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Denizen: Winner of the Penguin Literary Prize

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Denizen: Winner of the Penguin Literary Prize

By: James McKenzie Watson
Narrated by: Matthew Pearce
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About this listen

 This is a not-to-be-missed reading experience.
HAYLEY SCRIVENOR

A gothic thriller exploring rural Australia's simultaneous celebration of harsh country and stoic people - a tension that forces its inhabitants to dangerous breaking points.

On a remote property in western NSW, nine-year-old Parker fears that something is wrong with his brain. His desperate attempts to control this internal chaos spark a series of events that gallop from his control in deadly and devastating ways.

Years later, Parker, now a father himself, returns to the bushland he grew up in for a camping trip with old friends. When this reunion descends into chaos amid revelations of unresolved fear, guilt and violence, Parker must finally address the consequences of his childhood actions. Coming of Age Genre Fiction Indigenous Creators Literary Fiction Mental Health Awareness Thriller & Suspense Fiction Suspense
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This is a well written book but the subject matter was challenging and I found it difficult to continue listening at times. The author successfully created an underlying dread throughout the whole story.

Struggled to Finish

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Denizen is one of the most beautiful stories I’ve had the pleasure of hearing. It had as much impact on me as ‘Once Were Warriors’ once did.

I’m still reeling from the emotional roller coaster that is Denizen, and will be wiping my eyes probably for the rest of the day.

An incredible must read.

Thought provoking, beautiful and dark

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Some of this story was shocking and took me out of my comfort zone, but I couldn't put it down. At the end I was saddened by how confronting it was. Congratulations for winning a literary award for this story, it is truly deserved. You have me hooked on your writing style, I just want more.

Wow

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The authors choice is probably never starker than in this story - would the easier path have been to avoid not the descent into chaos - depicted so thoroughly through relationships and inner head narratives, but the dichotomy of violence for the divergent waves of broken care?

Don’t know what to feel about this

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A confronting and thought provoking read that is hard to put down. Thanks for covering these challenging topics

Confronting and thought provoking

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.