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Devotion

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Devotion

By: Hannah Kent
Narrated by: Emily Wheaton
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About this listen

WINNER FOR THE ABIA AUDIOBOOK OF THE YEAR 2022

Growing up in the village of Kay in Prussia, 1836, Hanne Nussbaum would rather run wild in the forest than
conform to the limitations of womanhood. Hanne is friendless and misunderstood ... until she meets Thea.

When Hanne and her family are forced to flee religious persecution, they board a crowded, disease-riddled ship
bound for the colony of South Australia. In the face of brutal hardship, the beauty of whale song enters Hanne's heart, along with the miracle of her love for Thea. Theirs is a bond that nothing can break.

The whale passed. The music faded.

WINNER FOR THE ABIA AUDIOBOOK OF THE YEAR 2022
SHORTLISTED FOR THE INDIE BOOK AWARDS FICTION 2022
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ABIA LITERARY FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022
SHORTLISTED FOR THE PRIME MINISTER'S LITERARY AWARDS FICTION 2022
LONGLISTED FOR THE AUSTRALIAN BOOK DESIGN AWARDS 2022 BEST DESIGNED LITERARY FICTION COVER
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2022 VOSS LITERARY PRIZE

©2021 Hannah Kent (P)2021 Macmillan Australia Audio Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Romance Heartfelt

Critic Reviews

"Devotion is utterly original. A glorious, heartbreaking love story of infinite beauty." (Heather Rose)

"Hannah Kent's latest novel is stunning—full of magic and adventure. I fell in love with language again reading it. So beautiful and so raw. Devotion is impossibly good." (Evie Wyld)

"Such a glorious love story. And the poetry of the landscape had, for me, a Whitmanesque sensibility. A mighty impassioned cry to love and the land." (Sarah Winman)
All stars
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Hannah Kent’s writing is so beautiful it sings as you read it. She is a true master of her craft, and her research is second to none.

This audiobook, however was spoiled by the narrator, Emily Wheaton, who did *NOT* do her research, and couldn’t even pronounce the main character’s name correctly! Her name is “HAHNNA” , not ‘Honey’

Hannah Kent should be devastated to hear the butchering of the pronunciation of her beautiful prose. Particularly the name of the main Character, Hanne (HAHNNA)!!! Whom I heard heard her speaking fondly of when being interviewed by Richard Fidler. I wonder if she didn’t kick herself for not recording the book herself. She has a beautiful voice, and none of her word choices would’ve been butchered by someone who didn’t take the time to look up how an unfamiliar word is pronounced!

My neighbours must’ve been sick of me yelling “GUNNELL” each time the narrator said, ‘Gunwhale’ for “gunwale”!

It’s another amazing “Must Read” book from Hannah Kent, but I’d truly suggest the hard copy…

Hannah Kent is a poetic novelist

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Followed the story along for first 2/3's of book but after twist in character's circumstances I struggled to continue. Seemed very promising book until then. Not sure I'd recommend it.

Became a bit wishy-washy for me

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Kent’s writing is so beautifully familiar for its excellence and yet one wonders where such writing would be that it could be familiar. But you read something and it stirs in you with a knowing how that could be true, like an explanation of the sound of a newborn baby’s cry who wants to take its first drink, ‘a tender vibration of need’.

Thank you author for using beautiful words to explain what we have always known but never realised.

The narrator was seamless, with her pronunciation and the musicality in her voice, so lovely to listen to, her speaking is her gift.

The quality of the writing is masterful

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Beautifully written, researched and read. Characters are described well and with live and compassion. The story line is innovative and memorable. Highly recommended.

Recommended

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Well worth the time. Every moment was a revelation. Hannah Kent’s story is mesmerising and the reader is excellent.

A beautiful, poetic story

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This is my third Hannah Kent book and it’s my least favourite of the three but I still enjoyed it thoroughly!
A story of a young woman (who is probably queer and neurodivergent) and her struggle to survive, thrive, love and live as a Lutheran colonial settler. Kent’s research is incredible and I love the way that she tells the stories of people that history would have forgotten. The connection of her characters with landscape and Mother Nature is always just so rich and beautiful. The way that this story differs from her previous novels such as burial rites didn’t quite work for me but still, was a gorgeous and moving read.

Beautiful story of hardship, love and land

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Absolutely loved it. I'm not a fan of stories set back in time. I don't know why? I don't even like old movies, so I was a bit sceptical about having to read this for book club. I work alot so listening to books in the car while driving between jobs is my best bet. I listened to this in 2 days I was so hooked. I never wanted it to end!

Must Read/Listen

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This is another amazing book by Hannah Kent. After reading and enjoying Burial Rites so much by this author I went looking for what else she has written. I was intrigued by the blurb about Devotion which gives little away. I can’t reveal too much of the story because I would not want to ruin the surprise and shock I felt at the twists and turns that it takes.

Like Burial Rites, Hannah Kent is a master at writing landscape and place. She describes the village and Hanne’s experience of the nature in the village so vividly you feel like you’ve been there. She does the same for the ocean and the hardships and misery of life aboard the ship that takes six months to reach Australia and she does it for the South Australian landscape. It is wonderfully written. I found myself frequently rewinding to hear sentences and sections again to enjoy each word that she has chosen to describe a place, an emotion or an event. Highly recommend this book and I can’t wait to read “The Good People”, also by Hannah. After this sadly I think I’ll have a long wait for another by her as it took her five years to research Devotion and it only came out in 2021.

A surprising and uniquely original book

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I loved this story, the narrator’s voice was mesmerising, and my heart was gripped by the main character’s struggles, her emotions and the special qualities she possessed, the connection to the natural world around her. It is a beautiful story of deep love, migration history and culture, biblical faith and spirituality, supernatural phenomena, poetry and somehow it just all works and kept me in its power til the very end. Wow!

A powerful and emotional journey.

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What a journey we went on. A master of narrative telling. This will stay with me for some time to come. One of my favourites of 2021.

Just wow!

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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.