kelisabeth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Hate crime, Confinement, and Cursing
miles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Hate crime, Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Confinement, and Physical abuse
lizziemarie01's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, and Child abuse
Moderate: Hate crime, Fire/Fire injury, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Cannibalism
ruththegreat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Abandonment and Hate crime
skylarkblue1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Oh man oh man how I wish I picked up this book so much sooner! It's been sat on my shelf now for a good couple years, knowing I'd love it but never quite having the moment to grab it. I now really regret not doing so sooner, and will most certainly read the other books of his I own too as soon as I can!
Linus is stuck in life. He lives in a rainy city. He has a very strict job. The only things keeping him going are his cat and a motivational mouse pad depicting the sea with the saying "don't you wish you where here". Until one fateful day, Extremely Upper Management calls him for a meeting and ships him off to a remote island that no one knows about..
I absolutely adored this book. It's message about love and acceptance, while also learning to love yourself in the face of adversity. The characters where all so incredibly sweet and adorable, I just wanted to pick all of them up and give them a big hug <3
There's not too much plot, it's mainly just about the relationship between Linus and the residents of the island. A lot still happens however, there's trips to the village, adventures and more!I wouldn't really call it a romance though, while yes there is a romantic relationship, it doesn't feel like an absolutely major piece of the story, nor is it a main focus until essentially the very end. It's just a sweet additional story to the overall book.
The inspiration is being pointed out as being "problematic" but in all honesty.. I'm not sure those people have read the book. The book doesn't glorify or glamorise abusive residential "schools" or anything similar to that. In fact it's incredibly explicit about how abusive the system at its roots is. Arthur's home isn't a "if it's ran by someone good then it's ok" excuse. Arthur's home is a tale about strength together, found family and fighting injustice and abuse together. His home lies outside the system.
Additionally if you read the entire interview, the book was already pretty much done by the time he found out about Canadian residential schools so like. What are you all even on about lmao.
Last point, what are y'all on about that it sounds like the author is trying to be English lol. I'm from the UK and it sounded pretty American to me.
Graphic: Gore, Child abuse, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, and Hate crime
Minor: Homophobia
Fantasy bigotry (hatred from humans towards magical beings for being non-human), Gore descriptionsravenpuff's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Bullying, and Religious bigotry
harleyqueen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Hate crime
birdeynamnam's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Minor: Child abuse, Homophobia, Violence, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, and Confinement
lwprice1209's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Hate crime, and Physical abuse
I added all of those content warnings which make this book sound upsetting, but it’s so lovely and hopeful! Read it!lilacs_book_bower's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
HOWEVER, there are some controversies about this book, as Klune was at least partially inspired by residential schools, where Indigenous children were taken from their families and placed in to orphanages, treated brutally (some even killed) to try to assimilate them into white society and culture. There are also some excellent points to be made about trauma and children in foster care systems, and whether or not that is accurately reflected here in the book. As I have no experience with the foster care system, and I am not an Indigenous Person, or even a person of color, I do not want to make a judgement call on this, nor do I feel able to. I have seen comments on both sides about these issues. What is clear is that Klune is using the magical children as an allegory to show the oppression of a marginalized group by society, culture, and the government. I think we can all appreciate the attempt. But how people feel going from there is really going to be up to each person and their individual lives and experiences. The story and the characters are sweet and soothing, but there is still a lot I feel uncertain about. I did not want to ignore the issues that many other readers have addressed much better than I have.
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Bullying, and Confinement
Minor: Grief, Torture, Hate crime, Violence, Body shaming, Death, and Emotional abuse