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plagiarizzim's review against another edition
2.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, and Sexual violence
emzjams's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Blood, and Abortion
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, and Grief
e11en's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Grief, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Death of parent and Alcohol
adelopycruz'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, and Grief
tabbygwilson'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
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
karabeavis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
We meet Holly as a 60–year—old who has a quiet life with friends, a job and her dog in America. I think it’s interesting to start there and look back on the experiences of someone with profound trauma from childhood. Author Down says the book is about survivorship. Such are the tragedies and adversity in Holly’s life that frankly it is amazing that she’s not dead.
This is a tale of starting over, again and again, with a new name, in a new town and with a new relationship/s. Who are we in relation to our trauma? Is it our identity or can we escape it? It’s also about the reliability of trauma—impacted memory, especially when it comes to a police investigation in the middle of the book.
There is a lot tackled here and some of the extra trauma events that happen: the one great foster carer having a stroke, for example, did seem almost too much? There’s also a question of ethics of writing other people’s stories. The novel is fiction but based on true survival stories in the foster care system in Australia in the 70s and 80s. We discussed this at the bookclub. A compelling and ambitious read. Thank you to the author.
Graphic: Child abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Abandonment