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twonky'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
4.0
Minor: Sexual content, Dementia, and Murder
mdavis26's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Dementia, Trafficking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Classism
sydneyhenshaw'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? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Ableism, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Grief, Murder, and Abandonment
brookey8888'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
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
achay91's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexism, Dementia, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual content, and Blood
claraxann's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
sepetys cares deeply about her writing. her dedication to research is clear and it comes with real rewards - she consistently writes some of the best historical fiction i’ve read. although i don’t think this is her best book, i do think it lives up to her track record and i cannot say i was disappointed. as always, she blew me out the park.
my favourite aspect of her writing is her use of structure - motifs and repetition play such an integral role. in this novel, it was her use of quotes that stunned me, particularly the one from keats. no one writes emotions like sepetys - no one conveys them as strongly. her portrayals of very human feelings never fail to reduce me to tears - she really understands people. id say particularly grief in this novel plays a key role and is presented strongly.
despite the title, i enjoyed seeing how difficult it is to “get out” of the easy. she seems to have something to say about the cyclical nature of poverty, as well as relationships, and i think, in part, it’s the themes of this book that makes it so strong. although i think more could be said on the topic of prostitution, especially during the 50s, as well as race, which is perhaps somewhat of a blindspot for sepetys, i enjoyed the varied representation of parental relationships, and the dynamics between parents and their children, especially in the more tragic cases. the coming of age aspect is handled well.
(sidenote: jesse has fundamentally changed who i am. he gives her pink lilies! pink lilies! not only does he have impeccable taste, he’s also funny and charismatic and he clearly cares about her a lot. also, the motorbike helps. the adrenaline junkie in me wants a shot, but my more cautious side might need to resign itself to busy queues and the occasional speed walk.)
although i think this was weaker than some of sepetys other books, it still sets an impressively high standard for historical fiction aimed at a teen audience - that’s a never a bad thing, in a market saturated by ww2, regency ladies, and victorian urchins. sepetys consistently gives a voice to the voiceless, and she always aims to do it in the most respectful way possible - she understands the importance of her work.
literally just read it omg. it’s good.
Graphic: Death, Dementia, and Grief
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, and Abandonment
Minor: Racism and Sexual content
black characters experience racism typical of the period. unfortunately, they seem placed in the role of helpers to the main character. prostitution is a key focus of the book, but sexual content is fairly limited. death plays a larger role, as does dementia.irodori_megu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Self harm and Grief
Minor: Car accident and War
inkdrinkershorde'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
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Violence and Dementia
Minor: Rape and Sexual content
sarah2438's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
It's hard for me to tell what I would actually rate this book if I hadn't read this author's other works. This was only her second novel, and the two since then were incredible. She's been a strong writer since the start, and even though this one wasn't my favorite, I'm excited to see what else she comes out with.
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Dementia, and Death of parent
awells96's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Sexual assault, Dementia, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Racism, and Toxic relationship