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Protected
Protected
Protected
Audiobook6 hours

Protected

Written by Claire Zorn

Narrated by Anushka Carter

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

About this audiobook

In this award-winning novel, Hannah's journey through bullying and grief shows just how long old wounds can take to heal Hannah's world is in pieces, and she doesn't need the school counselor to tell her she has deep-seated psychological issues. It's been almost a year since her popular older sister, Katie, died in a car accident. Hannah should feel terrible, but for the first time in ages, the bullies who relentlessly tormented her have backed off-and she feels a glimmer of hope. With the support of her guidance counselor and an endearing goofball named Josh, Hannah begins to reconcile her past troubles and present grief. But will these attempts at friendship be too much for Hannah's fragility to bear?
LanguageEnglish
Release dateOct 10, 2017
ISBN9781501983191

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Reviews for Protected

Rating: 3.911764705882353 out of 5 stars
4/5

17 ratings2 reviews

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This was a well-written book about bullying and grief. Hannah, the 15-year-old protagonist, was a vulnerable character filled with guilt and despair, and struggling with the death of her older sister, Katie. Most of the time, I felt very sorry for Hannah, but there were times I wanted to shake her. I liked Jake, the new boy at school, although he talked way too much, but I didn't see him as a potential love interest, more as a good friend. However, I liked how he protected Hannah and took care of her when no one else did.

    I aso enjoyed the unique Australian feel this book had which was set in the beautiful Blue Mountains at the end of a long, hot summer and I liked how it moved between different time periods, allowing the reader to understand the events that led to the fatal accident twelve months earlier. It also gave the opportunity to know Katie to some extent and, I must say, she was a real little witch.

    Ultimately, even though this is not a cheery read, this is a book of courage as one family battles to move forward, and a young girl struggles to find her place in the world. A worthwhile read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Thank you to the University of Queensland Press for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my review in any way.Hannah’s family is broken. Her mum is depressed, her dad injured and her sister? Her sister Katie was killed in the same accident that split the family in little broken parts. Since the accident, once the well-wishers were gone, Hannah has been ignored by everyone, even those who tormented her for years before Katie’s death. The relief at finally being left alone is eating at Hannah as she struggles to remember what happened during the accident. She is struggling by herself, until Josh comes along. Josh sees her as more than just the dead girl’s sister that everyone else tiptoes around. For the first time in years, Hannah may actually have a friend, if only she is willing to open herself up.After I finished reading this, I took the afternoon to think it over before I even attempted to write this review. It was a fairly quick read for me, taking not even a day, but it filled me with emotion. When I connect with characters, I feel what they feel. So I felt hurt when Hannah was being bullied, I felt her relief at being left alone, her budding happiness at her friendship with Josh. I felt sad, I felt the guilt, and at the end of the book I felt hopeful. I wanted Hannah to in some way be able to deal with this horrible tragedy that happened to her family, and to remember what it felt like to be happy. The writing itself was beautiful and the story was well paced and well constructed. Zorn creates memorable scenes of the Blue Mountains where Hannah and her family live, of the high school experience that can be both awful and amazing, of a family dealing with grief. It all feels very real, like they could be the family living down the street. Or maybe even your own. Hannah and Katie don’t get on well, and this lurks on Hannah’s memory because she will never have a chance to have a meaningful relationship with her sister. This book conveys to the reader Hannah’s fears and doubts without so many words. As the book progresses we understand more of their relationship through a then and now perspective, discovering the causes of Hannah’s guilt, relief and why she didn’t always like her sister. You can’t choose your family.But you can choose your friends. Sometimes they choose you. Josh is not so important as a romantic interest, although it felt like a natural progression, but he is so important as a friend. He gives Hannah the confidence to restart her life, as opposed to just going through the motions. He shows her how important a good friend is, in a situation like Hannah’s. He doesn’t let her shake him off, but just gently encourages the friendship and doesn’t let her shy away from him. He makes her confront the things that scare her and their progressing friendship is uplifting and it just made me smile. I could feel that something was changing in Hannah and I was glad she finally had someone who was there for her. Not because they were paid, or because they had to look after her, but because they cared about her. It was important to Hannah’s development past the accident and so wonderful to read.Such a beautifully written story will find its way into reader’s hearts. There is no reason it should get any less than five stars.