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The Rabbits
The disappearance of Bo Rabbit in 1984 left the Rabbit women crippled by grief. Bo’s mother, Rosemary, and Bo’s younger sister, Delia, became disjointed and dysfunctional, parting ways not long after Delia turned eighteen.
Now a teacher at a Queensland college, Delia’s life is dissolving. She gave up on her own art, began a relationship with a student, and is struggling to raise her three growing children, Olive, Charlie and Benjamin. And now she must also care for her mother.
Despite it all, the Rabbits are managing, precariously. Or, they were until sixteen-year-old Charlie Rabbit disappears in the middle of a blinding heatwave. The family reels from the loss, and struggles to cope as the children’s estranged father, Ed, re-enters their lives.
Only nothing is quite as it seems, and Charlie’s disappearance soon proves to be just that – a disappearance, or, rather, an unexpected bout of invisibility he’s unable to reverse.
The Rabbits is a multigenerational family story with a dose of magical realism. It is about family secrets, art, very mild superpowers, loneliness and the strange connections we make in the places we least expect.
Now a teacher at a Queensland college, Delia’s life is dissolving. She gave up on her own art, began a relationship with a student, and is struggling to raise her three growing children, Olive, Charlie and Benjamin. And now she must also care for her mother.
Despite it all, the Rabbits are managing, precariously. Or, they were until sixteen-year-old Charlie Rabbit disappears in the middle of a blinding heatwave. The family reels from the loss, and struggles to cope as the children’s estranged father, Ed, re-enters their lives.
Only nothing is quite as it seems, and Charlie’s disappearance soon proves to be just that – a disappearance, or, rather, an unexpected bout of invisibility he’s unable to reverse.
The Rabbits is a multigenerational family story with a dose of magical realism. It is about family secrets, art, very mild superpowers, loneliness and the strange connections we make in the places we least expect.
336 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 2021
7 people are currently reading
316 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Overett
6 books18 followersSophie Overett is an award-winning writer, podcaster, and cultural producer based in Melbourne, Australia. Her stories have been published around the world, and her podcast, Lady Parts, explores women in genre cinema. Her debut novel, The Rabbits, will be coming out with Penguin Australia in 2021.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 27, 2022
The second Aussie debut novel about a missing child that I finished today, another library ebook as Dirt Town was, but instead of the NSW outback, this is based in surburban Brisbane, again in the heat of summer, but very humid versus the dry outback heat. I've spent some time in Southern Queensland in summer and the humidity is a killer.
The Rabbits are a different family for sure and the first third is presenting their dysfunction and anger to us. The first third of the book is hard going, then Charlie, the middle chold, disappears. So much going on in this book, so many themes, so much angst. I ended up really liking it a lot with all it's flaws
A couple of notable quotes from later on in the book, both by Olive the oldest in the family, struggling in every way:
'All these people around her are like books written in foriegn tongues, and she doesn't know how to read any of them, can't maybe, and she doesn't understand people, she doesn't even understand herself, and grow up, Olive thinks. digging her fists into her thighs. Grow up, grow up, grow up.'
'We don't have to understand every part of each other. I never understood my mother, but I don't think that's what love is. Love isn't knowing every thought or feeling or secret, or even liking someone, it's just this thing in your gut or in your bones that says that this person is mine or I'm theirs, at least a little, and maybe I'm mad at them, but I'd pull out my bones and give them to them if that's what they needed. You. If that's what you needed.'
Good stuff, four stars, but a warning that there is magical realism (whatever that is) so if you don't like that stuff, maybe stay away.
The Rabbits are a different family for sure and the first third is presenting their dysfunction and anger to us. The first third of the book is hard going, then Charlie, the middle chold, disappears. So much going on in this book, so many themes, so much angst. I ended up really liking it a lot with all it's flaws
A couple of notable quotes from later on in the book, both by Olive the oldest in the family, struggling in every way:
'All these people around her are like books written in foriegn tongues, and she doesn't know how to read any of them, can't maybe, and she doesn't understand people, she doesn't even understand herself, and grow up, Olive thinks. digging her fists into her thighs. Grow up, grow up, grow up.'
'We don't have to understand every part of each other. I never understood my mother, but I don't think that's what love is. Love isn't knowing every thought or feeling or secret, or even liking someone, it's just this thing in your gut or in your bones that says that this person is mine or I'm theirs, at least a little, and maybe I'm mad at them, but I'd pull out my bones and give them to them if that's what they needed. You. If that's what you needed.'
Good stuff, four stars, but a warning that there is magical realism (whatever that is) so if you don't like that stuff, maybe stay away.
July 5, 2021
I have a confession to make. I haven't been reading of late, not for a while. That Black Dog, many of us know so well, followed me around for too long and a lot of things lost joy for me, including reading.
But I devoured this, ate it up greedily and allowed myself to feel every emotion along with its gorgeously written characters.
The writing is deliciously descriptive, being from Brisbane myself, I especially loved Sophie's characterisation of the summer heat. This book felt so familar for me, maybe a little too close to home at times.
The characters are laid bare upon the pages, so raw and honest and flawed. We're able to sneak into each of their worlds and find them relatable, loveable, hateable or all three at once.
The supernatural elements do not overshadow the very real human story, a story about grief, secrets, family and ultimately losing and finding yourself.
I found parts of myself in this book, and found joy in reading again. It felt like coming home.
But I devoured this, ate it up greedily and allowed myself to feel every emotion along with its gorgeously written characters.
The writing is deliciously descriptive, being from Brisbane myself, I especially loved Sophie's characterisation of the summer heat. This book felt so familar for me, maybe a little too close to home at times.
The characters are laid bare upon the pages, so raw and honest and flawed. We're able to sneak into each of their worlds and find them relatable, loveable, hateable or all three at once.
The supernatural elements do not overshadow the very real human story, a story about grief, secrets, family and ultimately losing and finding yourself.
I found parts of myself in this book, and found joy in reading again. It felt like coming home.
July 19, 2021
The winner of the 2020 Penguin Literary Prize, The Rabbits (Penguin Random House 2021) by Sophie Overett, is an in-depth exploration of family dynamics, grief and identity, with a touch of magic realism interwoven so seamlessly that it feels more real than magic as the story gently leads the reader by the hand into an impossible yet wholly believable world. As we are plunged into the lives of the Rabbit family, we become invested in each of the layered and nuanced characters, and we care very much what happens to every one; when incredible things happen, we take it in our stride, accepting the astonishing threads that are at once inconceivable but simultaneously absolutely necessary to create this family, this place, this story.
When 16-year-old Charlie Rabbit disappears, his family are beset by grief and the troubling absence of any clues as to his whereabouts. His mother, Delia Rabbit, is rocked by the similarities with her own sister Bo’s disappearance as a teenager years’ earlier. Charlie’s younger brother, Benjamin Rabbit, cannot fathom the strange turn of events his family is experiencing, which began with the departure of his estranged father, Ed, who re-enters their lives when Charlie goes missing. Charlie’s older sister, Olive, is a troubled young woman in the throes of searching for her sense of herself, her identity and what she wants from life. Delia herself is also mourning the woman she used to be and the life she thought she would have, and Delia’s mother – Rosie Rabbit – confined to a nursing home suffering from dementia, has never recovered from her daughter Bo’s disappearance.
As the entire Rabbit family deals with regret, grief, loss, betrayal, misunderstandings and incomprehensible happenings, the story reveals that some know more than they’re letting on, from the oldest Rabbit, Rosie (who is more with it than they realise) to the youngest, Benjamin (who understands more than they give him credit for).
The setting is a blistering humid heat wave in Brisbane and Overett evokes the landscape and suffocating environment with authority and confidence. The story encapsulates an Australian childhood, and more particularly a Queensland childhood, that will resonate with many readers.
Exploring art, loneliness, grief, family dynamics, family secrets, superpowers, love, self-identity and unusual forged connections, The Rabbits will draw you deep into the centre of this family until they feel like your own, and then present you with a changing narrative that can’t possibly be true and yet, somehow, equally could not be anything else but true.
Although with a baseline of loss, this book has wonderful light-hearted aspects and magical moments that prevent it being dark or heavy. The colourful and interesting characters change this from a story of grief to a book about friendships, connections, sibling relationships, hope and optimism. And I guarantee that by the end, you will definitely believe – if only a little – in the power of magic.
When 16-year-old Charlie Rabbit disappears, his family are beset by grief and the troubling absence of any clues as to his whereabouts. His mother, Delia Rabbit, is rocked by the similarities with her own sister Bo’s disappearance as a teenager years’ earlier. Charlie’s younger brother, Benjamin Rabbit, cannot fathom the strange turn of events his family is experiencing, which began with the departure of his estranged father, Ed, who re-enters their lives when Charlie goes missing. Charlie’s older sister, Olive, is a troubled young woman in the throes of searching for her sense of herself, her identity and what she wants from life. Delia herself is also mourning the woman she used to be and the life she thought she would have, and Delia’s mother – Rosie Rabbit – confined to a nursing home suffering from dementia, has never recovered from her daughter Bo’s disappearance.
As the entire Rabbit family deals with regret, grief, loss, betrayal, misunderstandings and incomprehensible happenings, the story reveals that some know more than they’re letting on, from the oldest Rabbit, Rosie (who is more with it than they realise) to the youngest, Benjamin (who understands more than they give him credit for).
The setting is a blistering humid heat wave in Brisbane and Overett evokes the landscape and suffocating environment with authority and confidence. The story encapsulates an Australian childhood, and more particularly a Queensland childhood, that will resonate with many readers.
Exploring art, loneliness, grief, family dynamics, family secrets, superpowers, love, self-identity and unusual forged connections, The Rabbits will draw you deep into the centre of this family until they feel like your own, and then present you with a changing narrative that can’t possibly be true and yet, somehow, equally could not be anything else but true.
Although with a baseline of loss, this book has wonderful light-hearted aspects and magical moments that prevent it being dark or heavy. The colourful and interesting characters change this from a story of grief to a book about friendships, connections, sibling relationships, hope and optimism. And I guarantee that by the end, you will definitely believe – if only a little – in the power of magic.
February 16, 2025
4.5 Stars
Overett’s debut novel is about a sixteen-year-old boy, Charlie Rabbit, who one day disappears. When I say disappears, I mean literally. Charlie possesses the ability to become invisible, but somehow, he has lost the ability to become visible again. This disappearance affects the other members of the Rabbit family and the reader witnesses this as Overett shifts the perspective back and forth between the mother, his sister and brother.
Along with disappearing, Charlie loses his voice as well. He communicates with his family through post-it notes and the computer.
This novel however is about so much more than Charlie’s invisibility. It is about the Rabbit family and their lives. It is about secrets that have torn chasms between mothers and daughters, left a mother and father estranged. Secrets between friends, and the damage they inflict. It’s about mothers losing daughters and daughters losing mothers.
Delia, the mother, has already experienced the disappearance of a family member when her sister Bo disappeared when she was fourteen. This tragedy damaged Delia’s mother forever, splitting the women apart, a wound that has never healed. Her mother now resides in a respite hospital, dementia indelibly stealing a mind that we find may have some answers to Charlie’s problem.
Ed, Delia’s partner, they never married, left her and the children, and yet Delia still loves him, while sleeping with one of her students.
Olive is twenty and is lost in life. She feels like an outsider not only to her family but to herself. The division between her mother and grandmother a hereditary disease. She takes out her frustration with her friends vandalizing an old vacant house.
Benjamin is only eleven and has problems controlling his bladder.
This is a novel about the Rabbit family and all the dramas left as hurdles on their track of life, some higher than others. A rewarding read with wonderful, rich characters that I guarantee will constantly surprise you.
June 25, 2023
The Rabbits started out very promisingly with a slightly dysfunctional family that is confronted with the dramatic disappearance of the eldest son, Charlie.
It's set in the sweltering heat of a Brisbane Summer and all members of the Rabbit family are dealing with their own issues. The parents are separated, the sister is a university dropout now working in a supermarket and the younger son misses his big brother.
They are lively characters and I was interested to see how they would develop but then, around halfway through, out of nowhere, magical realism is introduced in a seemingly offhanded (but of course very deliberate) way. And unfortunately that didn't work for me...it wasn't necessary either.
The writing is good, but from that point on it all felt less natural and I started seeing writing class tips and tricks being deployed everywhere. There was a lot of drama and then a lot of love to make up for it, but it doesn't have that natural quality that for instance Anne Tyler or Ann Patchett's novels have (these are the two I was craving for towards the end).
It's set in the sweltering heat of a Brisbane Summer and all members of the Rabbit family are dealing with their own issues. The parents are separated, the sister is a university dropout now working in a supermarket and the younger son misses his big brother.
They are lively characters and I was interested to see how they would develop but then, around halfway through, out of nowhere, magical realism is introduced in a seemingly offhanded (but of course very deliberate) way. And unfortunately that didn't work for me...it wasn't necessary either.
The writing is good, but from that point on it all felt less natural and I started seeing writing class tips and tricks being deployed everywhere. There was a lot of drama and then a lot of love to make up for it, but it doesn't have that natural quality that for instance Anne Tyler or Ann Patchett's novels have (these are the two I was craving for towards the end).
July 31, 2022
I’m loved this book so much. It took me a little bit to get into and sort the characters and then that was it, I was totally hooked. The family were so totally loveable and their relationships all so mixed up and so real. There are so many topics covered and so many gentle messages shared, I think each reader will take something different away with them, always positive. For me I find myself wanting to return to the book, to live again in the life of the Rabbits and to learn form heir experiences, their communication and their magic, wonderful, thank you.
September 10, 2021
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
‘You’re stuck with me. My magic daughter. Your magic brothers. We’re the Rambunctious, Riveting Rabbits, aren’t we?’
Award winning writer and cultural producer Sophie Overett took out the much-lauded 2020 Penguin Literary Prize for her debut novel The Rabbits. Published by Penguin Books Australia on July 2nd 2021, Sophie Overett’s unique narrative combines magical realism with suburban life in contemporary Australia. The Rabbits is a startling story of loss, change, trauma, strained relations and connections.
A tale about loss and how to deal with the fallout from a traumatic incident, The Rabbits is a story of all-encompassing family love. Haunted by the shock disappearance of her older sister Bo, Delia Rabbit continues to struggle with the loss of her older sibling. Plagued by grief, Bo’s disappearance has had a direct impact on the relationship between Delia and her mother. As a result, the two have remained distanced since Delia turned eighteen. Delia tries to move on and create a new life for herself far away from the stresses her family’s dysfunction. Delia has achieved success in her working life through her employment as an Art Teacher at a college in Queensland. But Delia is still haunted by the loss of her sister, which has also impacted her marriage and children. When Delia’s daughter, husband and son all disappear from her embrace, Delia must confront her past family issues head-on. What emerges from this drama filled tale is a cross generational story tinged with conjecture and secrets.
A novel with a strong literary slant that places the spotlight on trauma, loss, grief and dysfunction in families, The Rabbits is the first novel from award winning writer Sophie Overett. The author bio on the opening page of The Rabbits declares that Sophie Overett is a passionate storyteller of all formats, including magical realism, literary fiction and horror. The Rabbits sees this new author display her tenacity as an experimental author via her debut novel. The Rabbits offers the reader quite a surreal experience, while also capturing the simple or mundane elements of general life, along with family dynamics. Reflective, meditative, quirky and creative, I appreciated the intent of this novel much more than the overall execution. Unfortunately, as magical realism is genre I struggle with, I experienced some difficulties in connecting to and fully understanding The Rabbits. This one baffled me!
Sophie Overett’s first novel has gained a lot of literary and media recognition so it is well worth sourcing a copy of this novel if you appreciate a literary approach to a modern fiction tale.
*Please note that a free copy of this book was provided to me for review purposes through Beauty & Lace and Penguin Books Australia.
The Rabbits is book #82 of the 2021 Australian Women Writers Challenge
‘You’re stuck with me. My magic daughter. Your magic brothers. We’re the Rambunctious, Riveting Rabbits, aren’t we?’
Award winning writer and cultural producer Sophie Overett took out the much-lauded 2020 Penguin Literary Prize for her debut novel The Rabbits. Published by Penguin Books Australia on July 2nd 2021, Sophie Overett’s unique narrative combines magical realism with suburban life in contemporary Australia. The Rabbits is a startling story of loss, change, trauma, strained relations and connections.
A tale about loss and how to deal with the fallout from a traumatic incident, The Rabbits is a story of all-encompassing family love. Haunted by the shock disappearance of her older sister Bo, Delia Rabbit continues to struggle with the loss of her older sibling. Plagued by grief, Bo’s disappearance has had a direct impact on the relationship between Delia and her mother. As a result, the two have remained distanced since Delia turned eighteen. Delia tries to move on and create a new life for herself far away from the stresses her family’s dysfunction. Delia has achieved success in her working life through her employment as an Art Teacher at a college in Queensland. But Delia is still haunted by the loss of her sister, which has also impacted her marriage and children. When Delia’s daughter, husband and son all disappear from her embrace, Delia must confront her past family issues head-on. What emerges from this drama filled tale is a cross generational story tinged with conjecture and secrets.
A novel with a strong literary slant that places the spotlight on trauma, loss, grief and dysfunction in families, The Rabbits is the first novel from award winning writer Sophie Overett. The author bio on the opening page of The Rabbits declares that Sophie Overett is a passionate storyteller of all formats, including magical realism, literary fiction and horror. The Rabbits sees this new author display her tenacity as an experimental author via her debut novel. The Rabbits offers the reader quite a surreal experience, while also capturing the simple or mundane elements of general life, along with family dynamics. Reflective, meditative, quirky and creative, I appreciated the intent of this novel much more than the overall execution. Unfortunately, as magical realism is genre I struggle with, I experienced some difficulties in connecting to and fully understanding The Rabbits. This one baffled me!
Sophie Overett’s first novel has gained a lot of literary and media recognition so it is well worth sourcing a copy of this novel if you appreciate a literary approach to a modern fiction tale.
*Please note that a free copy of this book was provided to me for review purposes through Beauty & Lace and Penguin Books Australia.
The Rabbits is book #82 of the 2021 Australian Women Writers Challenge
January 20, 2022
DNF at 30%. You can tell that the author probably studied creative writing and uses a lot of literary devices, but overall the storyline is very slow. It's like a book you have to read for school to discuss the themes when you'd rather be reading a captivating book that enthralls you.
July 24, 2021
http://jessjustreads.com
Sophie Overett’s The Rabbits is a multigenerational literary novel interwoven with magical realism. At its core, The Rabbits explores family and loneliness, a loss of connection among loved ones, and reconnecting during times of heartache.
Set over a relative short time period, the story follows the Rabbit family — mother Delia, ex-partner Ed, and their three children Olive, Charlie and Benjamin. One day, Charlie disappears. For Delia, it brings back the painful memories of her childhood when her sister Bo died.
“They’re there within the hour, the blue and red lights flashing through the gap in the curtains, and Olive peers cautiously out her window as two police officers step out of the car…it’s not long before she hears the front door crack open and the police officers step inside, hears their quiet, considered words to Delia, and Delia’s harried response.”
Set in suburban Brisbane, Sophie captures the layers of contemporary family life in Queensland. It’s not just about the steamy, humid weather or school or trauma, it’s about the tense relationship between mother and daughter, the fractured relationship between mother and father, and how when Charlie goes missing, they all slowly come together to process this new family dynamic.
There’s a certain poignancy to this novel — a sensitive caress. This story is more character-driven than plot-driven, and Sophie uses magical realism to peel back the layers of the Rabbits so they can begin to heal. There’s beauty in the unknown here, and going into this novel with no knowledge of how the magical realism will be embedded proves an interesting read indeed. I loved finding out how the story was going to progress, and how elements of the magical were going to be interwoven. Whilst the elements of the unreal are never really explained or resolved, I don’t think they need to be. There’s beauty in what’s left unsaid.
“Her voice is weedy, wiry, like it’s distorted through a line somehow, and Olive can’t help it — the way it drips like petrol into the constant embers of her anger. Her chest suddenly aches, and she wishes she was somewhere else.”
Written in third person, the chapters alternate POV between the different members of the Rabbit family, and sometimes it was a little unclear at first whose story we were in. It could take a minute to determine the transfer of perspective, especially if the scene involved more than one Rabbit.
Other than that, Sophie’s writing is near faultless and the story grips you from the opening chapters. Her writing is seamless and the dialogue realistic. Tender moments between siblings and friends help carry the story forward, and I think this novel will attract a broad audience.
“Delia’s pencil makes quick work on the tracing paper, righting the slant, the scale, the shading that angles the lurching gum trees so strangely. It’s an easy practice. The shadow of an old habit, and out of the corner of her eye she can see the girl watching with wide eyes, her cheeks flushed, her throat quivering in embarrassment or admiration, Delia doesn’t really care to know.”
Captivating, rich and beautifully written, The Rabbits is recommended for literary readers. Readership skews female, 25+
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Sophie Overett’s The Rabbits is a multigenerational literary novel interwoven with magical realism. At its core, The Rabbits explores family and loneliness, a loss of connection among loved ones, and reconnecting during times of heartache.
Set over a relative short time period, the story follows the Rabbit family — mother Delia, ex-partner Ed, and their three children Olive, Charlie and Benjamin. One day, Charlie disappears. For Delia, it brings back the painful memories of her childhood when her sister Bo died.
“They’re there within the hour, the blue and red lights flashing through the gap in the curtains, and Olive peers cautiously out her window as two police officers step out of the car…it’s not long before she hears the front door crack open and the police officers step inside, hears their quiet, considered words to Delia, and Delia’s harried response.”
Set in suburban Brisbane, Sophie captures the layers of contemporary family life in Queensland. It’s not just about the steamy, humid weather or school or trauma, it’s about the tense relationship between mother and daughter, the fractured relationship between mother and father, and how when Charlie goes missing, they all slowly come together to process this new family dynamic.
There’s a certain poignancy to this novel — a sensitive caress. This story is more character-driven than plot-driven, and Sophie uses magical realism to peel back the layers of the Rabbits so they can begin to heal. There’s beauty in the unknown here, and going into this novel with no knowledge of how the magical realism will be embedded proves an interesting read indeed. I loved finding out how the story was going to progress, and how elements of the magical were going to be interwoven. Whilst the elements of the unreal are never really explained or resolved, I don’t think they need to be. There’s beauty in what’s left unsaid.
“Her voice is weedy, wiry, like it’s distorted through a line somehow, and Olive can’t help it — the way it drips like petrol into the constant embers of her anger. Her chest suddenly aches, and she wishes she was somewhere else.”
Written in third person, the chapters alternate POV between the different members of the Rabbit family, and sometimes it was a little unclear at first whose story we were in. It could take a minute to determine the transfer of perspective, especially if the scene involved more than one Rabbit.
Other than that, Sophie’s writing is near faultless and the story grips you from the opening chapters. Her writing is seamless and the dialogue realistic. Tender moments between siblings and friends help carry the story forward, and I think this novel will attract a broad audience.
“Delia’s pencil makes quick work on the tracing paper, righting the slant, the scale, the shading that angles the lurching gum trees so strangely. It’s an easy practice. The shadow of an old habit, and out of the corner of her eye she can see the girl watching with wide eyes, her cheeks flushed, her throat quivering in embarrassment or admiration, Delia doesn’t really care to know.”
Captivating, rich and beautifully written, The Rabbits is recommended for literary readers. Readership skews female, 25+
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 17, 2021
Really fantastic exploration of complicated familial relationships in a vivid setting.
September 13, 2021
One of those books that appears from the other realm just at the moment I need it, delivering me dialogue that helped mend a fracturing relationship. We can’t see each other clearly but there’s so much love it can break us.
September 20, 2021
I quite enjoyed the start of this book, but by half way through, I really had to force myself to keep going. The jumping from character to character annoyed me, and Delia and Olive were just not that likeable or interesting. The magic bit, not clearly explained, did not resonate with me, and after reading it, I felt disappointed and wondered truly what was the point?
September 15, 2021
I really don't know how I feel about it but it makes me think hard trying to? I dunno if I like it or if it was poorly executed or if it was amazing
September 17, 2021
I liked the premise and how it was written but strongly disliked the magical realism and wish it were not there at all. I feel like it was symbolic for something but couldn’t care less what that was.
November 4, 2021
This review also appears on my blog Genie in a Book
There is magic to be found in a story that is written with such a pointed and achingly real depiction of what it means to be part of a family, to experience a loss, and to know how to rediscover an identity you thought was long gone. The Rabbits encapsulates so much in its blisteringly honest characters. Each member of the family has their own insecurities, a need to be connected to something and mend relationships that have been broken either by losing a person's physical presence, or simply the absence of any true substance even when someone is standing right next to you. Set against the sweltering heat of a Queensland summer and with an original, well-executed twist of magical realism, Overett draws you in from the very first scene and from there it's very hard to let go as the pages fly by.
You're no good at this, a voice tells her, and no, Delia thinks, she's not. She wants to tell him she's done this before. That she's been Benjamin and she's been Olive. That she's desperately searched, and been bitterly angry, but none of it brings back someone who won't be found, and sometimes the not knowing is better than the truth, because at least it means there's a chance. Her chest tightens, constricts to such a degree that she feels light-headed, and she leans back, putting her hand on the kitchen island to steady herself.
While the string of missing people in the Rabbits' family life is a central aspect of the novel, what makes this book such a success is the way every character is invested in equally. From Delia's voice as a mother, reflecting on the disappearance of her sister Bo all those years ago, to her mother now slipping away with dementia and old age, Olive rebelling in the early phases of adulthood, and Ben navigating all the drama as a ten year old, every character's voice is portrayed in so much detail. It's rare to find a book that has this combination of both adult and child shifts in perspective which is achieved so seamlessly. You feel as though you've stepped right into the lives of the Rabbits where each secret is ripped open with tender prose that is a pleasure to read.
There is something to be said also about the creativity of including even the slightest hint of something supernatural in the story. While some works may try too hard or stray beyond into fantasy where it doesn't quite hit the mark, Overett here uses these twists of magical realism to add even more interest and make it just to the threshold of being conceivable. I won't put any spoilers here, but just know that it's clever and done well!
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Rabbits is as creative as it is addictive to read. Fiction by Australian authors has always been promising for me, and I'm so glad that I picked this one up. The Rabbits is full of mystery, insights on troubled family ties and with a satisfying end, making Sophie Overett one to watch!
There is magic to be found in a story that is written with such a pointed and achingly real depiction of what it means to be part of a family, to experience a loss, and to know how to rediscover an identity you thought was long gone. The Rabbits encapsulates so much in its blisteringly honest characters. Each member of the family has their own insecurities, a need to be connected to something and mend relationships that have been broken either by losing a person's physical presence, or simply the absence of any true substance even when someone is standing right next to you. Set against the sweltering heat of a Queensland summer and with an original, well-executed twist of magical realism, Overett draws you in from the very first scene and from there it's very hard to let go as the pages fly by.
You're no good at this, a voice tells her, and no, Delia thinks, she's not. She wants to tell him she's done this before. That she's been Benjamin and she's been Olive. That she's desperately searched, and been bitterly angry, but none of it brings back someone who won't be found, and sometimes the not knowing is better than the truth, because at least it means there's a chance. Her chest tightens, constricts to such a degree that she feels light-headed, and she leans back, putting her hand on the kitchen island to steady herself.
While the string of missing people in the Rabbits' family life is a central aspect of the novel, what makes this book such a success is the way every character is invested in equally. From Delia's voice as a mother, reflecting on the disappearance of her sister Bo all those years ago, to her mother now slipping away with dementia and old age, Olive rebelling in the early phases of adulthood, and Ben navigating all the drama as a ten year old, every character's voice is portrayed in so much detail. It's rare to find a book that has this combination of both adult and child shifts in perspective which is achieved so seamlessly. You feel as though you've stepped right into the lives of the Rabbits where each secret is ripped open with tender prose that is a pleasure to read.
There is something to be said also about the creativity of including even the slightest hint of something supernatural in the story. While some works may try too hard or stray beyond into fantasy where it doesn't quite hit the mark, Overett here uses these twists of magical realism to add even more interest and make it just to the threshold of being conceivable. I won't put any spoilers here, but just know that it's clever and done well!
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Rabbits is as creative as it is addictive to read. Fiction by Australian authors has always been promising for me, and I'm so glad that I picked this one up. The Rabbits is full of mystery, insights on troubled family ties and with a satisfying end, making Sophie Overett one to watch!
March 23, 2023
A wonderfully atmospheric novel I’ve never been to Brisbane but the heat of a hot summer here is so well described I felt by the end of the novel that I had .The sultry overheated summer with its attendant smells of food decaying and flies and their maggots made a frequent appearance.The smells of bodies at various times of the day were evocative and instantly told me so much .I could imagine the setting so well that the book might as well have been written in smellovision .
As well as describing the sights and smells of the novel the author had the ability to describe feelings perfectly from the flush of sexual desire to the wriggling feeling of anxiety in the abdomen
I loved the addition of the Invisible boy in the story I spent a lot of time trying to decide If he was real or imaginary and the other characters just wanted him to be real .I liked the ending it was well crafted
There were some very tender and emotional sections the drunk daughter and her mother washing her to clean her up made me cry ,I also loved the description of the grandma and her Alzheimer’s and the younger boys Spectacular man comfort object .The family and their relationships and interactions both between themselves and with the wider community was central to the story ,they all felt immensely real and their behaviours were understandable and totally believable
The element of the supernatural was subtle and blended well with the reality of the story
The author has a distinctive voice I found her prose starkly beautiful
I was sent a prepublication copy of the novel for review it is published in the Uk on 24th April 2023 by Gallic Books
This review will be published on Goodreads and my book blog Bionicsarahsbooks.Wordpress.Com
As well as describing the sights and smells of the novel the author had the ability to describe feelings perfectly from the flush of sexual desire to the wriggling feeling of anxiety in the abdomen
I loved the addition of the Invisible boy in the story I spent a lot of time trying to decide If he was real or imaginary and the other characters just wanted him to be real .I liked the ending it was well crafted
There were some very tender and emotional sections the drunk daughter and her mother washing her to clean her up made me cry ,I also loved the description of the grandma and her Alzheimer’s and the younger boys Spectacular man comfort object .The family and their relationships and interactions both between themselves and with the wider community was central to the story ,they all felt immensely real and their behaviours were understandable and totally believable
The element of the supernatural was subtle and blended well with the reality of the story
The author has a distinctive voice I found her prose starkly beautiful
I was sent a prepublication copy of the novel for review it is published in the Uk on 24th April 2023 by Gallic Books
This review will be published on Goodreads and my book blog Bionicsarahsbooks.Wordpress.Com
March 23, 2023
Get ready to meet the Rabbits! I love how careful the family dynamics are explored in The Rabbits. We get to meet Delia, Olive, Charlie and Benjamin who are just trying to navigate life together.
I really feel that the author delves into what it feels like and means to be "seen" and how that can be different for different people. For some it can be a simple acknowledgement that they're there whilst for others it may take a grand gesture.
I was absolutely engrossed in this book and couldn't wait to start reading again each day.
I feel that another theme explored is the different ways in which we love, want to be loved and express love to others. It may be through words, actions, a painting or even simply by doing nothing and giving them the space they need or just holding someone's hand.
*Spoilers*
I'm sure at one point or another, we all have wished we could disappear. But what if you truly could? What if you didn't know how to come back? Charlie disappears at the start of the book and as a reader you fear the worst. However, Charlie eventually reappears and in my my mind, this is just when the other Rabbits are starting to make progress in their lives and begin to understand what the other family members need. I feel this is an absolutely sublime metaphor for what's going on as in my mind, Charlie seems to be doing pretty well in life before his disappearance where as the other Rabbits are all working through separate issues. Charlie communicates through notes to His family and says He feels His Mum's mad at him on various occasions so his reappearance at the end hints he is now able to feel seen both literally and metaphorically.
Absolutely unputdownable! Fabulous!
I really feel that the author delves into what it feels like and means to be "seen" and how that can be different for different people. For some it can be a simple acknowledgement that they're there whilst for others it may take a grand gesture.
I was absolutely engrossed in this book and couldn't wait to start reading again each day.
I feel that another theme explored is the different ways in which we love, want to be loved and express love to others. It may be through words, actions, a painting or even simply by doing nothing and giving them the space they need or just holding someone's hand.
*Spoilers*
I'm sure at one point or another, we all have wished we could disappear. But what if you truly could? What if you didn't know how to come back? Charlie disappears at the start of the book and as a reader you fear the worst. However, Charlie eventually reappears and in my my mind, this is just when the other Rabbits are starting to make progress in their lives and begin to understand what the other family members need. I feel this is an absolutely sublime metaphor for what's going on as in my mind, Charlie seems to be doing pretty well in life before his disappearance where as the other Rabbits are all working through separate issues. Charlie communicates through notes to His family and says He feels His Mum's mad at him on various occasions so his reappearance at the end hints he is now able to feel seen both literally and metaphorically.
Absolutely unputdownable! Fabulous!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2025
Everything feels worse during the sweltering, humid, summer heat of Brisbane, & this family certainly has a lot to contend with. The Rabbit family are dealing with so much - grief, loss, trauma, a disconnection from each other -, & I could feel the high temperatures exacerbating everything.
Unfortunately, I found this tale too much of a slog for me to really enjoy & engage with it. A bit too high-flown literary, too many clever devices, & magical realism often irritates. There are merits, no doubt, & it does have a unique flavour, but my disconnectedness from the Rabbits rivalled their own from each other.
Unfortunately, I found this tale too much of a slog for me to really enjoy & engage with it. A bit too high-flown literary, too many clever devices, & magical realism often irritates. There are merits, no doubt, & it does have a unique flavour, but my disconnectedness from the Rabbits rivalled their own from each other.
July 25, 2021
🎧3.5⭐️ There is a lot to like about this very Australian and stifling, hot, Brissie story and getting to know the Rabbits. I found the treatment of grief sad and beautiful and my favourite section was, “Can you scrub grief from your mind? Or does it bury you alive? Does it choke the earth of you? Salt your soul so nothing ever grows again?”. I love the theme around being seen and unseen and the difficulty of human connection.
There was more I wanted to learn under the surface of the main characters.
There was more I wanted to learn under the surface of the main characters.
February 9, 2023
This is a totally enjoyable glimpse into the life of a slightly dysfunctional, magical family with a history of disappearing acts. It shows how the ways we love those closest to us is not always simple or easy, but it is what shapes us and moves us.
Delia, Olive, Benjamin, and even the absent Charlie, are woven together in thought and action, as secrets are revealed, as family comes together and apart and together.
Delia, Olive, Benjamin, and even the absent Charlie, are woven together in thought and action, as secrets are revealed, as family comes together and apart and together.
August 6, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderfully rich story of the complexities of families, and of the strains of love and loss. The magical realism elements grew on me until they were as real as the rest of the world contained in the pages. Great Australian fiction.
August 10, 2021
Wow, what a brilliant book. Beautifully written with well developed & believable characters. The "rambunctious riveting Rabbits" are quite the family. Themes of family, love, growing up, being "seen". Perfect interweaving of magic realism with a clear sense of Brisbane.
January 20, 2022
Thought it seemed familiar. Ended up going to the end. NUH, 'magic realism', is definitely not for me.
February 23, 2023
This is a most unusual book of a family that is falling apart. There’s love but so much anger and loneliness. Their unusual abilities are mind boggling and very hard to live with.
April 28, 2023
Most notable for me, there are some exquisite sentences in this book. The writing held me more than story or character, although both were reasonably strong.
June 19, 2023
Not my usual choice but good none the less!
did-not-finish
July 3, 2023DNF - 46%
July 30, 2023
Wasn't sure I liked this at first but then was hooked. Beautifully written and captivating. Ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. Great debut.
December 7, 2023
Gave up ~50%
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