you for this informative and thorough review.

[Stephen Christopher 1]

I loved this book as much as you did RJ. I think all the themes were included to try and highlight the many reasons that people become homeless. That was my take on it. I'm a lot more compassionate to homelessness after reading this book.