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aiviloolivia's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
lesbrary's review against another edition
4.0
This is a fascinating book about two girls on the edge of wildness. Tense, engrossing, and raw. I liked the animal-like poetic writing for Dawn's thought processes in her fugues. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending, but I was completely engrossed in the book.
joistired's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this book was extremely good-great even. The only thing that bothered me was the last eighth of the book when * we find out some stuff. The writing was amazing and so was the character development.
*****SPOILERS*****
We find out what broke the two main characters(Jessie and Dawn) apart. Maybe I didn't pay enough attention, but their sexualities and Dawn's "weirdness/illness" completely flew past me(as did Jessie's relationship with Mr. Russian Dancer-who I've forgotten the name of). Now, I did read this book about a week ago, and have since read at least eleven books, so maybe I have forgotten. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this book.
*****SPOILERS*****
We find out what broke the two main characters(Jessie and Dawn) apart. Maybe I didn't pay enough attention, but their sexualities and Dawn's "weirdness/illness" completely flew past me(as did Jessie's relationship with Mr. Russian Dancer-who I've forgotten the name of). Now, I did read this book about a week ago, and have since read at least eleven books, so maybe I have forgotten. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this book.
trisha_thomas's review against another edition
4.0
"What matters is not what was taken but that we fight."
This is a story about wild girls. Girls that are amazing and raw and so free, no one can cage them or separate them. They were beautiful as children - complete and whole when only together. Dawn and Jessie.
Until....their parents tore them apart. But that is not where our story begins.
Our story begins with 2 girls living separate lives. Dawn is having blackouts, where she wakes up in strange places losing hours of time. She's woken in scary places like crack houses and dark alleys but also in the middle of a forest. There is no way to predict her blackouts or why.
Jessie is a ballerina, destroying her feet and pushing her body to limits - she's moved out living with parent's friends while she tries to compete at a ballet company.
They are still searching for friendship, struggling to figure out who they are. They still remember each other but there is distance and time and two sets of parents between them.
This is a story about the beauty of friendship. How friendship when you are young is such an all-consuming thing. And once swallowed, it frightens parents because it starts to mold and define you. And once ripped apart, the girls are forever changed. But finding each other again, they can become whole again and just pick up where they left off - almost seamlessly.
My only complaint was that I felt the author took the easy way out. This world must learn how to handle us wild girls. The paranormal slant was interesting but I would have loved to have seen it take a different direction. There was a strong moment to make a bold statement.
This is a story about wild girls. Girls that are amazing and raw and so free, no one can cage them or separate them. They were beautiful as children - complete and whole when only together. Dawn and Jessie.
Until....their parents tore them apart. But that is not where our story begins.
Our story begins with 2 girls living separate lives. Dawn is having blackouts, where she wakes up in strange places losing hours of time. She's woken in scary places like crack houses and dark alleys but also in the middle of a forest. There is no way to predict her blackouts or why.
Jessie is a ballerina, destroying her feet and pushing her body to limits - she's moved out living with parent's friends while she tries to compete at a ballet company.
They are still searching for friendship, struggling to figure out who they are. They still remember each other but there is distance and time and two sets of parents between them.
This is a story about the beauty of friendship. How friendship when you are young is such an all-consuming thing. And once swallowed, it frightens parents because it starts to mold and define you. And once ripped apart, the girls are forever changed. But finding each other again, they can become whole again and just pick up where they left off - almost seamlessly.
My only complaint was that I felt the author took the easy way out.
Spoiler
I would have loved it if Dawn had stayed. If having her friend had held her there.Spoiler
We wild women cannot be caged nor contained. The world must embrace us. I hate that she ran.hannahnoelle531's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
axoluotol's review against another edition
4.0
This book is breathtaking, incredible.
I have never experienced anything quite like it.
Very impressive.
Alas, I gave it a 4 out of 5 because though most of the information was quite accurate and portrayed very well, being feral is still written from an outsider's perspective. To be wild, feral is more than just to be harsh, strong, pulsing, fading, in control. No, there is the shock, the fury, but most of all, the belonging. Everyone is wild at heart, it's whether you embrace it or not that changes everything. And so it is.
However, this book is still very amazing.
So yeah, 4 out of 5 and great job Amber J. Keyser.
I have never experienced anything quite like it.
Very impressive.
Alas, I gave it a 4 out of 5 because though most of the information was quite accurate and portrayed very well, being feral is still written from an outsider's perspective. To be wild, feral is more than just to be harsh, strong, pulsing, fading, in control. No, there is the shock, the fury, but most of all, the belonging. Everyone is wild at heart, it's whether you embrace it or not that changes everything. And so it is.
However, this book is still very amazing.
So yeah, 4 out of 5 and great job Amber J. Keyser.
c_bulin's review against another edition
4.0
thank goodness she got the ending right. A few small flaws, but otherwise a great outing in magical realism.
bookmerized's review against another edition
4.0
Sexually ambiguous Jessie is training at an elite dance society. Lesbian Dawn tries to connect with Jessie after years of being mentally ill. And then someone turns into a bear. I have no idea what I just read. But I didn't hate it. Hmmmm!
onesmartcupcake's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars. It was interesting but overall just didn't pull together for me. I often enjoy stories that blend the fantastical and realistic but here it just felt unclear for too long and I ultimately found the book unsatisfying. The writing is really rich and intense and interesting but it just didn't end up working for me.
kate_reads26's review against another edition
2.0
I like weird books. I EMBRACE weird. But this was almost too weird.
I loved Jessie's chapters, as a former dancer, I really enjoyed her journey from straitlaced and proper to raw and animalistic. I feel like I would've liked this a lot more if it had solely been about her transformation.
I loved Jessie's chapters, as a former dancer, I really enjoyed her journey from straitlaced and proper to raw and animalistic. I feel like I would've liked this a lot more if it had solely been about her transformation.