gondorgirl's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Confinement, Bullying, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Grief, and Hate crime
teeclecticreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I can admit that this is the second best book I’ve ever read. No joke. Celeste Ng is such a talented writer. I love how she always uses these young main characters who make such a huge difference as they find their own way. Bird’s curiosity, determination and wonder was nicely balanced with his naivety and ignorance of the world. And Sadie! Ugh that firecracker. She was a delight to read about.
In terms of the plot, she captured xenophobia, racism and animal abuse in a way that was still hard to read, hurtful but tasteful enough to not be stomach-curdling. It’s so sad that this was a word of fiction but still spoke to a very-present American reality. Having to deny who you are and the people you love because of their cultural background sucks.
The pacing was perfect. Things didn’t happen too quickly but it also wasn’t too slow. We got the right amount of context to figure out what was happening and what would happen. First Bird’s past, then Margaret’s, and those both helped form the future details. I still can’t believe that cliffhanger though! It was so sad 😭 I wish we could know what happens after.
I read the physical book along with the audiobook and it really enhanced the experience. Celeste and Lucy Liu did a great job bringing the story to auditory life. The ooooooonly little qualm I had was the fact that there were no quotation marks or chapter labels. Otherwise, absolutely a 5 star read and and eye-opener.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
It sheds a light on the removal and replacement of children from their families which can be a sensitive topic for some.clalaure's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Grief, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Police brutality, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Death of parent and Sexual assault
cakrolik's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Police brutality, Racism, Violence, Racial slurs, and Hate crime
daydreamdarling's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Kidnapping, Blood, Classism, Death, Murder, Police brutality, Violence, and Vomit
nerdy_reader_9571's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
While I absolutely adored this book, I will say that it is a very American story. The historical events mentioned and the trauma that those events and their aftermath caused characters are all very real and very specific to the American experience. Yes, the Crisis is fictional, but the rest of the story is very realistic. I’ve heard and read other reviews that characterize this book as dystopian, but I didn’t think the story as a whole was one that I would characterize as dystopian. It felt too close to America’s current and very recent realities to be characterized as such.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
alisonvh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My favorite book by Celeste Ng so far.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Death, and Racism
zosiablue's review against another edition
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was a near-future novel, with a VERY possible future, featuring an economic crisis that's blamed on China and in turn, brutalizes the AAPI community and their children. It's a lyrical book and a devastating subject matter. Some parts leaned too far into direct moralizing which got a little corny and took me out of the story, but it's such an important moral, anyway, and I hope people read this. It really hits home that children for ages have been forcefully taken from their loving families. Which I know but now I KNOW.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Classism, Deportation, Child abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Bullying
laurynreadsbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Celeste Ng is an amazing author. This book is 4.9 stars for me, only because I didn’t like it as much as Little Fires Everywhere (which I gave 5 stars). This is still an incredible book and really makes you think. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go cry
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Racism, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Sexual violence
ohyeah_karyn's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Abandonment, and Racism