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kangaroozcruz's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Loved the writing and the dialogue. Amazing descriptions. Some religious trauma paralleled with a horrific kidnapping. Lots of themes. Loved it!
bovinejoni's review against another edition
2.0
Jesus. What was that?
I appreciate darker stories centering around social backgrounds that I don't have experience with. I like to be thrown into lives that are so different than mine, and into places that I will probably never visit. It helps me broaden my horizon and appreciate the live I'm able to live.
Jesus Saves gave me exactly this. Taking place in the outskirts of U.S cities, where poverty, drugs and hopelessness rules the day, it really showed me a way of living I've never really thought about before. The descriptions of trash filled parking lots and run down mall strips is really graphic and helps you to be drawn into the world.
The characters though, didn't made me feel for them. Yes their lives are hard, but nothing that happened really made me hope for or suffer with them.
I must admit, the first few chapters from the viewpoint of the young kidnapped girl were brilliant. Her way of trying to deal with the circumstances by fleeing into fantasy worlds and imagining the smallest details outside of the room she's kept in, were very very well written. But instead of limiting those scenes to a few chapters, the author did it over and over again. It really got old for me, and hindered my sympathy.
I also really appreciate short, abrupt and non happy endings. But this was just...what? There was no real connection between everything, and it all felt out of place.
All in all, a partly well written book with graphic descriptions of it's world ,but sadly for the most part a tedious and confusing mess of stories with no beginning and no end.
I appreciate darker stories centering around social backgrounds that I don't have experience with. I like to be thrown into lives that are so different than mine, and into places that I will probably never visit. It helps me broaden my horizon and appreciate the live I'm able to live.
Jesus Saves gave me exactly this. Taking place in the outskirts of U.S cities, where poverty, drugs and hopelessness rules the day, it really showed me a way of living I've never really thought about before. The descriptions of trash filled parking lots and run down mall strips is really graphic and helps you to be drawn into the world.
The characters though, didn't made me feel for them. Yes their lives are hard, but nothing that happened really made me hope for or suffer with them.
I must admit, the first few chapters from the viewpoint of the young kidnapped girl were brilliant. Her way of trying to deal with the circumstances by fleeing into fantasy worlds and imagining the smallest details outside of the room she's kept in, were very very well written. But instead of limiting those scenes to a few chapters, the author did it over and over again. It really got old for me, and hindered my sympathy.
I also really appreciate short, abrupt and non happy endings. But this was just...what? There was no real connection between everything, and it all felt out of place.
All in all, a partly well written book with graphic descriptions of it's world ,but sadly for the most part a tedious and confusing mess of stories with no beginning and no end.
tayoreads's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I'm struggling to figure out how I feel about this one as it's unlike any book I've read before. There were some passages that were written beautifully. Reality shifted a lot in this book and the author did this flawlessly. Sandy's story was particularly sad, but I think was handled well. It didn't feel like I was reading trauma porn. However, her chapters are not for the faint of heart so please read the trigger warnings.
I struggled with Ginger's story because I didn't feel like i knew who she was or what the point of her character was. There was a lot of loose ends with her story, but maybe that was the point.
My biggest criticism, though, is that religion, specifically Christianity, should have played a bigger role in this book. I was kind of expecting more talk of that since the book is literally called "Jesus Saves".
Overall, 3/5. This story will definitely stick with me for awhile. I feel like I need to reset my brain lol.
I struggled with Ginger's story because I didn't feel like i knew who she was or what the point of her character was. There was a lot of loose ends with her story, but maybe that was the point.
My biggest criticism, though, is that religion, specifically Christianity, should have played a bigger role in this book. I was kind of expecting more talk of that since the book is literally called "Jesus Saves".
Overall, 3/5. This story will definitely stick with me for awhile. I feel like I need to reset my brain lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Death, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Violence, Animal death, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Blood, Drug use, Grief, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide
nympholepsy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
i....dont know what to say. i consumed this in like 12 hours and i feel fucking horrible after it.
this is not a happy book but its oddly hopeful or at least gingers portions were.
sandys portions were the most compelling to read but i feel conflicted by that because our true crime obsessed society already fetishizes the gut wrenching details of rapes and murders and abductions and im wondering if my need to see what happens with sany next is complicit in that. hm.
i feel sick to my stomach definitely going into my top 5
this is not a happy book but its oddly hopeful or at least gingers portions were.
sandys portions were the most compelling to read but i feel conflicted by that because our true crime obsessed society already fetishizes the gut wrenching details of rapes and murders and abductions and im wondering if my need to see what happens with sany next is complicit in that. hm.
i feel sick to my stomach definitely going into my top 5
lo808's review against another edition
4.0
I think about this book a lot. Not sure if there's anything below the surface of the grimy and decadent prose, but I dig anyway.
denim_chicken's review against another edition
2.0
Jesus. What was that?
I appreciate darker stories centering around social backgrounds that I don't have experience with. I like to be thrown into lives that are so different than mine, and into places that I will probably never visit. It helps me broaden my horizon and appreciate the live I'm able to live.
Jesus Saves gave me exactly this. Taking place in the outskirts of U.S cities, where poverty, drugs and hopelessness rules the day, it really showed me a way of living I've never really thought about before. The descriptions of trash filled parking lots and run down mall strips is really graphic and helps you to be drawn into the world.
The characters though, didn't made me feel for them. Yes their lives are hard, but nothing that happened really made me hope for or suffer with them.
I must admit, the first few chapters from the viewpoint of the young kidnapped girl were brilliant. Her way of trying to deal with the circumstances by fleeing into fantasy worlds and imagining the smallest details outside of the room she's kept in, were very very well written. But instead of limiting those scenes to a few chapters, the author did it over and over again. It really got old for me, and hindered my sympathy.
I also really appreciate short, abrupt and non happy endings. But this was just...what? There was no real connection between everything, and it all felt out of place.
All in all, a partly well written book with graphic descriptions of it's world ,but sadly for the most part a tedious and confusing mess of stories with no beginning and no end.
I appreciate darker stories centering around social backgrounds that I don't have experience with. I like to be thrown into lives that are so different than mine, and into places that I will probably never visit. It helps me broaden my horizon and appreciate the live I'm able to live.
Jesus Saves gave me exactly this. Taking place in the outskirts of U.S cities, where poverty, drugs and hopelessness rules the day, it really showed me a way of living I've never really thought about before. The descriptions of trash filled parking lots and run down mall strips is really graphic and helps you to be drawn into the world.
The characters though, didn't made me feel for them. Yes their lives are hard, but nothing that happened really made me hope for or suffer with them.
I must admit, the first few chapters from the viewpoint of the young kidnapped girl were brilliant. Her way of trying to deal with the circumstances by fleeing into fantasy worlds and imagining the smallest details outside of the room she's kept in, were very very well written. But instead of limiting those scenes to a few chapters, the author did it over and over again. It really got old for me, and hindered my sympathy.
I also really appreciate short, abrupt and non happy endings. But this was just...what? There was no real connection between everything, and it all felt out of place.
All in all, a partly well written book with graphic descriptions of it's world ,but sadly for the most part a tedious and confusing mess of stories with no beginning and no end.
gettyhesse's review against another edition
3.0
I felt the ending was somewhat rushed; however, Steinke also provides such rich, gorgeous imagery throughout the novel, such interesting characters and situations, that I think this still deserves five stars.
UPDATE (5/3/2018): Okay, so the more distance I have from this book, the more the beautiful prose and interesting characters fade into the background. The ending to this book was awful, and there are hallucinatory passages that don't work for me (tonally). Thus, while I enjoyed significant portions of this book, I'm revising my rating from five to three stars.
UPDATE (5/3/2018): Okay, so the more distance I have from this book, the more the beautiful prose and interesting characters fade into the background. The ending to this book was awful, and there are hallucinatory passages that don't work for me (tonally). Thus, while I enjoyed significant portions of this book, I'm revising my rating from five to three stars.