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felizcpb's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and War
helen_t_reads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
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
5.0
I had already read and thoroughly enjoyed Hannah Kent’s first two novels: Burial Rites (set in 19th Century Iceland), and The Good People (set in 19th-century Ireland), so I was always going to read Devotion, her third novel. Why I left it so long to do so is the usual story of any avid reader with a large book collection, but I am so glad that I finally did, because what a novel it is.
Like her previous two titles, it is once again set in the 19th century and is rooted firmly in Kent’s impeccable and detailed historical research, which informs the story and imbues it with real authenticity whilst never weighing it down.
The story begins in the village of Kay in Prussia, where 17 year old Hanne Nussbaum lives with her family. Kay is home to a small congregation of Lutheran families who adhere firmly to their faith despite the persecution they face from the state and the Union church, which has banned it. A new family, the Eichenwalds, moves to the village, and they too are Lutherans, but some amongst the community, find it hard to accept them.
However, Hanne, who has never really made a real friend before, instantly bonds and connects with Thea Eichenwald, who is a similar age. They become inseparable, and a very intense relationship develops between them. Eventually, the Lutheran community of Kay makes the difficult voyage to a new, religiously tolerant colony in southern Australia, and at this point their lives change forever.
Devotion is an achingly beautiful, moving, and deeply affecting LGBTQ+ historical fiction which has supernatural elements, and a most unexpected twist, but is also a love story. It would completely spoil the reading experience for anyone if I gave away anything further.
What I can say is that I absolutely loved this novel, and I am struggling to compose a review that will do it justice. It is beautifully written with lyrically beautiful descriptions of both the natural world, and human emotion that move your soul and bring you to tears.
Populated with sensitively drawn, well-observed, fully-fleshed characters, especially the females, it develops the idea of “devotion” in both the religious and emotional sense as the story plays out, as well as exploring themes of tolerance, persecution, love and loss.
There are many kinds of love portrayed within the story: the love between a parent and child (not always tender and open-hearted, or freely expressed); heterosexual love; marriages of convenience; arranged marriages; the love between siblings; the love for ones homeland; religious love; but it is the love between Hanna and Thea that is the most dominant in the story, and there is a real depth, intensity and universality to it.
The novel also looks at the impact of white settlement on the native lands of Australia. We see how the immigrants took the lands of the indigenous populations and forced them to leave, whilst destroying their carefully natured eco-systems in the process, with the introduction more intensive farming practices which deeply impacted the natural environment. Given that the Lutherans were themselves persecuted and forced to leave their homeland, the irony is not lost on the reader.
I know that some readers have struggled slightly with accepting the supernatural aspects of the story, but for me, given the intensity of the connections, and the context, it was not problematic in any way. Some readers may also need to be wary of the harsher elements of 19th century life too, and there are scenes of animal slaughter, death and miscarriage for example, but unless you would find these triggering they do not detract from the story and are entirely legitimate within the context of the story.
Devotion is a novel of such depth and intensity of emotion. I devoured it in two sittings and if you’re anything like me, it will live long in your head after you have finished it. An easy 5 stars and definitely recommended.
Devotion is a novel of such depth and intensity of emotion. I devoured it in two sittings and if you’re anything like me, it will live long in your head after you have finished it. An easy 5 stars and definitely recommended.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, and Miscarriage
katewhite77's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is fantastically beautiful.
I don't know where to start with this it's so good and has so many layers. At it's core it's a queer love story set in 19th century Prushia and Australia.
The novel tells the story of a voyage made by an ultra Conservative religious sect from Prushia to the new colony of Australia escaping religious persecution.
It's about the perils of blind faith death, grief and love.
The writing is exquisite and it has a fabulous twist I did not see coming. I found it heavy going at first but I stuck with it and it paid me back in spades.
I don't know where to start with this it's so good and has so many layers. At it's core it's a queer love story set in 19th century Prushia and Australia.
The novel tells the story of a voyage made by an ultra Conservative religious sect from Prushia to the new colony of Australia escaping religious persecution.
It's about the perils of blind faith death, grief and love.
The writing is exquisite and it has a fabulous twist I did not see coming. I found it heavy going at first but I stuck with it and it paid me back in spades.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Racism, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Colonisation
jesselopod's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Blood, Medical content, and Colonisation
Minor: Body horror
dotdotdot's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Death
malinhalia's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Miscarriage and Colonisation
Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexual content, and Pregnancy
beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Colonisation
Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, and Religious bigotry
julesmae's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I found it tough to rate this book. The prose is strong and poetic and earthy, and the musings of the main character often struck a deep chord within me. Still, something about the plot never quite reached perfect harmony for me, something about it out of my grasp enough to save me from giving it a more perfect rating, but overall I really did enjoy this journey and these incredible characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Religious bigotry
steve_freddo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual violence
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Historical fiction with a truly epic sapphic love story that spans this world, and the next. Tender, sensuous and evocative. Religious freedom is a prominent plot point so there is an interesting juxtaposition between religious freedom and individual freedom. Hannah Kent really knows how to write.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Lesbophobia, and Colonisation
Minor: Miscarriage