Gut wrenching and visceral, this is not a comfortable read, with graphic depictions of violence and child abuse. But in the central character, Turtle, we find hope. Trapped in a warped and abusive home with her survivalist father, Turtle is trained to be a tough, clinical, gun-toting, misogynistic soldier. And yet she loves her father. To see her grow and change, to watch how chance encounters with Jacob and Brett, initially, and later changes in her key relationships lead to her breaking free of what she has always known, and the final, dramatic showdown is written with tension, purpose and poetic detail to how this all happens surrounded by nature that is cruel, beautiful and merciless. A wonderful and terrible tale, a hard read but a rewarding one, and a powerful set of characters.

I'm sorry but I could not read this book. After reading the first few chapters I found myself not wanting to read any more. Very dark book with a difficult subject matter. Not my kind of book!

(DNF @ 6%) Another "Samuel Hawley" this ain’t. I’d heard such amazing things about this debut novel and was indeed impressed by the descriptive language and characterization. Fourteen-year-old Julia “Turtle” Alveston lives in a creepy derelict house with her father, Martin. Their little pocket of California is their whole world, and they have their own rules here. Turtle knows a lot about guns but not much that will help her in school. That’s okay, because her father doesn’t value traditional education at a time of environmental catastrophe. He’s very clued-in about the state of the world, and reads Hume, for goodness’ sake; he’s not the bruiser he might at first appear. But he also uses demeaning language towards Turtle, language she’s internalized and uses against herself, and there’s a possessive, sexual nature to their relationship. I was so disturbed by the horrifically matter-of-fact sex scene between them (“her engorged pussy” and “the coarse spiderweb texture of his spunk among her fingers”) at the end of Chapter 1 that I couldn’t go on, even though I was supposed to review this for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Luckily my editor was very understanding. There’s a chance I might come back to this book someday, but I think I’d want to hear some more reassurances that it’s worth sticking around.

A story about a girl named Turtle growing up with her single father.

Very dark story of a teenage girl whose survivalist disturbed father has her isolated from her peers and society in general.

The author's style is very powerful and sparse but I found the subject matter upsetting.

My mind is still reeling from My Absolute Darling, Tarrant's first, and I sincerely hope not his last novel. I would have read straight through, and finished in a day had life not interrupted. It is truly a special read.

Martin and Kibble, Kibble and Martin. The depravity of the situation manifests itself so early in the novel. Their home was overgrown, almost surrendered to nature. Roses and poison oak clawing their way into Kibble's bedroom. Martin retrieving the skillet to cook the steak, which raccoons had licked clean. Kibble's daily breakfast brought a feral child to mind, and her actions reinforced that perception as the novel progressed. I waited in anticipation during her forest trip, to learn what the fall out of her following Brett and Jacob through the forest would be.

Jekyll and Hyde came to mind on many occasions in the form of Martin. How one man can profess to possess so much love for an individual and then can utterly transform. His forcing of Kibble to perform chin ups from the kitchen rafters. His reaction when he discovered the amnesty international t-shirt in her bedroom chest. His alienation from life, willing detachment from society and reality, his constant subtle, and not so subtle threats.

Whose heart could Julia's plight not possibly break? Wanting to love, believing in love, starved of societal norms, craving to belong, trusting, believing because she's always believed, believing because not to believe is not an option for her, not to believe means not to live.

The descriptions throughout this book far exceed so many expectations on so many levels. The language was exquisite, the imagery was photographic in its precision.
I expect a background in botany, or just a superb researcher, for he seems to have left no stone unturned. The descriptions are exquisite, down to the most minute detail. To say that the reader is planted right in the heart of her life, among the Redwood, Timothy and Poison Oak, is an understatement. We can see, hear and sense every aspect of Turtle's pitiful existence.

And her meltdown. When left alone, isolated and unsure. With the chain saw and the cherry bookshelves. The gasoline and the skillet. What next, we're aching to know. What more can this child endure?

Stranded on the island, caught in the swell. Blood and breaks, wilderness survival at its very best. With breaking point reached she begins to talk. And some of the truth is out. She knows, he knows, they all know really. But so does she, and that's what frightens her most.

And then we meet Cayenne, and the coin. And Turtle knows, and reaches out to Wallace. She's young, and scared, but she still knows. Fight or flight, it wasn't just her anymore. Survival instincts kicked in. The homecoming party was a home coming in more ways than one. A day of reckoning, one we will all face in the end, the outcome of which is in our own hands.

This is the story of 14 year old Julie "Turtle" Alveston and her Survivalist father. I don't want to go too deep into the story for a couple of reasons - the main one being that I think the subject matter could turn people off and they could miss out on a brilliant read; the other being that I went in blind and found it tense, claustrophobic and harrowing: I think some of that could be lost if you know what's coming.

This isn't an easy read - it's a story of a young girl caught between love and hate, light and dark, good and evil. I was reminded, in places, of early Stephen King - particularly Carrie. If you're able for a graphic, dark, unsettling read that doesn't hold back - then I'd highly recommend this. It's one that will stay with me for a very, very long time.

Every so often a book comes along that blows everything out of the water.. and then a book like this comes along and blows that away! This is a brutal, disturbing yet utterly compelling read and I don't say this often about books but it actually blew my mind & smashed it to pieces! Firstly Gabriel Tallent's prose is incredible, so sparse yet beautifully descriptive and so wonderfully evocative that you feel every step of Turtle's incredible journey. The characters are so well developed and the interactions so authentic that they leap right off the page. Secondly the subject matter is extreme... it deals with physical and psychological abuse and is often very graphic so this is not a book for the faint-hearted. This is a book that will challenge the reader on every conceivable level but it's a story that will stay with you long after you turn the final page. If anyone is put off by the 'extremeness' of the subject matter I would urge you to step outside of your comfort zone and give this story a chance because it truly is a masterclass in how modern fiction should be written and Gabriel Tallent is undoubtedly a brave, new, incredible talent and I cannot wait to read more from him.

Right, I will start off by saying that this book will not be for everyone. I contains arguably some of the darkest subject matters in existence, and does not hold back on violent and disturbing acts and descriptions. The story centres around 14-year old "Turtle", who lives with her unstable, abusive, and narcissistic father, Martin. Throughout the book, Turtle's struggles are documented, as well as her ever-increasingly longing for freedom from her father and a chance at a normal life.

Whilst I thought that the dark content was handled in a remarkably tasteful and unflinching way, I still had a number of issues with this book. Firstly, I really struggled with the incessant use of complex and wordy language. At times, it almost felt like the author was trying to show how clever he was and for me, it took away from some of my enjoyment of My Absolute Darling, and at times, I found it a chore to pick up and continue reading. In addition to this, I also found a lot of the (deliberately) ambiguous narrative of Turtle quite confusing at times, and found myself having to read and re-read many paragraphs multiple times just to keep up.

That being said, My Absolute Darling was a rather impressive piece of writing that I'm sure will touch and stay with many people. The author also masterfully created a number of engaging and likeable secondary characters; something that I think many authors struggle to do well. Overall, this book wasn't really for me- not because of the dark content and subject matter, but because of the writing style. For me, writing style (rightly or wrongly) tends to make or break a book, and My Absolute Darling was just slightly too much of a struggle for me to properly settle into and enjoy.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for giving me the opportunity to review Gabriel Tallent's My Absolute Darling.
Turtle is a character that will stay with me for a while. I kept hearing about this book without hearing about the storyline and it does not fail to impress. We are drawn into 14year old Turtles life off the grid with her survivalist, anti establishment, brutal father where we see her struggle with relationships outside the home. A chance encounter in the woods with two lost local high school students marks a series of eye opening and coming of age events that make her realise that life with Martin is not tenable.
The writing is beautifully descriptive, which makes the brutal sections of the story quite harrowing in contrast to the evocative scenes in nature and the woods. Additionally the characters are complex and very real.
While the subject matter in some passages are difficult to read the narrative flows and draws the reader in. This book was unputdownable but not for the faint hearted.

A profoundly disturbing story of young Turtle (Julia) who dwells in Mendocino an America's west coast an area of outstanding natural beauty with dense forests and a rugged coastline. In deep contrast to this utopian scene Turtle lives alone with her father Martin who, although he expresses his undying love for her, feels the need to rape her in a never ending cycle of loathsome self pity. This is her guardian, the one entrusted to care for her, and because of these despicable acts Turtle cannot comprehend her feelings towards him, she both loves and loathes him in equal measures. The controlling influence of the father creates some frightening and upsetting scenes to read: The child is forced to complete a number of pull-ups from a rafter and when she lowers her body Martin holds a knife beneath her..."Then he raised the knife and lays the blade up between her legs."....."The knife bites into the blue denim of her jeans and Turtle feels the cold steel through her panties."

Turtle meets and befriends a boy called Jacob and she begins to understand that kindness and friendship can exist even in a world where despicable acts are performed on a daily basis. As she returns home one evening she notices that her home has a new lodger a young child Cayenne and realizes now as she is almost a teenager, Martin has acquired a new defenceless child, to fulfil his sickening sexual desires. Can Turtle escape the claws of this evil monster? Can she rescue Cayenne before it is too late? This is at times a very difficult story to read as the author paints a picture of an unsettling family life against a picturesque and idyllic backdrop. I was captivated by both the innocence and evil and found myself reading this story in a very short time. Many thanks to the good people at netgalley for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written.

"My Absolute Darling" is a searing, unforgettable novel about fourteen year old Turtle, known to outsiders as Julia and to her father as Kibble, his absolute darling. Turtle lives alone with her father, her companion, protector and abuser, in a life built on in isolation and survival that is preparing her for the end of the world, which her father believes is imminent.
Her only contact outside this are her Grandfather, who she visits and hides the truth from and a teacher at school, Anna, who's well meaning but ineffectual concern for Turtle is met with derision. It is is only when Turtle ventures away from her home and meets Jacob and Brett that she begins to see a way she could be free of her father, though this freedom could only have devastating consequences.
I would recommend this book to someone looking for a really intense portrait of survival, and can only praise Tallent's painfully beautiful rendering of the wilderness, internal and external, in which Turltle inhabits.
The only problem I would have with recommending it would be the deeply disturbing accounts of sexual abuse, and particularly what often seemed like complicity or reluctant willingness on Turtles part were unrealistic and distressing to me.
Overall, this was a really well written, though emotionally hard going read.

Beautifully developed characters and a fast-paced, engaging plot. Some of the more graphic scenes of violence and abuse were hard to read, but they weren't gratuitous, each taking the story further. Wonderful writing and unforgettable characters put this at the top of my 2017 list so far.

An outstanding novel.Tallent's prose is spare and compelling. From the first page, the reader is drawn into the tragic cycle of violence that defines the young protagonist's life.

This is a psychologically chilling, dark and disturbing novel set in remote Mendocino, California, charting the dysfunctional, an understatement, relationship between 14 year old Turtle (Julia) and her end of the world believer, armed to the teeth, survivalist father, Martin, who has stockpiled dried food that will last 3 years. This book has echoes of Helena and Jacob Holbrook's relationship in The Marsh King's Daughter by Karen Dionne, although in comparison to this, that is a picnic in the park. Turtle is a wild child, a daddy's girl, and never happier than when roaming the wild coastal landscape. She is a silent child, lacking friends, and treats with contempt other girls and women, echoing the heartfelt misogyny of her ever loving father. Every morning she wakes up, slings a can of beer to Martin and cracks eggs into her mouth, prior to leaving for school, where she is visibly struggling. Martin is Turtle's world, she is kibble, his absolute darling, his reason for living. Turtle's entire identity is predicated upon Martin's perceptions and attitudes, she knows no other world. This is an intimate character study with a narrative related from Turtle's perspective.

Martin is a pathologically sick, brutal and sadistic father, prone to terrorising and belittling Turtle, and sexually abusing her. He is clever, volatile, manipulative, emotionally damaged and obsessed with absolute control over his daughter. Turtle is his possession, anyone that challenges that is in grave danger, none more so than Turtle herself. She routinely practices her shooting with her various guns and commits to the daily cleaning of her guns. However, chinks begin to appear in Turtle's armour as she begins to become aware that others live different lives, with more integrity and decency, and that it is possible for her to have the potential to make friends and relationships that challenge the way she and her father live. Turtle has a primal need for a separate identity from her father, one that has her taking risks as she reaches for alternative choices but one which drives Martin wild with fear, hatred and cruelty.

Turtle finds her intentions undone when she meets and befriends Jacob and Brett, mesmerised by their literary and philosophical banter, and taken aback by their respect, attention, and the high value they place on her. Anna, her teacher, eventually manages to connect with Turtle sufficiently for Turtle to break the block preventing her from educationally moving on, as she demonstrates her personal understanding of exacerbate and recalcitrant . Brett and Jacob's family connect with and come to care for Turtle. However, these developments bring their stresses, strains and challenges for Turtle. Her unsettled psyche is still caught up with her unconditional love for Martin, which makes moving on excruciatingly painful. Martin punishes Turtle brutally for her infractions and threatens her friends. Full of shame, self hatred, yet determined to keep her friends safe, Turtle makes a devil's bargain to sacrifice herself for her friends and for her father. A bargain that Turtle will break, not for her own safety and sanity but for another, after which all hell breaks loose.

This is a viscerally atmospheric and compelling novel from Gabriel Tallent, taking on the desperately disturbing territory of Martin and Turtle's relationship, a veritable terrifying can of worms. The prose is vital and vibrant, with exquisite descriptions of the wild flora and fauna of the coast. The characters are nuanced and complex, Martin is charming, and with enough self awareness to see the monster that he has become, yet he just does not have the capacity to act on this for change. The trigger for change lies in his beloved kibble, Turtle, but Martin is not going to give up without the fight of his life. It is not easy for Turtle to do the right thing and break the only world she knows, this psychological portrayal feels authentic, change comes gradually, until Turtle reaches the point where she must act, whatever the outcome. This is a raw, intelligent and moving novel that I will not forget. It is undoubtedly a challenging read that I highly recommend. Many thanks to HarperCollins 4th Estate for an ARC.

Never in my life have I read a book so truly harrowing and rewarding. I will never, ever forget Turtle.
This story is more than a tale of an abused child. It's more than a story about a young heroine, coming of age. This is such a psychologically vivid, multi-layered masterpiece of a resilient and honest young woman who is a product of her childhood...or is she?
Absolutely incredible with an ending that stays with you. I adore this novel.

This book is refreshingly different. Martin is trying to bring his daughter Turtle up in an unconventional way. Some of his beliefs are extremely disturbing and throughout the book there are times when you wonder what is going through his head and how he thinks his parenting is correct. I felt so sorry for Turtle. She so needed to be loved and cared for. The descriptions in this book are all beautifully written and they were a pleasure to read. They are so descriptive you can feel yourself drawn into Turtle's world and story.

This is the story of fourteen-year-old Turtle, who has been brought up by her sociophathic father in near isolation, and her struggle for freedom.
Completely immersed in their little world, Turtle slowly comes to realise that something is very wrong. Unable to ask for help and torn between her love for her father and a glimpse of an alternative way of life she must find her own, painful way to freedom.
I was completely gripped by this book and, although it’s at times not a comfortable read, couldn’t put it down.

A riveting page turner , a very intense book would recommend