Scan barcode
creepycrawlybookworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
If you loved The Bees, and The Handmaids’s Tale, I’d highly recommend it, but I would definitely check trigger warnings if you need to do so, some sections are brutal to read, representing the animals’ survival and struggles in graphic scenes, so please go in forewarned.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
vrhayes08's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
kwahl's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
nicosegura's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Rape and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
quirinius's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Slavery, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
lilifane'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
It's a book about humans ruining nature and disturbing the balance in the oceans, about the changing life underwater, (found) family and survival.... told from the perspective of a few dolphins and other sea creatures.
This is a short book, but it took me longer than expected to read it because I'm not familiar with all the marine life vocabulary. But I liked the writing in general and loved the atmosphere and setting. And I got very emotionally attached to the characters. Every time I paused my reading, I was pulled back to the book immediately and wanted to pick it up again as quickly as possible.
The plot mainly follows one female dolphin, but it's interrupted by glimpses into the lives of other sea dwellers. I was interested in all of them, and it was satisfying to learn about these cool species and how their stories intertwined.
I have to say that the story gets really brutal and there are too many rape scenes in my opinion.
I think I have to read The Bees now.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
leilorenzo'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? No
5.0
I saw Leena's video "Reacting to the Women’s Prize 2023 long list", where she mentioned this one. It intrigued me.
Then she mentioned how the cover did not really express all the intricacies of this story and decided I had to read it right then and there.
It did NOT disappoint. Actually, it has been an excellent experience. From the very beginning you get submerged into this world of highly social individuals and find you love Ea, and her mother, sympathise with Chit, hate Split and so on and so on.
The way Laline Paull manages to weave dolphin and marine life structure, relationships, behaviours and how humans are destroying all that is marvellous, as well as despair-inducing.
I strongly urge everyone to grab this one, I loved it.
TW: rape, blood
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail