The Burrow bookcover

The Burrow

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Description

Big-hearted and moving, Melanie Cheng's The Burrow brings together a family trying to find their way forward in the wake of a devastating loss. Parents Jin and Amy Lee adopt a rabbit for their daughter Lucie in the hopes of restoring a bit of joy to their home in the Australian suburbs, and at first, each family member benefits from the distraction of a new creature in need of care. Things are upended when the arrival of Amy's estranged mother breaks their fragile sense of peace, and the family is forced to confront the terrible circumstances surrounding their tragedy and to ask themselves whether opening their hearts to the rabbit will help them to heal, or only invite further sorrow.

With compassion and a keen eye for detail, Cheng tenderly reveals the lives of others--even a small rabbit--in an unforgettable novel about grief, hope, and forgiveness.

Product Details

PublisherTin House Books
Publish DateNovember 12, 2024
Pages200
LanguageEnglish
TypeBook iconPaperback / softback
EAN/UPC9781959030867
Dimensions7.7 X 5.0 X 0.6 inches | 0.3 pounds

About the Author

Melanie Cheng is an award-winning author and doctor based in Melbourne, Australia. Her writing has been published in the Guardian, The Age, The Saturday Paper, and The Big Issue, among many others.

Reviews

A nuanced exploration of family dynamics amidst loss and the enduring power of hope.-- "On the Seawall"
Beautifully written.-- "WMU-NPR MARGINALIA"
Cheng writes in prose that is understated and direct. . . . The Burrow centers everyday, fragile human moments.-- "West Trade Review"
[A] deeply rendered exploration of a family reeling after the unthinkable happens. . . quietly devastating.-- "The Minnesota Star Tribune"
Captivating and heart-wrenching.-- "Chicago Review of Books, A best Book of November"
Centering on themes of grief, love, guilt and grace, this story is wise, tender and triumphant.-- "Ms. Magazine, A Best Book of November"
Subtle, precise. . . . truly beautiful.-- "Oprah Daily, A Best Book of November"
Each character's bond with the rabbit proves restorative, .... Readers will be moved.-- "Publishers Weekly"
Exquisite. . . A superb balance of unexpected laughter, surprising grace, and the ubiquitous human need for furry love.-- "Shelf Awareness"
The Burrow is a beautiful book. Like the grief at its heart, it is restrained and multifaceted. It shows a family existing in isolated parts, struggling to connect, and it explores the moments that bring them together. Each voice is unique and thoroughly engaging. I couldn't put it down.--Pip Williams, author of The Dictionary of Lost Words
An exquisite portrait of grief and the small things that save us. I was mesmerised.--Shankari Chandran, author of Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens
Gulped it. I've been a Melanie Cheng fan since our first books came out. But this one is next level--it conveys so much human experience so sparingly that it seems to defy the laws of gravity. Stunning.--Sarah Krasnostein, author of The Trauma Cleaner and The Believer
Such a fan of Melanie Cheng's work. Quiet writing with such fierce emotion. This one's another gift of a novel.--Benjamin Law, author of The Family Law
Through restrained and subtle writing that never reveals too much, this novel entices readers to recognize grief's paradoxically discreet nature.-- "Booklist"
A small pet rabbit takes on greater meaning in this tight, elegant story of a family quartet reckoning with grief. Melanie Cheng captures the claustrophobic, revelatory strangeness of the early days of the Covid lockdown while bravely mining complexities of human emotion--fear, guilt, anger, and love--in lovely, lucid prose that glitters throughout with cut stones of wisdom.--Lauren Acampora, author of The Paper Wasp
The Borrow's restrained prose and heartbreaking honesty capture the paradox of living with trauma, where the smallest of daily interactions are often the most debilitating. Yet despite dealing with such weighty material, The Burrow is an engrossing, compulsive, and uplifting read--a testimony to Cheng's mastery of style and keen insight into human nature.--Rajia Hassib, author of In the Language of Miracles
How rare, this delicacy--this calm, sweet, desolated wisdom.--Helen Garner

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