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zanm's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
There’s a lot of things I could say about this book, but one of my praises is how accurate the depiction of PTSD and trauma coping is. As someone with my own traumatic childhood, Gordie’s struggles and distance from his peers hit home for me, and while his case was an extreme, the ending where he’s not really “better” or “fixed” but implied that he can become more settled instead, is an insane 10/10 depiction of how recovery feels. Absolutely I cried at the end and the pacing was also phenomenal! Thoroughly enjoyed this :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Murder, Suicide, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism and Self harm
swhence's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Folks, the wounds were not gentle. In fact, they were agonizing. This book deals with Gordie, victim of several traumas, coming to terms with his life.
Things I liked :
1. Gordie : My heart broke for him. Being subjected to an intense tragedy at a mere age of 10, even after 5 years, he struggles to live normally. It was a relief to see people close to him treat him well.
2. Kevin : As Gordie's elder brother, he always made it a priority to take care of Gordie, regardless of the fact that he himself, was also a victim of abuse. While Gordie handled things quietly, Kevin's way of handling was through anger and violence. Yet, he always looked out for his brother. Their relationship was really beautiful.
3. Romance as a sub-plot : For most YA books that deal with mental health, romance comes up as the main storyline. Its not a bad thing at all however I prefer to read more about the characters and their way of coming to terms with their issues.
When I read books that deal with mental health, I go through a wide range of emotions to the point that I am not able to think rationally about the writing style, plot etc. So, I rate them on the basis of my reading experience rather than the positives or negatives I felt in the book. So, to wrap it all up, I liked this book. As far as I am concerned, everyone should read this book.
Things I liked :
1. Gordie : My heart broke for him. Being subjected to an intense tragedy at a mere age of 10, even after 5 years, he struggles to live normally. It was a relief to see people close to him treat him well.
2. Kevin : As Gordie's elder brother, he always made it a priority to take care of Gordie, regardless of the fact that he himself, was also a victim of abuse. While Gordie handled things quietly, Kevin's way of handling was through anger and violence. Yet, he always looked out for his brother. Their relationship was really beautiful.
3. Romance as a sub-plot : For most YA books that deal with mental health, romance comes up as the main storyline. Its not a bad thing at all however I prefer to read more about the characters and their way of coming to terms with their issues.
When I read books that deal with mental health, I go through a wide range of emotions to the point that I am not able to think rationally about the writing style, plot etc. So, I rate them on the basis of my reading experience rather than the positives or negatives I felt in the book. So, to wrap it all up, I liked this book. As far as I am concerned, everyone should read this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, and Physical abuse
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