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missindyrose's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship
tashtash93'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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Ableism and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Toxic friendship
sleepyshelves's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Violence, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Medical trauma
ns44'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
Minor: Toxic friendship
queenoffirestone'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? It's complicated
5.0
Addie is a cute but formidable young student and I'm wary of discussing good/bad autism representation because the lower support needs autistic community usually dismisses people on a different part of the spectrum when praising characters like them for being good representation but Addie is both like them and good representation.
This story has good messages about standing up for yourself, enforcing boundaries, and how to handle situations. It does get dark but in a way that I think only stands out to people who already understand that darkness so I think this is a great book for adults and any struggling preteen neurodivergent people you might know alike. I can almost guarantee you they already know about anxiety and trying to fit in.
Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Toxic friendship
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Torture
penofpossibilities's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, and Child abuse
Moderate: Confinement, Torture, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Genocide, Physical abuse, Violence, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Meltodowns, shutdown, harmful stimming, ableist slurs, unjust school system & teacher bullyjanneke2302'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? N/A
5.0
This is a cute story about a girl finding out her town used to have witch hunts and trying her best to get her town to acknowledge that and put up a memorial for them. It's a fun story that I would recommend to kids based purely on that. It is also so much more than that though. Reading Addie's story teaches you so many important things. Wether you're neurodivergent and it shows you that you're not alone and are okay the way you are, or you're neurotypical and it shows you how differently we experience the world from you and the difficulties that come with that. I hope and believe that this book will teach everyone to be more compassionate towards themselves and others.
Moderate: Ableism and Bullying
Minor: Racism, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, and Toxic friendship
musingsofazebra'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
Moderate: Ableism and Bullying
Minor: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
bookswithlauren'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? Yes
5.0
We follow Addie who is a kind hearted, passionate, eleven year old autistic girl who loves sharks and reading. In school, Addie starts learning about the witch trials that occurred in her town and she is eager to learn everything she can about them but to show her town how wrong the actions of their past were.
'A Kind of Spark' is quite hard hitting as it explores bullying but also how wrongly treated people are for simply being different. One thing that really hit me is when Addie realises she would have been accused of being a witch if she lived during that time period because of her Autism. It is heartbreaking but also unfortunately true. I do not have Autism but I have Epilepsy and would also have been in the same situation as Addie and the entire book really resonates with me.
Everyone in this world is different and it is a wonderful thing but Elle McNicoll really explores how those differences can be viewed, in the past and during the present day. There are many countries and beliefs that would deem my Epilepsy a curse or the work of the devil. There are many countries and beliefs who do not understand different conditions, genders, sexualities and much more and 'A Kind of Spark' really makes you think about that harsh and heartbreaking reality.
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
hayley_mariep'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail