In 1836, Prussia, Hanne is living a stifled life with her family, learning how to grow under her mother’s stern expectations, as well as dealing with all the feelings that come with a changing body and the expectations upon her as a woman. Then Hanne befriends Thea, a new neighbor to the Lutheran community. Hanne and Thea form a strong bond, which threatens to break when their community emigrates to Australia and sickness boards the ship with them. But the bond is more than nature can break, and Hanne soon discovers so much more than life beyond what she could have imagined.

I love Hannah Kent’s writing so much - it’s soft and lyrical, while also embodying so much human experience and emotion. I love how she takes moments and people in history, and creates such compelling stories. The pacing of this novel was quite slow and you feel like you are slowly but very pleasantly digesting Hanne’s way of life and her relationships with a number of people and her growing and with Thea. We learn about the strict religious community she lives in, and the piety of her father - and how the jealousy of neighbors could pose a risk to Thea and her family.

The twist in this book halfway through definitely surprised me but I didn’t hate it. I actually liked the supernatural element of it and how the steps Hannah Kent took with Hanne brought in the naturalist element of this book even more. There is a real emphasis on nature in this book from both Hanne’s connection with it but also just the gorgeous descriptions of the woods in Prussia, the stream and fields, the waves and whales seen from the ship and then the golden, harsher environment of Australia but just as beautiful in its own way. I do think at this point in the book the pacing suffered a little bit as Hanne was quite literally stuck in where she could go and what she could do or wanted to do.

I appreciated how Hannah Kent wrote the Indigenous population of Australia - how they treated the immigrants coming and taking their land, literally helping them and showing them how they could survive, and how in turn they were treated less than a decade later - being run off the land with guns by white people. It was so upsetting to read how these people were treated but so important to learn about as well.

I wasn’t really crazy about the ending. As Thea’s life progressed, I feel like we saw an immaturity and selfishness in Hanne - seemingly wanting Thea all to herself which was impossible for so many reasons, and in turn this making it seem like she wanted Thea to be alone. The ending made me sad as while Hanne and Thea seem happy, I couldn’t help but think of all the grieving people left behind including a baby who would grow up without a mother - and that the women in the community who treated Hanne and Thea so badly never seemed to get their comeuppance (other than apparently being a spinster). I would have much rather read a story where we see Hanne more at peace with her situation, and watching Thea grow with her family and eventually reunite after a long and happy life rather than one cut short far too soon.

devotion by hannah kent is an immersive and well written love story that takes the reader along in its swells. i did struggle with the pacing a little towards the end, but enjoyable nevertheless

I liked Burial Rites so I was looking forward to this.
I wasn't sure about the shift in perspective, but otherwise, I enjoyed it.
It is very rich in detail.
I enjoyed Hanne and wanted to know what was going to happen because of this.

I received a copy free from the publishers via netgalley in exchange for an honest review

content warnings: death, disease, violence, child death

rep: lesbian m/c, lesbian li

I remember reading Burial Rites nearly a decade ago and it's still one of my most memorable reads and I had a strong feeling Devotion would be just as emotional and impactful.
'Thea, there is no line in your palm I have not traced, no knuckle cracked unheard, and the blue of your eyes in the coffin-lining of the world. I would they sing psalms to your and the down upon your thighs, and the eyelashes that have fallen to the fields you have worked. I would they lay boughs upon knees bent to the soil-hum of any place you have rested upon. Thea, if love were a thing, it would be the sinew of a hand stretched in anticipation of grasping. See, my hands, they reach for you. My heart is a hand reaching'.

In Devotion we follow a community of Old Lutherans as they make the long and dangerous journey to Australia in order to practice their faith freely. At the center of this story is the achingly beautiful and equally bittersweet love story between Hanne and her dear companion Thea. Throughout this novel, the characters face tragedy, suffering, death,and grief and yet their love is treated with care - it is tender and tempestuous. This novel is pure poetry, the visuals and landscapes and characters are written so strongly that it leaves such a deep impression.

A novel that wriggled its way into my heart and will not let go.

#Devotion by #HannahKent has taken me on an incredible, emotional ride. The idea, the execution, the writing, the talent, the story, the characters... Perfection. No notes. Please give yourself the gift of reading this beautiful, overwhelming book. It is worth every minute you give.

"My whole life I had been surrounded by those who had, implicitly and openly, with discretion and demand, asked much of me. My parents love ever manifested as an urging towards improvement: to be more. More prayful, more contrite, more dutiful. Good, too, was related to me only within a context of request. I was never enough as I was. My best self, the self that might be most loved, most accepted, was forever in front of me - a shadow still ahead I'd me on the path that no matter how fast I ran, never melded with my person" (p. 175).

This is a historical fiction novel with a sapphic relationship. The writing style was beautiful and lyrical. The pacing was off in the second half of the book

Having read and adored Burial Rites by Hannah Kent last year, I was keen to read more by this author and picked up her latest book, Devotion. This is another historical fiction book which takes the reader from Prussia across to South Australia as we follow the lives a Lutheran community escaping religious persecution and seeking a new life near Adelaide.
The novel is told through the eyes of Hanna a teenage girl, who has synaesthesia and sees and hears things in the natural world that no one else can. These differences mark her out as “other” in their tightknit community and she feels left-out from the other girls her age until Thea and her family join their village and the two girls form an immediate connection.
The book takes us on an arduous six month journey across the oceans as the Lutheran community seek a better life. Kent is a beautiful writer, and the sea journey and risks are so masterfully described that I could feel myself stuck in the hold during an Atlantic storm: the fear, darkness and sickness and then how they rebuild their community on the other side of the world, the aspects of colonialism where thought provoking with the oppressed becoming the oppressors.
The book though does take a completely unexpected twist which I didn’t see coming and may not be for everyone. At first I found really jarring but as the story progressed it started to make more sense and offered a different dimension to the tale.

Overall, I found this a beautiful, tender love story – I adore Kent’s lyrical language and how she described the beauty of nature in Australia. Highly recommend, but if you’re not a magic realism fan then it may not gel entirely for you…

This was beautifully written, moving and atmospheric, yet while I absolutely loved the first half of the book, it suddenly took a turn I wasn't expecting, historical fiction became magical realism, and my love turned to like. I still enjoyed it though, the account of Hanne's life on the farm and the treacherous journey on the ship to Australia was wonderful, 5 stars for the first half, and 4 for the second. I've read both of the author's previous books, and I'm keen to see what she does next. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this.

DNF at 14%.
Having read Hannah Kent´s Burial Rites, I had an expectation of the kind of book this would be - fast paced, plot-driven, strong characters. However, I ultimately found it quite disappointing. I was feeling somewhat bored while reading it and found it hard to get excited about the characters and their story. There was also very little plot, which was not what I had expected. Probably this book just wasn´t the one for me but I´m sure it will find it´s readers :)

An enjoyable read, well written and entertaining. Hadn't read this author before but would consider reading again.

Considering that I don't usually enjoy historical fiction that much, I really enjoyed Devotion. I thought the characters were fleshed out and tangible, and the chemistry and (if you'll forgive the echo of the title) devotion between Hanne and Thea was well thought out and felt real. It took me a while to sink into the narrative, but it was worth the wait. Kent's prose is vivid and fluid across the page, and she knows how to toy with a reader's heartstrings.

The main downside, for me, is the ending -- I expected tragedy and raw emotions, but the (spoiler alert) intimate scene at the end felt disconnected from the rest of the story, shoe-horned in somehow. It didn't feel like something either Hanne or Thea would take part in, so I finished the story with complicated and slightly dissatisfied feelings.

I'm not sure I can fully review this book giving it justice. What I can say is that it is truly beautiful. I've never read a book quite like it. Hand down one of the best books I've ever read. It will go into my all time favourites collection.

I read this book slowly over a long period of time. The characters, lyrical prose and vivid storytelling will stay with me always.
Thank you for my review copy.

Hannah Kent has such a way with words! Her storytelling is spellbinding and evocative. This book is no different. I was fully immersed in this book. I particularly loved the setting, which was brilliantly described. I'll read whatever this author writes next, for sure.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

I loved Burial rites so was excited to read Devotion. This is another beautiful and haunting book. The descriptions of the journey to Australia were really horrifying but interesting and I enjoyed the relationships in the book which were believable. I didn't want the book to end.

4.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Wow what a book!

This is a historical sapphic novel that begins in 1830’s Prussia and follows Hanne, a Lutheran who lives in a small village in Germany. One day she meets Thea and the two become inseparable but then the Lutheran community is offered the chance to emigrate to South Australia and to finally be free from persecution. The journey is long and dangerous and as they set off, Hanne and Thea’s bonds are tested by tragedy.

I love historical novels that focus on pieces of history that aren’t necessarily widely talked about. This piece of history, the Lutheran emigration to South Australia (or colonisation as it was really) is something I personally had never learnt about in school or had heard of before. The authors writing really immerses you in the time period and the daily lives of these characters. For example; when they were on the ship I could literally feel the seasickness Hannah Kent was describing. Her writing is incredibly lyrical and atmospheric. There were so many beautiful lines in here.

At first I wasn’t too sure about the magical realism aspect of the book but I ended up really enjoying it. I think it added another dimension to the story and we got to see things we wouldn’t have otherwise seen, parts of the story would not have been able to happen. This book is very much steeped in nature and if you love magical realism involving nature you will love this.

I felt so attached to the characters, I loved seeing the members of this community throughout this time period and how their lives progressed. Hanne and Thea had such a beautiful relationship, I was desperately rooting for them and that ending had me tearing up.

I believe this novel was actually published last year but the paperback came out in early May 2023 so definitely grab this one if you like a historical novel with a touch of magical realism and that is quite character heavy. I’m so excited to read more of Hannah Kent’s work!

2.5/5

It really took some devotion to finish Devotion. The premise is interesting; I don't think I've ever read anything that followed a community of Prussian Old Lutherans on their journey to Australia.

However, I do feel like I could have learned a lot more. I don't understand why this journey was important for this specific community within this specific storyline, there were no real qualms or conversations between the characters, and I didn't learn a lot about their life either (be it in Prussia or later, in Australia). While the author's note talks about First Nations Peoples, the fact that their land was taken from them is pitifully skirted over, just like many other issues.

I feel like a lot of Devotion's potential, in general, was lost. We dipped our toes into a lot of interesting topics (marriage, patriarchy, hierarchy, faith) but we ultimately decided to not go for a swim.

On the other hand, I can't deny that Hannah Kent's writing is very powerful. It feels like every sentence sits exactly like it should and has its solid purpose within the text. The main character's inner world is rich and while the story didn't pull me in that much, Hanne definitely did.

I don't know what to think about the relationship between Hanne and Thea and its conclusion, either. I'm struggling to see the intended message behind it, but as a queer woman, I can't help feeling like something didn't quite click or sit JUST right with me.

Devotion was ultimately a mixed bag that had a counterpart for every enjoyable aspect. I preferred the character study of Burial Rites for sure, but I might reach for more Hannah Kent in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC of Devotion in return for an honest review.

My first experience of Hannah Kents writing was her debut novel Burial Rites and I fell in love with her style of writing so when I saw Devotion on NetGalley I jumped and pressed that request button so fast!Hannah Kent will always be an instant read for me. She has this incredible way of writing where the reader feels like they're in the story just watching from the background the things the main characters are experiencing and its no different in Devotion. I was transported into their world so effortlessly. It's hard not to get lost in Hannahs books and I mean that in the best way possible.

She studies her subject so thoroughly and it shows through in her writing and the care and respect the characters and situations are given. I enjoyed Devotion but I felt a stronger pull towards Burial Rites and I would encourage anyone who hasn't read any of her work to start there. I am glad I got to read this incredible book and I'm already looking forward to her next.

Such a beautiful new novel from Hannah Kent whose use of language and descriptions of nature, just make this book such a joy. The novel tells the story of Hanna ,who lives in a small village of Lithuanian families who decide to risk a long voyage to Australia to escape persecution and her friendship/love for Sophia. I wasn’t expecting the twist which came about halfway through, and this made the book, even more poignant. A book of enduring love and friendship , family bonds, religious fervour , the wonder of nature but also the strength required to be an outsider. It will stay with me for a long time and as you can probably guess I loved it. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher giving me the ARC of this novel in return for an honest review

Devotion by Hannah Kent
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars
Paperback release: 4 May 2023
Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
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Prussia, 1836: Hanne Nussbaum is a child of nature - she would rather run wild in the forest than conform to the limitations of womanhood. In her village of Kay, Hanne is friendless and considered an oddity . . . until she meets Thea.
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I knew in the first 10% that this was going to be a 5-star read. The writing is stunning, the prose is lyrical and evocative - I was transported by this story and I loved the magical realism. All the characters feel so real. The way Hannah Kent describes their feelings has so much depth; it felt so raw sometimes, and I was so invested in what was happening to them. The descriptions of nature (which is a character in its own right) are amazing as Hanne's connection to her environment is such a crucial part of this story.
About halfway through, the book took a turn that I didn't expect but I loved it. There were so many heart-wrenching, yet beautiful, moments and I loved how the author explored different aspects of what "devotion" can be: devotion to your God and religion, to your family, to the one you love and to the nature around you.
This book has, without a doubt, found its place in my favourite books of the year list already. I have two other books by Hannah Kent on my TBR trolley and I cannot wait to read them.
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