karifaye's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Alcoholism
fkshg8465's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Just once I wish one of the author’s legal stories were a little less predictable in verdict. That said, there are a lot of moral questions that we can grapple with to keep our interest, including suicide versus agency, real memories versus suggested memories, did he or didn’t he, what makes a good parent, when does cultural appropriation bleed into cultural exploration, where does intent batter in law, and so much more. And that’s my problem with this book - there is just too much going on, including feminism, indigenous history and the modern state they are forced to live in now, child abuse, alcoholism, pedophilia, cancer, miscarriage, betrayal, advisor parenting , infidelity, kidnapping, identity, drug manufacturing, distribution and abuse, prison culture, gang culture, White supremacy, etc. Pick a trigger, and it’s in here. It was too much thrown into one book. She needed a better editor to tell her so too. What put me over the edge was the near ridiculous transformation of one of the characters into a jailhouse Walter White. That really was too much, because it was so unrealistic and a huge deviation from the character’s development.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Suicide, Abandonment, Cancer, Drug use, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Murder, Pedophilia, and Racism
kamrynkoble's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This was definitely something. Five narrators, five different fonts, and the most random subplots I have EVER read. 2.5 stars.
I was glad I went into this completely blind, because I actually gasped at the first “twist” on page 30 or so. I really did enjoy the actual case of this book. It’s literally everything else that’s an issue.
I still don’t understand the absurd amount of pages devoted to the Native Americans or Andrew’s prison escapades. It is VERY obvious that this was published in the early 2000s and so much of these (COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT) racial topics were terrible. I finally started skimming in both of these sections and never had any trouble actually understanding the real plot.
And Fitz? Gah. Everything about his chapters and what he did was a big fat no from me.
Greta, the search-and-rescue bloodhound, is my one true love from this book.
The actual core story was great. The final execution is really disappointing. I would’ve died if I listened to this on audio and couldn’t skim/skip multiple pages.
I was glad I went into this completely blind, because I actually gasped at the first “twist” on page 30 or so. I really did enjoy the actual case of this book. It’s literally everything else that’s an issue.
I still don’t understand the absurd amount of pages devoted to the Native Americans or Andrew’s prison escapades. It is VERY obvious that this was published in the early 2000s and so much of these (COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT) racial topics were terrible. I finally started skimming in both of these sections and never had any trouble actually understanding the real plot.
And Fitz? Gah. Everything about his chapters and what he did was a big fat no from me.
Greta, the search-and-rescue bloodhound, is my one true love from this book.
The actual core story was great. The final execution is really disappointing. I would’ve died if I listened to this on audio and couldn’t skim/skip multiple pages.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Alcoholism, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Sexual assault
sarad12's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Kidnapping, and Alcoholism
erma_z's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- 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
1.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Sexual content
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