Killing Aurora

by Helen Barnes

Web is nine parts flesh, one part sulphur. And she's on a mission to save Aurora. But Aurora, the incredible shrinking girl, is already Death's best friend, and slips through Web's fingers like water. It's a bizarre love triangle, where there really are monsters under the bed. And not only can imaginary things hurt you, they can kill you.

Volatile, original and blackly funny—Killing Aurora asks the question: does violence ever get you anywhere? The answer: well, sometimes....

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult

229 pages, Paperback

First published January 28, 1999

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book introduced me to the concept of vagina dentata as a feminist symbol when I was fifteen. it has strong queer and feminist themes but they're usually implicit and it doesn't feel like a Message Book. it feels very Melbourne which is nice. it stood up to re-reading as an adult, too.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strange that I don't remember much about this book now when I know it stayed with me a lot in high school...

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite young adult books. I think the best I've ever read dealing with body image and eating disorders. It's quite scary and honest, but all the better for it.

[lanty · Rating 4 out of 5]

books often try to portray eating disorders in a realistic light but constantly miss the mark. killing aurora is probably the most accurate depiction of a loss of control and the consuming evil of anorexia, because of how disgusting and horrific barnes’ description are.

the other half of the novel, focused on the pyromaniac web, is equally horrific but imo less interesting than its counterpart. sometimes it felt like this book placed more priority on being descriptive and technical, and that the plot was an afterthought. but this book was so dark and sick and twisted that i didn’t care.

thanks school library for this unborrowed gem.

[Shonie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as a teenager and still remember this story and the strong feelings it brought.

[Underland_Queen · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first it made my ED worse so I could be that tiny bit it ultimately helped me fight it.

[Project · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is frighteningly clever. It's the sort of novel one wishes one had written oneself. Not so much for the subject matter, as for the way that the voice has been gotten ju-u-u-ust right.[return][return]There are some troubled girls in here is all that really needs to be said. Read this book, or suffer the consequences!

[Ms_M_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

this boook which covers both the issues of annorexia and friendships is very different from other books on the subject as it is written in two points of view with the characters not actualy being very good friends.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

About two girls. An anorexic and an outsider. A contemporary Australian novel giving a voice to one of the most heart-breaking of diseases.

[Carly Damen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A poignant and disturbingly realistic account.

[Roma · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing book and a fascinating insight into the world of eating disorders. I loved it.