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sparklefarm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.5
- Could have done without the entire
Matt-Mary storyline. It's not like it was portrayed in a good light, I just prefer my books without that kind of yuck. - Relatedly I never want to hear the word
penis again. - In general this book felt overwritten. So. Many. Similes.
- The writing on autism felt borderline offensive. So much talk about wanting kids to be ~normal~ and the only characters who had a different outlook were vilified. I did not get this sense from Happiness Falls, which also deals with autism, so I hope there has been some learning in the meantime.
- Incredible audio narration.
Graphic: Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Suicide, Death, Child death, Ableism, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Child abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, and Rape
Minor: Grief
amberjackonski's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Child death, Infertility, Infidelity, and Sexual assault
ariana3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Plot summary:
Graphic: Ableism, Mental illness, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Terminal illness, Child death, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual content, and Child abuse
Minor: Body horror, Bullying, Infertility, Alcohol, Car accident, and Infidelity
ehost's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Infertility, Chronic illness, Child death, Car accident, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Grief, Gore, Death of parent, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Ableism, and Mental illness
amorg2013's review
4.25
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, and Ableism
Minor: Car accident and Suicide
emmaisabelle's review
- 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? Yes
3.0
That said I think the way Kim explores the truth of what happened, the way people invent stories to fit their own narratives and emotions, and how witnesses’ memories are formed by the complex context leading to the events of the book was fascinating. While it was sometimes jarring to switch POV so many times, I do think Kim is really good at managing all those different opinions, memories, thoughts, personalities, etc. She really raises interesting questions about truth/memory, guilt/innocence, and parenthood. I just could not handle the rampent ableism nor did I really see the point of going that hard on it. I’m just not sure the book needed that much hatred of autistic people in it lol, even if it’s pretty clear Kim is not her characters and doesn’t share their thoughts.
Overall an engrossing courtroom thriller-mystery but just too put off by the incessant ableism of the characters. If you read, just be prepared for two hundred pages of characters discussing how autistic children are problems that need to be fixed.
Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Death of parent
tracikennedy25's review
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, Medical content, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Infertility and Suicide
romadera's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Child death, Vomit, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Ableism, and Pedophilia
fkshg8465's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Infertility, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Infidelity, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Medical content, Racism, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Xenophobia
whiteraven191's review
Graphic: Ableism and Child death
Moderate: Racism and Child abuse