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Owls Do Cry

Text Classics
Series: Text Classics
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( 2,035 ratings, 255 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Owls Do Cry by Janet Frame explores the life of the Withers family in a small New Zealand town. The narrative delves into their struggles with poverty, mental illness, and societal expectations. The story is a poignant reflection on human resilience and the search for identity and belonging in a world marked by hardship.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're drawn to eloquent, introspective explorations of family dynamics and personal struggles, set against the vivid backdrop of mid-20th century New Zealand. Its poetic language and deep emotional insights into mental illness and resilience offer a poignant and evocative reading experience.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

So the day promised fair, and the sea lay like a quilt with the waves tucked under, and the trees wavering like leafless water, cut to fit from a transparent block of blue air and frost.

Owls Do Cry tells the story of the Withers family - Francie, who is twelve and about to start work at the woollen mills, hard drudgery sweetened with the thrill of riding a bike to work; Toby, who would rather play at the dump than go to school, where the dark velvet cloak of epilepsy often wraps itself around him; Chicks, the youngest; and Daphne, whose rich poetic way of seeing the world leads to a heartbreaking life in institutions.

Janet Frame writes of hardship, poverty and tragedy with beauty and a deep sensitivity. Owls Do Cry is a poetic masterpiece.

Series: Text Classics

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Janet Frame's Owls Do Cry is praised for its poignant exploration of human awareness and its ability to transform pain into beauty. Critics highlight its critique of societal norms and its vivid depiction of postwar society, portraying a child's perspective with both heartbreak and lyrical beauty. The novel is celebrated as an innovative and enduring modernist masterpiece that continues to captivate and unsettle readers.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781922147899

Publisher: Text Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 28 May 2014

Country: Australia

Imprint: The Text Publishing Company

Contributors:

  • Introduction by Margaret Drabble

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 304

About the Author

Authors Bio, not available

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