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enyltiak's review against another edition
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Grief, Racism, Death, Genocide, and Violence
ladykatka's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Death, Genocide, Kidnapping, Murder, Child death, Racism, and Violence
rachelfayreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Grief, Violence, Racism, Kidnapping, Genocide, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Rape, and Murder
oliviawright1014's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Death of parent
Moderate: Rape and Child death
lpdx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Abandonment, Alcohol, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, Rape, Violence, Child abuse, Genocide, Grief, Kidnapping, Torture, Trafficking, Animal death, Colonisation, Death, Medical trauma, and Hate crime
Moderate: Confinement and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Drug use and Cannibalism
alyssabookrecs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I believe that this book is not meant to have a fully closed conclusion. The arc of the book does not operate like the arc of other YA dystopian/post-apocalyptic books. Instead, we are witness to the lives of Indigenous youth, new adults, and Elders on the run, as we learn their coming to stories, who they meet along the way, and the loss not only in the moment but also in the years being on the run.
I questioned French being the narrator, but ultimately he proved that not all of narration needs to be “do do do”: it is also learning, observing, synthesizing, building trust.
I bawled like a baby at the end. It was really lovely, the last few chapters.
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Trafficking, War, Genocide, and Racism
readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Death, Murder, and Grief
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and Child death
Minor: Pregnancy, Alcohol, Genocide, Animal death, Sexual assault, Rape, Child abuse, Colonisation, Addiction, War, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Vomit, Excrement, Gun violence, and Stalking
Residential schools, global warming, pollution, starvation, disease.zombiezami's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Grief, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Child abuse, Gore, Blood, Murder, Animal death, Death, Child death, Racism, Torture, Violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Colonisation, Vomit, Sexual violence, Stalking, Rape, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Alcoholism
sarahemhavens's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Genocide, Death, Colonisation, Violence, Grief, Forced institutionalization, and Murder
msbarnesela's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
The plot moves quickly, and the chapters are short. The premise is compelling. The characters make sense, given the situation and setting. I wanted good things for them. They weren’t always likable, but they’re trying to survive while people are hunting them, and most of them are also dealing with puberty, so some prickliness is to be expected.
I’m not a huge fan of the style of the prose. The book is from the perspective of the main character, who is a teen boy. The way his emotions and observations are narrated feels a little too exaggerated while also being weirdly self-aware. I would have enjoyed a bit more emotional subtlety and maybe just more writing craft? But again, I’m not the target audience. And I wonder if some of the storytelling techniques are echoing oral narrative techniques that I’m just not culturally connected to.
This is a book that I will use with my students. It has references to some really terrible things (see content warnings), but none of it is graphic. Violence and sex are acknowledged but not narrated, so it’s appropriate for younger high school (and maybe mature 8th graders, with adult support to contextualize and process the traumatic parts). Stylistically and structurally, it’s probably an easy enough read for middle grades.
Moderate: Blood, Death, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Racism, Trafficking, Violence, Child death, Cultural appropriation, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Medical content, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Rape, and Trafficking
One character alludes to being gang-raped (the lead-up and aftermath are briefly detailed, but not the rape itself). Another character is said to have been raped (no detail). Kidnapping, trafficking, medical experimentation, and murder of indigenous people are the premise of the book, so it’s to be expected that it’s referenced. Residential schools are referenced frequently, but there’s very little description of the experience of institutionalization since only one character in the book had spent any time in the schools. There is one reference to sexual arousal between two teens, but nothing happens beyond kissing, and it’s awkwardly and abruptly interrupted. Two young adult characters couple up, and the woman is mentioned to be pregnant, but it’s a passing reference. Some characters shoot people (mostly justifiable self-defense) and feel bad about it afterwards.