Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐-(5/5)
Set in the 20th century, Ironbark Hill tells the story of Natalie Chapman, who is doing her best to figure out herself. Life has been unfair to her. She harbors deep resentment towards her abusive stepfather because of his drinking problem and his abusive treatment towards their family, especially her mother, Irma. Despite everything, Natalie’s hope doesn't dwindle.
Everything changes after she shares an intoxicated kiss with her wealthy and married employer, and this opens up a bunch of strange and complicated feelings in her. The shocker? Her painting teacher is her employer’s wife. You can only unravel this twist by purchasing a copy of this intriguing read.
I appreciate the viewpoint of an older Natalie, who is reflecting on her past. It allowed me to explore her inner thoughts and feelings about her situation as a character. It made sense that she would jump at the chance to get romantically involved with Mr. Glover, to whom she also harbored feelings of attraction, after exerting herself so much to make everyone else happy. Although it was sexual exploitation, it quickly became her source of fulfillment, and readers can still learn a few from her despite this flaw.
The simple language, flawless editing, and formatting evident in its lack of grammatical errors confirm the author’s writing prowess.
Likewise, the author highlighting the side notes in italics to avoid any confusion was a fulfilling addition. They helped me to understand and better relate to Natalie. Though the book explored a lot of serious issues, such as rape and abuse, I feel that a very underrated one is the effects of abuse and discrimination. For instance, there are considerable instances of Natalie enduring racism as a result of having a black father.
This book may trigger victims of abuse, so I would advise them to proceed with caution. Because of the intense language and sensitivity of themes, a mature audience is its best target, as well as young adult enthusiasts. The book deserves the widest possible readership and a 5-star rating.
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