The Burrow by Melanie Cheng
I picked up The Burrow because someone I follow on Instagram recommended it, and I also have a pet rabbit called Henry, who lives in a palatial hutch in my backyard.
Melanie Cheng has written a beautiful novel that explores the difficult subjects of grief and family, as well as the different ways people process loss and how it affects those around them. Amy, Jin, and Lucie are all stuck, something has happened that has deeply impacted their lives, and they don’t really know how to deal with it. I was going to say ‘move past it,’ but I’m not sure you ever truly move past what happens in this book. What you do need to do is keep living. The keep living part is something that people dealing with extreme grief can struggle to do, and that, in turn, can impact the people around them.
A rabbit is introduced into their lives, and small, subtle shifts begin to occur. The rabbit is named Fiver, which will mean something to those who have read Watership Down (confession: I haven’t read it yet, but it’s now on my list).
Cheng also weaves in Melbourne’s lockdowns and the impact of COVID, quiet streets, isolation, and even the trend of buying pets from Gumtree.
This is a beautiful book that made me think of times in my life when I have experienced grief and how important family is. It also reminded me that animals will tend to come into your life when you least expect it and give you unconditional love.
Tracy
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