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casscarr928's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Rape, Child abuse, Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
hannahkate33's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.5
Please check trigger warnings on this book, so you are more prepared than I was. Stories with these themes and traumas deserve to be told, but I was completely unprepared and the writing’s explicit nature caused me to step away from this book for a little. I don’t understand why the characters like each other. I don’t understand why Jonas loves Elle. Were told it, over and over, but I can’t retain and emotion from these scenes. The main catalyst for this story, Elle’s and Jonas’ big decision, does not have the emotional weight that we were told of the whole book. There’s no depth to the relationships between Elle and Peter and Jonas. The timeline jumps around so quickly we lose the character’s emotions and weight of their actions because we’re suddenly back in the far past or future-past. I was fine putting up with the writing style the first third of the book, but the turn the story takes in Elle’s traumatic childhood completely caught me off guard. I decided to power through the book around page 250, and I skimmed the last 30 pages. I liked the complexity of Wallace and the sisters’ relationship, but I didn’t care for much else. The dialogue felt so stiff, especially when they were all children. I had forgotten who Peter was when part three came around.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Rape, Incest, and Sexual assault
chelseymccrae's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Sexual assault, and Rape
mckayla_haesch's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
This book is a heavy one with sensitive content matter, but I believe it is so important for so many people to not feel alone. Miranda, thank you for creating and publishing this work of art.
There are five books in one (think of it as one book in five parts), bouncing between then and now. I didn’t find myself getting confused or annoyed by the amount of switching between time periods. It gave crucial insight on specific people when you need it the most. The Paper Palace discusses the complexities and consequences stemming from childhood and generational trauma, and how everything can compound into who you are today. The theme is mainly about loving, losing, and fighting for and with someone that wasn’t yours to love or lose. The prose reads lyrically and has a poetic flow to it that I fell in love with. The imagery it created was fantastic.
I have a more in-depth review on my tiktok as to why I gave it a 4/5, but it is because of the powerful way a harsh reality for so many of us, plays into our lives daily and our decisions. I can’t say I loved the book (I definitely don’t condone cheating or having an affair), but seeing the “why” behind actions and decisions and where the root of it actually came from, was incredibly insightful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Emotional abuse
talyahonor23's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
While I enjoyed the reading this book and the writing style, I hated every single character. Why did shegave to go into so much deatil with the child abuse? Even the adult sex scenes were either violent or too explicit. And Why was everyone so rich and so beautiful? The only one who is considered neither is poor Gina. There was also a lot of sexual violence against most females characters as well as everyone leading very shitty lives. Was no one allowed ro be happy for real? I hate cheaters but I was intrigued by their story. The author is a little dated...using butter on a burn has been considered an old wives tale for years. Her obsession with meat and dairy is also a little out of touch. But it was an easy and interesting read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Body shaming, Child death, Incest, Medical trauma, Grief, Rape, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
velma's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
While the book was gripping and had me constantly turning the next page, the sexual violence against minors was vulgar and sexualized children more than anything.
Hated the ending, the love triangle, and the support of cheating and lying.
Hated the ending, the love triangle, and the support of cheating and lying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual assault
Moderate: Murder
empathreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It's amusing how the journey went from initially disliking the main character to gradually rooting for her, but not really (picky on some parts). There are reasons behind every action and the subsequent consequences, regardless of how positive or dire they may be. If it's not you fulfilling something in that life, something is bound to happen. The subtleties throughout the book, along with metaphors leading up to the years portrayed, shed light on generational patterns. Ultimately, it's her choice, and the outcome remains uncertain. The ending brings about new beginnings—whether good or bad, it could be either or even both.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Grief, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Incest, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Death
trypie5's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Rape
lenak's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Child abuse
jasjadeserrano's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
More sensitive readers: please read the content warnings. I went into this book knowing almost nothing about it, so I was quite surprised to see how central these situations were to the plot, so keep that in mind.
This book started slow for me, but once I cleared Book 2, I couldn’t put it down. The characters are complex, the tone is melancholy, and the love stories are sweet and terrible and tender. Also: lush descriptions of nature that reminded me of “Where the Crawdads Sing.”
It’s a beautiful book that has stuck with me days after finishing it.
This book started slow for me, but once I cleared Book 2, I couldn’t put it down. The characters are complex, the tone is melancholy, and the love stories are sweet and terrible and tender. Also: lush descriptions of nature that reminded me of “Where the Crawdads Sing.”
It’s a beautiful book that has stuck with me days after finishing it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, and Child abuse