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Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit
Ten-year-old Lily Nelson lives with her mother, sister, and the wellspring of her hatred: her father, Henry. Since Henry returned to their lives after an unexplained eight-year absence, the family has been uprooted, both physically and emotionally, moving from the mystical forests of Nakusp to the soulless suburbs of Vancouver, BC. There, an old but familiar darkness creeps into the household, unraveling their bonds and manifesting as rage, addiction, and madness. The darkness brings a shadow that attaches itself to Lily's mother-a shadow that only Lily seems to see.
Lily discovers she has magic in her being when she hears whispers coming from an old book. Maybe now she'll be able to fix her broken life. Blaming Henry for her family's misery, Lily plans to use her newfound power to uncover Henry's dark past and banish him forever. When she visits her aunt's cabin in Nakusp, her abilities intensify, and Lily begins to lose control.
With magic in Lily's bones, and ancestral trauma in the long line of women before her, Lily teeters on the edge of chaos while running out of time. She must learn-with the forest as her loving but neutral guide-the cost of hatred, the nature of healing, and the delicate balance between saving her loved ones and saving herself....
Lily discovers she has magic in her being when she hears whispers coming from an old book. Maybe now she'll be able to fix her broken life. Blaming Henry for her family's misery, Lily plans to use her newfound power to uncover Henry's dark past and banish him forever. When she visits her aunt's cabin in Nakusp, her abilities intensify, and Lily begins to lose control.
With magic in Lily's bones, and ancestral trauma in the long line of women before her, Lily teeters on the edge of chaos while running out of time. She must learn-with the forest as her loving but neutral guide-the cost of hatred, the nature of healing, and the delicate balance between saving her loved ones and saving herself....
276 pages, Paperback
Published November 13, 2020
1 person is currently reading
3438 people want to read
About the author
Valerie Dunsmore
1 book27 followersValerie Dunsmore is a Canadian writer who studied creative writing at Kwantlen College, and graduated from the journalism program at Grant MacEwan College. Deeply inspired by nature, as well as her children, Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit is Valerie’s first publication. She is working on her second novel and resides in Calgary, Alberta.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 28, 2021
This book is what I would describe as hauntingly beautiful.
Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit follows Lily and her complicated family and the steady build-up of events that threaten to uproot them.
What I really enjoyed about this book was the incredibly descriptions of the setting, the forest, every flower and plant, the animals - it was really rich with beauty that was a perfect contrast to the subtle grimness of what haunted Lily's family. Reading from the point of view of a ten-year-old surprisingly did not deter my liking of this book - Lily was wise beyond her age and definitely not naïve, which made her both slightly unreliable (as she could not possibly know everything going on) yet believable.
There were a few instances near the very end where the clarity become a big foggy, though. I think it would take a second read or even a book club discussion to uncover exactly what it all meant. The plot was not entirely clear, but it wasn't hugely important and there was the unravelling mystery that kept pulling me in. Though I was able to piece together the mystery, it was cleverly written that it could be discovered - as opposed to coming out of the left field, and there was still a fair amount that remained surprising, yet fitting with the build up towards it.
It was especially nice to read about the landscapes of BC as I was able to picture many of them clearly, having been to some of the destinations mentioned within this book. This was a very well crafted book.
Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit follows Lily and her complicated family and the steady build-up of events that threaten to uproot them.
What I really enjoyed about this book was the incredibly descriptions of the setting, the forest, every flower and plant, the animals - it was really rich with beauty that was a perfect contrast to the subtle grimness of what haunted Lily's family. Reading from the point of view of a ten-year-old surprisingly did not deter my liking of this book - Lily was wise beyond her age and definitely not naïve, which made her both slightly unreliable (as she could not possibly know everything going on) yet believable.
There were a few instances near the very end where the clarity become a big foggy, though. I think it would take a second read or even a book club discussion to uncover exactly what it all meant. The plot was not entirely clear, but it wasn't hugely important and there was the unravelling mystery that kept pulling me in. Though I was able to piece together the mystery, it was cleverly written that it could be discovered - as opposed to coming out of the left field, and there was still a fair amount that remained surprising, yet fitting with the build up towards it.
It was especially nice to read about the landscapes of BC as I was able to picture many of them clearly, having been to some of the destinations mentioned within this book. This was a very well crafted book.
November 6, 2021
Fascinating point of view from a ten-year-old girl with an old soul of her broken family.
Walks the line between brutal reality and poetic magic.
Walks the line between brutal reality and poetic magic.
March 21, 2021
The book tells a story about an empowered and young girl that has no fear at all when it comes to helping others. She is fascinated with life and nature so she starts a new journey thanks to the rabbits, her mom, her sister and of course a new friend. This book has a deep meaning for me, I dare to say that it is the beginning of something new in my personal life. Also, it is a book that will teach you a lot of things that are in front of us, but only if you are willing to look at things with your eyes wide open. This book also talks about mental health and magic, how they are related and how even when you feel that there is no hope at all, you can keep coping and moving ahead. This book will surprise you chapter after chapter and it will give you more reasons to keep reading because the answers are the only thing you need from it. So, I suggest you grab a glass of wine, a cup of coffee or tea and start reading it while you can. And even if you can’t put it down, don’t forget that it is okay to breathe between chapters too.
Merged review:
The book tells a story about an empowered and young girl that has no fear at all when it comes to helping others. She is fascinated with life and nature so she starts a new journey thanks to the rabbits, her mom, her sister and of course a new friend. This book has a deep meaning for me, I dare to say that it is the beginning of something new in my personal life. Also, it is a book that will teach you a lot of things that are in front of us, but only if you are willing to look at things with your eyes wide open. This book also talks about mental health and magic, how they are related and how even when you feel that there is no hope at all, you can keep coping and moving ahead. This book will surprise you chapter after chapter and it will give you more reasons to keep reading because the answers are the only thing you need from it. So, I suggest you grab a glass of wine, a cup of coffee or tea and start reading it while you can. And even if you can’t put it down, don’t forget that it is okay to breathe between chapters too.
Merged review:
The book tells a story about an empowered and young girl that has no fear at all when it comes to helping others. She is fascinated with life and nature so she starts a new journey thanks to the rabbits, her mom, her sister and of course a new friend. This book has a deep meaning for me, I dare to say that it is the beginning of something new in my personal life. Also, it is a book that will teach you a lot of things that are in front of us, but only if you are willing to look at things with your eyes wide open. This book also talks about mental health and magic, how they are related and how even when you feel that there is no hope at all, you can keep coping and moving ahead. This book will surprise you chapter after chapter and it will give you more reasons to keep reading because the answers are the only thing you need from it. So, I suggest you grab a glass of wine, a cup of coffee or tea and start reading it while you can. And even if you can’t put it down, don’t forget that it is okay to breathe between chapters too.
April 14, 2021
This is such a beautiful and relatable story of a young girl's journey through difficult family dynamics, and her personal struggle of saving her loved ones, or herself. Dunsmore's writing is poetic and mystical, this was a page turner that I read late into the night. Highly recommend.
March 24, 2021
The imagery in this book is poetic and beautiful. Loved the magic and realism portrayed throughout.
It connects the spirit to nature while following the dark story of 10 year old Lily as she over comes her family hardships. My wish is for everyone to know there is always an ‘Aunt Ruth’ to run to.
Loved the personal connection to the West Kootenays. Will always think of this book while there now.
It connects the spirit to nature while following the dark story of 10 year old Lily as she over comes her family hardships. My wish is for everyone to know there is always an ‘Aunt Ruth’ to run to.
Loved the personal connection to the West Kootenays. Will always think of this book while there now.
March 3, 2021
The author made me feel like I was in the right in the book with Lily. I felt like I could smell the flowers and trees of the forest, taste Aunt Ruth’s baking, feel Calum’s warm hand. Beautifully written!
August 10, 2022
Such a lyrical writer!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews