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oceanwriter's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Reread. I couldn't even wait a year to read this again. It was my favorite book last year and I somehow love it even more the second time around.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Mental illness
Moderate: Vomit, Death, Alcoholism, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Classism, Addiction, and Child death
oceanwriter's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I definitely did not expect to like a middle-grade book as much as I loved this one. What I wouldn’t have given to come across a book like this when I was a preteen. As I read, I felt I’d reverted back to my younger self, screaming, “This person gets it!!!”
Finley is silently struggling with anxiety and depression disorders, unable (and unwilling) to put a name to the feelings that she calls ‘blue days’. On top of this, her parents are on the brink of divorce. In a last attempt to salvage their marriage, they send Finley to her grandparents’ house for the summer. She’s never met them before nor the rest of her dad’s family. They don’t even speak about them. She wonders why now they’ve decided to make the introduction all while wondering if she is the reason her family is falling apart.
Finley’s only refuge is her notebook and writing stories about the Everwood. Once she arrives at her grandparents’, she quickly discovers the forest behind their house resembles the Everwood and soon deems it so. Reluctantly at first, she invites her cousins into the world she’s created but is soon glad of the decision, feeling for the first time in her life that she has real friends. Her friendships then expand to the Baileys, the neighbor boys. Unfortunately, her and her cousins’ friendships with them must be kept secret at all costs. Harts never associate with the Baileys. Why? None of the kids know.
Stories of the Everwood carry on as well as a project to clean up the Bone House, a charred and abandoned house nestled in the forest that no one wants to talk about either. Finley is determined to unlock the mystery of the house and the three people who once lived there. Whatever happened, she knows that it has something to do with why Harts and Baileys never speak. Asking questions gets her nowhere but trouble so she takes it upon herself to do research. She begins to wonder if the mystery of her dad and grandma’s feud is also connected. In discovering the truth about the Bone House, she believes she will also discover why she’s been estranged (and possibly even be rid of her ‘blue days’).
There is so much to this plot but it flows and connects magnificently. If not for Finley’s age and the ages of the bulk of supporting characters, I’d consider this a YA. It’s such a good representation of mental health struggles. It’s especially impactful given it’s centered on an eleven-year-old trying to come to terms with her ‘differentness’ as she also describes it. I felt so connected to Finley even if a lot of it was in retrospect. I also could appreciate trying to navigate a large extended family and trying to memorize the unspoken rulebook. Given it’s geared toward younger readers, there’s no shortage of character growth going around. I appreciated that the adult characters learned lessons as well. Emotional, inspiring, and adventurous, it was such a lovely read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, and Mental illness
Moderate: Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, and Death
Minor: Addiction, Classism, and Child death
dazzle_spider_reader_1212's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Addiction, Classism, and Cancer
ethan_bridgesgarcia's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I’m sure I’ll get a lot of hate for this but my God! the longest allegory for depression in the world awarded goes to this book. Also why did it take forever to answer all of the mysteries? And why was it so flat? I didn’t enjoy any of the characters and the idea for a fantasy was very misleading. Almost DNF.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Classism, Mental illness, Addiction, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, and Terminal illness
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