Scan barcode
kimveach's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infertility, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
kcmg710's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
I’ve fallen in love with the characters and can’t imagine continuing life without them. I’m actually grieving finishing this book.
The writing was so beautiful. I loved every minute of this book.
I’ll admit it was abit tricky keeping up with everybody’s different stories because of the multiple POVS? (I think that’s the right term) however these are my favourite type of books, I love piecing it all together. It kinda reminds me of the starless sea (which I also loved) but if you found yourself not enjoying them maybe this book isn’t for you.
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Minor: Racism and Sexism
jodar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
The setting is the 19th century, post-Darwin’s publications. The local pub fulfils today’s role of social media – spreading information and rumour, eliciting speculation and stories that attempt to understand and entertain. There are ordinary people who focus on folk-story, but there are the more educated as well, who grapple with social and natural/medical challenges from the point of view of newer knowledge and concepts. Sometimes the latter, though, seem to me to edge into 21st-century sensibilities, bordering anachronism. All the same, characters are portrayed in an engaging way, and their various conflicted emotions develop realistically.
Least successful to me was the nebulous, mystical, Charon-like character of Quietly, saving or taking those imperilled by the river. A metaphor I think for humans’ lack of complete control over nature and its powers, but a metaphor that sits uneasily with the tenor of the novel as a whole.
The resolutions at the end of the novel are a bit clichéd, though I feel that that is probably fine for a novel set in Victorian England!
Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, and Violence
emmagreenwood's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Kidnapping, Grief, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
cookiecat73's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
cutepatzie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism
jenn_bookstitcher'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
4.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
bibliophilemama's review
4.5
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Animal death, Racism, and Rape