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booksandlattesaddict's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, and Rape
Moderate: Abortion
gemmagetson's review against another edition
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, and Abortion
britt_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy
clarezillaa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Moderate: Grief and Abortion
Minor: Death of parent
smedette's review against another edition
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
balfies's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Bodies of Light has been on my radar since it was nominated for the Stella Prize. I finally read it this week after it won the Miles Franklin Literary Award.
I was immediately engrossed. The book opens when the narrator is contacted on Facebook by someone whose name she doesn’t recognise asking if she is related to Maggie Sullivan. She panics because she is Maggie, but nobody knows; she’s tried to leave her life as Maggie far behind. We then follow Maggie’s life from a small child in Australia, through her iterations as Josie and later Holly in New Zealand and then America over the course of more than 40 years. After the death of her mother by overdose when she was 2 and the arrest of her father some years later Maggie’s life becomes a series of foster homes and residential units - some good; other very bad. Her late teens and early twenties are marred by a breakdown and later the deaths of her children. Addiction also features. Her life is a struggle to escape the demons of her past and find her identity and stability. Sometimes she does well and is fortunate to have people in her life who help her; other times she struggles, pushes people away or has no one willing or able to help.
I found Maggie a really compelling character and her story all too believable. You only have to take a cursory look at details of investigations into state care to see that Maggie’s story embodies the sad yet undeniable truth. The links between traumas children experience in care, the loss of control and identity, and later problems like homelessness, addiction, relationship problems, financial struggles and poor mental health are self-evident, as is the conclusion - changes are desperately needed to the system of state care for children.
Down’s writing was gorgeous; Maggie a captivating and compelling character. Other characters were also richly rendered; places accurately and vividly evoked. I listened on audio which was generally really good although the pronunciation of my childhood home town varied and was sometimes hilariously bad.
An important and impactful novel, one that made me think and made me feel.
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Mental illness, and Rape
narpetcards'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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Death of parent
sezzler's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
sarahxify's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Lots of content warnings for sexual assault and child death for this one, but if these themes are okay for you, I really could not recommend it more.
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Addiction, Rape, and Sexual assault