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mayaep'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
4.0
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Mental illness
Minor: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Addiction, Stalking, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent
eliya'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
3.0
The whole time I was reading I was trying to figure out what this book was going to be. There was so much backstory and set up, it seemed, that I wasn’t sure when the book, or “real” story, would begin. It caught me off guard when I realized the point of the book, and it was kind of relaxing. This isn’t a particularly exciting book or anything, this is a very healing book.
Now, the actual book was weird. The point was lovely— there was a very odd antihomelessness theme throughout the book. The island that they live on has heavy patrols for people sleeping anywhere but inside a house & none of the characters bay an eye about it. The author tries to do this like “I remember poverty… it was rough” thing with a couple of the characters and it doesn’t land, it just reads as empty, really. I think she could have dived deeper and given detail instead of vague “what was probably abuse” description.
I feel bad for Lizbeth honestly. I think she and Lucy should have had a larger part of the story. You have Lizbeth and her diaries and we’re waiting for this big ball to drop (no pun intended) at the end when someone finally reads her diaries, but it, again, falls flat on delivery.
I’m glad the loose ends were tied up, but the package was a lot smaller than it made itself out to be.
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Violence, Addiction, Death of parent, Stalking, Forced institutionalization, Death, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Racism, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Classism, Pregnancy, and Emotional abuse
kelleykamanda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Grief, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Child death
kcup21's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This was a cozy read with just a dash of magic. I loved the found family and the characters I grew to really love and root for. The book moved at a slow pace and spent time showing what each character had to carry with them. By the end, I felt at peace with the decisions the characters made and where the story ended.
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Child abuse
Minor: Violence
mbmayo'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
4.0
Moderate: Grief, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Death of parent, and Mental illness
Minor: Gaslighting
abibemade's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Child death, Death, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
There are lot of heavy subjects but they are dealt with in a very light way and I think would be manageable for most.snipinfool'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
5.0
Zoey arrived on Mallow Island the summer before she was due to move into her college dorm in nearby Charleston. Her mother died twelve years previously and left Zoey a condo at The Dellawhisp. She hoped to find some items there that would spark memories of her mother, as she had few items that belonged her. The Dellawhisp had five units. Two belonged to estranged sisters, one to a man who worked late nights, and one to a woman who was an artist. Three ghosts were also living there as well. The condos were run by an elderly man who had been working there since it had been renovated many years before. The residents knew little about each other despite most living there for a considerable number of years. Zoey didn't know anyone in the area so she made it a goal to try to get to know her neighbors and hopefully become friends.
This was a heartwarming story about found family. Each of the residents was lonely, but for different reasons did not seek out those close by. Zoey became the one who brought them all together. Their life stories were interesting and varied. I love stories where people who are very different in background and experiences find a common thread and become close friends. It gives me hope that we can all find a connection with someone we thought to have nothing in common with. I will be keeping this story in my heart for a long time.
Moderate: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Child abuse
fn2902's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Addiction, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Car accident and Death
Minor: Sexual content, Violence, Confinement, and Stalking
haileybones's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Child abuse
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Sexual assault
elizabeth_lepore'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
4.0
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Abandonment, and Child abuse
Minor: Mental illness