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elixierbroth's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
As you might guess from the title, Perdido is getting a Levee in this book!
Most of the plot is about that, or family drama. Elinor does not want the Levee. Therefore, Mary-love thinks it's the best thing since sliced bread. The townsfolk would just like. To not be flooded again.
Elinor continues to be terribly obvious.
Mary-Love continues to be terribly obvious. The battle between themriver-monster versus monster-in-law , continues, and I love it I really do. I'm reading this in parallel with Susan Forward/Donna Fraizer's Emotional Blackmail book.
And let me tell you it's a trip to combine them. Mary-love is just the most obvious specimen: most of adult characters in this could be a case study in that book all by themself.
It's good to see more behind Oscar and Sister in this book, and get to see in what ways they attempt to gain some power and personal freedom (spoilers: more similar methods than you'd think!). We meet some new characters in this as the Levee goes from planning stages to being put up and people sweep in and out of town. I actually texted a friend being like 'Oh I found out why there's
a skewered heart on the cover!'Sister, Ivey, that's fucked up! and then I was surprised at who died and who didn't at the end.
Michael McDowell writes really well in a 'time passed and this stuff happened' way, without leaving me feeling acutely that I'm being told not shown. The changes in the town and the river stay as important as the machinations of it's inhabitants.
Leading from that, towards the end we get a POV from Frances, Elinor and Oscar's second child, who is suddenly five years old! Where did the time go. But I mean that in an 'oh wow yes the time really did pass', like in real life, not in a 'blink so we as readers can skip the boring parts' kind of way.
Frances might be my favourite for the fully biased reason of 'she thinks like me for real' and also for having the most concrete reason to be interesting! I look forward to seeing how she develops as a character in book 3. and wether or not she's gonna end up Et by her mama! It could happen.
Most of the plot is about that, or family drama. Elinor does not want the Levee. Therefore, Mary-love thinks it's the best thing since sliced bread. The townsfolk would just like. To not be flooded again.
Elinor continues to be terribly obvious.
Mary-Love continues to be terribly obvious. The battle between them
And let me tell you it's a trip to combine them. Mary-love is just the most obvious specimen: most of adult characters in this could be a case study in that book all by themself.
It's good to see more behind Oscar and Sister in this book, and get to see in what ways they attempt to gain some power and personal freedom (spoilers: more similar methods than you'd think!). We meet some new characters in this as the Levee goes from planning stages to being put up and people sweep in and out of town. I actually texted a friend being like 'Oh I found out why there's
a skewered heart on the cover!'
Michael McDowell writes really well in a 'time passed and this stuff happened' way, without leaving me feeling acutely that I'm being told not shown. The changes in the town and the river stay as important as the machinations of it's inhabitants.
Leading from that, towards the end we get a POV from Frances, Elinor and Oscar's second child, who is suddenly five years old! Where did the time go. But I mean that in an 'oh wow yes the time really did pass', like in real life, not in a 'blink so we as readers can skip the boring parts' kind of way.
Frances might be my favourite for the fully biased reason of 'she thinks like me for real' and also for having the most concrete reason to be interesting! I look forward to seeing how she develops as a character in book 3.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Death, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Homophobia and Racism
Regarding the child death.sarathehuman's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Ableism and Sexual assault
whatathymeitwas's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
Still enthralled with the series. Can't wait to see where it goes next.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Slavery
Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy