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skyeshark1'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? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Fatphobia, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Racial slurs and Racism
feline17ff'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
From a technical perspective it's so cool and perfect! Every single thing comes back somehow or other, slevery little detail which you think is just for description or a joke.
YES, ESPECIALLY THE JOKES!
The reader keeps getting rewarded for each line of text they read previously and remember.
It's an amazing and beautiful book that makes you cry. It's about love, both romantic and platonic.
It's really smart, if you didn't get it already.
It's like a Chosen One book but not but yes.
The Chosen Ones come together to work together and break the curse on a land they don't even know that was cursed because of bad people a hundred years ago.
It's about destiny and love and doing the right thing and helping others and about children being harshly punished for things that they dd or didn't do, that were in or out fo their control, that they happened to just be in the wrong place at the wrong time or in the wrong situation
It's about stupid America's stupid racism and stupid war on homeless people and poor people and stupid broken systems and stupid government punishment and and stupid lack of accountability and stupid misogyny too.
It's a happy ending and not just a bittersweet ending, a happy ending which seems less and less possible as the story goes but it is a happy ending and I am grateful.
Another thing.
From a writing perspective.
It uses short sentences and is fast-paced and a short book, which might be the definition of a middle grade book.
As an amateur writer, it's cool to see this in action. Each line packs a punch and the shortness makes sure it hits.
Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Blood, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
lovelynovellas'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
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
hyp3rpop's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse and Blood
Moderate: Death and Racism
Minor: Cursing
nota_candycaine'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
adoto's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, and Death
morganperks'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
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Confinement, Racism, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Death, Fatphobia, and Blood
wolfiegrrrl'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
Through the story, the author has a lot to say about racism, classism, the prison pipeline, and the exploitative nature of detainment centers. There is also an impressive smattering of commentary about the things adults do and say that (either intentionally or unintentionally) leave a lasting negative impression on how children view themselves. As an adult with a more informed perspective on these topics, I now understand how a story set in Texas turned out to have all of these elements, so I found myself stopping to let certain details sink in that I know I missed as a kid. I think the fact that it isn't preachy, instead painting a straightforward picture for the readers and saying "you decide if this is right or wrong," is what imprinted this story on my heart.
I only recently learned that there is a sequel and I am looking forward to seeing what happened to the other boys from Camp Green Lake!
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Confinement, Racism, and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Death, Fatphobia, Blood, Vomit, and Murder