juniper_reads_things's review
3.0
The Ripening: A Canadian Girl Grows Up.
Spoilers ahead, and trigger warning for sexual assault (and sexual assault of a minor at that).
So, when I looked at the cover and saw the title of this book, I 100% assumed this was a good kinky book. Tillie is a young Canadian in the 60s, trying to find her way in the world. It’s an interesting book, but it’s a solid mediocre book.
Tillie’s story is told in different timelines, with one chapter revolving around 4 year old Tillie, and the next chapter about 18 year old sexually active Tillie. I personally didn’t like the way the story was told. It feels gross to go from 4 year old Tillie in the back yard running around with the chickens to 18 year old Tillie who has slept with 20 different men.
I felt like Tillie was sexualized throughout the whole story, which doesn’t sit right with me. I understand that it’s a coming of age novel, but a lot of adult things happen to Tillie when she was a minor. And she seems to just… move on from them without any mental health repercussions, which doesn’t seem realistic to me. Tillie is never given the sex talk, and as a result does not fully understand consent. She is groped as a minor twice, and just. Moves on from it without expressing any sort of trauma response.
Tillie’s family sucks. Her stepfather is an abusive piece of shit and her mother is just unable to be present for her daughter. It really bothers me that Tillie’s mother never gives her the sex talk, because then Tillie finds herself in unwanted situations because she didn’t know any better.
This book is honestly just sad. Tillie’s trapped in a cycle of abusive, poverty and ignorance. This plot doesn’t seem to go anywhere and just ends rapidly without coming to any real solution to Tillie’s problems.
Overall, I enjoyed the author’s writing style and characters but I felt gross reading it. This was not the erotic fix I was looking for.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
Spoilers ahead, and trigger warning for sexual assault (and sexual assault of a minor at that).
So, when I looked at the cover and saw the title of this book, I 100% assumed this was a good kinky book. Tillie is a young Canadian in the 60s, trying to find her way in the world. It’s an interesting book, but it’s a solid mediocre book.
Tillie’s story is told in different timelines, with one chapter revolving around 4 year old Tillie, and the next chapter about 18 year old sexually active Tillie. I personally didn’t like the way the story was told. It feels gross to go from 4 year old Tillie in the back yard running around with the chickens to 18 year old Tillie who has slept with 20 different men.
I felt like Tillie was sexualized throughout the whole story, which doesn’t sit right with me. I understand that it’s a coming of age novel, but a lot of adult things happen to Tillie when she was a minor. And she seems to just… move on from them without any mental health repercussions, which doesn’t seem realistic to me. Tillie is never given the sex talk, and as a result does not fully understand consent. She is groped as a minor twice, and just. Moves on from it without expressing any sort of trauma response.
Tillie’s family sucks. Her stepfather is an abusive piece of shit and her mother is just unable to be present for her daughter. It really bothers me that Tillie’s mother never gives her the sex talk, because then Tillie finds herself in unwanted situations because she didn’t know any better.
This book is honestly just sad. Tillie’s trapped in a cycle of abusive, poverty and ignorance. This plot doesn’t seem to go anywhere and just ends rapidly without coming to any real solution to Tillie’s problems.
Overall, I enjoyed the author’s writing style and characters but I felt gross reading it. This was not the erotic fix I was looking for.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
jferrell526's review
4.0
Growing
Lily Iona Mackenzie has led us through the growth of Tillie. A young girl influenced by the good and the bad seen around her. I found this book to be both heart wrenching and passionate. You just have to feel for Tillie!
Lily Iona Mackenzie has led us through the growth of Tillie. A young girl influenced by the good and the bad seen around her. I found this book to be both heart wrenching and passionate. You just have to feel for Tillie!
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