“This is a compelling and unsettling novel that sucks you into its darkly warped world and doesn’t let go until the last page … powerful, violent, savage and quite brilliant.”
NO MAJOR SPOILERS
There comes a time in every reader’s life when words would fail them in attempting to describe a reading experience. Such is the case for me with My Absolute Darling. I finished it last night and I haven’t been able to do anything or think of anything other than the book since. I’ve been thinking about what I could possibly say that would do justice to how it made me feel. And I struggle to come up with anything coherent.
Suffice it to say, this book is like nothing I have ever read before. It is ugly and beautiful, desperate and hopeful, disturbing and brilliant. It is remarkable, extraordinary, and all-consuming. It punches you in the gut and takes your breath away. And then, it does it over and over again until you are completely and utterly spent.
It is the story of 14-year old Turtle Alveston who I believe will become one of the most memorable characters in contemporary literature. Turtle lives in the off-the-grid Mendocino community, on an isolated hill with her monstrous, abusive, and highly intelligent survivalist father. She is fierce and ferocious. She is tough as nails. And she desperately loves her dad. She tears and burns through the pages of the book in her plight to do the right thing because there are no simple answers and she’s never known anything else. The relationship between the two and the complexity of their interactions are portrayed in a virtuoso, unapologetic manner I don’t often see in books. It is difficult to grasp that this is a debut novel. Tallent’s talent jumps at you from every page and his descriptions of the natural beauty of the Mendocino coast are among the best I’ve ever read.
There are books you read and then there are books you live in. I lived in this one and it shocked me and made me uncomfortable and it was absolutely unforgettable. It is very triggering and the abuse is graphic, so I expect that many readers will toss it aside disgusted. It will divide readers into “love it” and “hate it” camps with no one in the middle. I was blown away by it. It is my favorite novel of the year by a long mile and one of the best I’ve ever read.
Reviewed by:
Antoniya Boyd
Added 19th November 2017
NO MAJOR SPOILERS
Just finished My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent. This is a debut novel.
It is the story of Turtle Alveston. A young, pre-teen she lives with her father Michael who is extremely bright and is a survivalist. He has taught Turtle everything and she has been a quick learner. Very quick.
Part of her learning process has been abuse at the hands of her Father. The worst kind of abuse. This plays a large part in this story and it may be difficult for some to read.
One morning Turtle leaves the house very early and goes on her own exploration trip. During this trip she will meet two boys her age, Jacob and Brett. They are lost on their own hiking trip and they will need Turtle to lead them home.
This meeting will begin the change in Turtle’s life. For the first time she will begin to see a different type of life, away from the one with her Dad and occasional visits to her grandfather. Thus begins the process that will lead this book to its conclusion. There will be other characters of importance in this story, but in order to avoid spoilers I will say no more.
You will never meet anyone like Turtle Alveston, a young girl who will experience things that nightmares are made of. As Toni George wrote in her review, and every author who wrote a blurb on the back cover will also tell you, she is one of the most memorable characters in fiction. You will never forget her, or her monster of a father.
This book was without question, the impact book of the year. There simply hasn’t been anything else like it. The book may not be for everyone because of the subject matter, but, without a doubt for everyone else, this is a must read. I can’t wait for the author’s next book.
Reviewed by:
Richard Franco
Added 19th November 2017
