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The Coconut Children

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The Coconut Children

By: Vivian Pham
Narrated by: Christopher Quyen, Jillian Nguyen
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About this listen

Life in the troubled neighbourhood of Cabramatta demands too much too young. But Sonny wouldn't really know.

Watching the world from her bedroom window, she exists only in second-hand romance novels and falls for any fast-food employee who happens to spare her a glance.

Everything changes with the return of Vince, a boy who became a legend after he was hauled away in handcuffs. Sonny and Vince used to be childhood friends. But with all that happened in-between, childhood seems so long ago. It will take two years of juvie, an inebriated grandmother and an unexpected discovery for them to meet again.

The Coconut Children is an urgent, moving and wise debut from a young and gifted storyteller.

2021, Sydney Morning Herald Best Young Australian, Winner

2021, Victorian Premier's Literary Awards, Short-listed

2021, NSW Premier's Literary Awards, Short-listed

2021, The Voss Literary Prize, Short-listed

©2020 Vivian Pham (P)2020 Penguin Random House Australia Asian & Pacific Islander Creators Coming of Age Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction United States Urban Women's Fiction World Literature
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I just couldn’t fully click with this. At times the narrative felt forced and a bit immature. Just when I least expected it some seriously wondering language would surprise me out if nowhere and I’m excited to watch Pham develop as an author and see a new aussie talent out there but this one fell a little flat for me.

I wanted to love this

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I loved this bingeing this book. the characters are incredibly gorgeous and relatable making you really remember life at that age. I found the imagery too floral at times, yet the next moment a description would be so vibrantly astute that I would be awestruck for a moment before eagerly continuing to hang on each word once more.

transportative, and optimistic despite everything

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I chose the book based on the cover and the title against all wisdom that indicates this is a faux pas. I was not disappointed at all. it was a lovely poetic journey into Cabramatta and the coconut children. The seasonal changes moved me gently and the love bloomed. The story ignited hope and without hope, we are lost.

A gentle breeze of hope

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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.