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kayes's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Incest, Miscarriage, Rape, and Pandemic/Epidemic
chuckyinspace's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
jgrady93's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, and Sexual violence
potsnpots's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
ifoundcallie's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.25
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Excrement, Vomit, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
nottoolate's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
Beyond that-I can only imagine the author is inspired by the many insular fundamentalist Christian groups in America. It is a multiple pov story, with each character giving away small pieces that paint a horrifying picture of the society these poor girls live in. A dark but compelling story I couldn't stop reading.
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Gaslighting
twistykris's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
Some might call the writing "flowery," but I found it to be beautiful and engrossing. The descriptions of the children running freely during the summers left me feeling nostalgic and entranced. The descriptions of the horrors made me sick to my stomach.
I appreciate that all of the perspectives are told from 4 girls, ranging from 13-17. This is their story, their journey, their sorrows and trauma, their love and triumphs.
There are very disturbing references to normalized, societal incest in this book. I struggled reading certain sections depicting overt abuse (physical, emotional, and sexual) of girls, young teens, and women. When reading disturbing content like this, I often wonder how the author could possibly get such imagery, and I wonder if it's for "shock value" more than anything. But after reading about Jennie's experience working with traumatized and sexually abused children, it made me understand that this was not "shock value" content, but a deep understanding. Jennie is knowledgeable of what she is portraying and does it well.
An uncomfortable read that will stick with me for a long time. Rating may be updated in the future.
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Blood, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Infertility, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body shaming and Bullying
This book has references to child abuse and incest between fathers and daughters. While it isn't overly graphic and a lot of the abuse is implied, it is an integral part of the story and can be very difficult to read. The author, Jennie Melamed, "is a psychiatric nurse practitioner who specializes in working with traumatized children. During her doctoral work at the University of Washington, she investigated anthropological, biological, and cultural aspects of child sexual abuse."rebyreadsandwrites's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Incest, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism
forgottenangstycharacter's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Grief
kitten_nuisance's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Lots of content notes for almost all the things. I really appreciated the relative lack of animal suffering. Melamed didn’t use animals to up the stakes; she left their innocent lives alone, and I love her for that.
One content note I felt really needed to be there, but haven’t seen so far in reviews, is disordered eating. If that is something you have a history with, you should know that one character restricts in an extreme way, and it’s part of what gives her any control of her life (not just appearance).
Actually far from the most upsetting part, though!… I have this weird feeling where I almost want to know more and less at the same time. A lot of topics are talked “around,” and you know what they mean, but it’s so hard to believe that it’s kind of like… maybe you really want someone to sit down and say it straight out. (I don’t mean the main gross thing that we learn is normal in this society. I’m good on that. 👍 But there are a LOT of details about how their society works that I want to know. Really does give me the feelings I had reading The Giver for the first time 25 or so years ago.)
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, Incest, Miscarriage, Sexism, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Rape
Stillbirth