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mairspen's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
Stunning book! Need to comb through again to find my favorite passages! Loved it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia
Minor: Hate crime, Physical abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
ellie_dirthag's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- 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
4.25
CRIED
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Classism
fionaburford's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
I found this book a bit grating and trite. It had a plot that I thought I would enjoy but I didn't.
Content Warnings
Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, and Violence
avrija's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This was an awesome book, lovely and memorable characters.
I’m quite surprised at how much I liked the main character, Linus. I’ve loved the descriptions of the children, their magical beings/powers, as some were quite unusual but written so well, I had a picture in mind for each of them.
I loved the Color play between Linus‘ life in the city and on the island and I love all the interactions between the characters.
Another thing was also, that Linus is just a regular guy. He’s not the usual kind of protagonist for a book that involves a romance as he’s not close to look like the beauty standards. He’s in his forties, works an office job, has some weight to his belly and thinning hair but he’s still loved by the characters and even involved in a romance, which I really liked.
The romance was quite cute, though it was definitely slowburn and mostly very subtle in the background. The focus wa snore on the interactions with all the characters and their dynamics while adding a dash of romance to it.
I also liked the commentary on bigotry and prejudice against the children as magical youth and the way in which DICOMY played a role.
All in all a great and lovely read for everyone that likes a quaint character study kind of book that has a big theme for found family.
I’m quite surprised at how much I liked the main character, Linus. I’ve loved the descriptions of the children, their magical beings/powers, as some were quite unusual but written so well, I had a picture in mind for each of them.
I loved the Color play between Linus‘ life in the city and on the island and I love all the interactions between the characters.
Another thing was also, that Linus is just a regular guy. He’s not the usual kind of protagonist for a book that involves a romance as he’s not close to look like the beauty standards. He’s in his forties, works an office job, has some weight to his belly and thinning hair but he’s still loved by the characters and even involved in a romance, which I really liked.
The romance was quite cute, though it was definitely slowburn and mostly very subtle in the background. The focus wa snore on the interactions with all the characters and their dynamics while adding a dash of romance to it.
I also liked the commentary on bigotry and prejudice against the children as magical youth and the way in which DICOMY played a role.
All in all a great and lovely read for everyone that likes a quaint character study kind of book that has a big theme for found family.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
jennxreviews's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
This book. This book is just beautiful. The writing is like a gorgeous prose. It's about looking beyond the surface of what you're taught to see to what is actually there. It's ahout home and family. The story is from the point of view of Linus who is a children's services caseworker who's sent on a special assignment to observe an orphange for a month and what he found there was so much more than what he was looking for. I am not a weepy person but this book made my eyes leak and my heart bubble pop. I've never wanted to annotate and mark a book so much in my life that wasn't a textbook. I want to read it again just so I can write comments and thoughts on it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
lindseyhall44's review against another edition
emotional
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
“He’d accepted long ago that some people, no matter how good their heart was or how much love they had to give, would always be alone. It was there lot in life, and Linus had figured out, at the age of twenty seven, that it seemed to be that way for him. Oh, there was no specific event that brought along this line of thinking. It was just that he felt…dimmer than others. Like he was faded in a crystal clear world. He wasn’t meant to be seen”
Oh how I love love, and this book is chock full of it. There is romantic love, a familial love, a love of humanity, and a love of storytelling that make this novel all that it is. I cannot wait to read more from this author
Oh how I love love, and this book is chock full of it. There is romantic love, a familial love, a love of humanity, and a love of storytelling that make this novel all that it is. I cannot wait to read more from this author
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, and Death of parent
jessiesnoww's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-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: Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Homophobia, Cannibalism, and Religious bigotry
Starts out slow but it’s worth it.julleah's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
thesunthesunthesunthesun's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.75
Sometimes you pick up a romance book that seems like a fun romp, filled with the most exquisite tropes. And you think to yourself "that cannot be as fun as it appears to be? surely this is going to be mildly disappointing?"
I am glad to say that it did not disappoint at all. This was absolutely adorable.
Was the plot predictable? yes, and delightfully so! You know the steps that a romcom must take, and you gleefully expect how and when we'll get to that part!
This book is (I say this with only adoration) all the good bits of a Christmas romcom, but now placed in a wonderful summer setting, and it has none of the excruciating miscommunications that otherwise appear in a romcom.
I thoroughly enjoyed this! The cast of characters were all nicely written, the plot was a fun "bureaucrat learns themagic of Christmas to truly live life and to open up his heart to the hot single father of six magic children". There were some delightful little twists that you get to figure out along the way, and you get to feel clever when your suspicions are confirmed. Not a "I never saw it coming" but a "aha!! I knew it!", which is nice.
The writing style of the author lends itself perfectly for this story, the dialogue was very well done, and the scene descriptions were lovely. I started writing little pencil notes halfway through that only consisted of "yes! yes!!" and "it's cause you're so gay for him" whenever Linus thought about Arthur.
Even though I had to take a multi-month break halfway through the book, I could get right back in with minimal confusion. The pacing was ideal for this story as well.
All in all, this was SUCH a fun romp. I needed this book.
And yes, I did cry a little at the expected moments. I'm a simple man; my heartstrings are easily pulled.
I am glad to say that it did not disappoint at all. This was absolutely adorable.
Was the plot predictable? yes, and delightfully so! You know the steps that a romcom must take, and you gleefully expect how and when we'll get to that part!
This book is (I say this with only adoration) all the good bits of a Christmas romcom, but now placed in a wonderful summer setting, and it has none of the excruciating miscommunications that otherwise appear in a romcom.
I thoroughly enjoyed this! The cast of characters were all nicely written, the plot was a fun "bureaucrat learns the
The writing style of the author lends itself perfectly for this story, the dialogue was very well done, and the scene descriptions were lovely. I started writing little pencil notes halfway through that only consisted of "yes! yes!!" and "it's cause you're so gay for him" whenever Linus thought about Arthur.
Even though I had to take a multi-month break halfway through the book, I could get right back in with minimal confusion. The pacing was ideal for this story as well.
All in all, this was SUCH a fun romp. I needed this book.
And yes, I did cry a little at the expected moments. I'm a simple man; my heartstrings are easily pulled.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Xenophobia, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Deportation
Most of the xenophobia warnings pertain to people being bigoted about having a magic child orphanage near them. The abuse warnings is primarily due to the children having been through the wringer of society, so to speak. The fatphobia is mostly Linus himself and some other people making weird comments about him being fat, it's not too bad,quiteawful's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- 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
Lovely, sweet book. I could feel the world changing from black and white to colour. I love all the main characters, and I will absolutely start the next book immediately 💖
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Cannibalism, and Abandonment