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suzydunk's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Abandonment
ellahoward_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- 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
This book felt like the warmest hug… it’s the only way to describe it. I loved the way the world building creates a sense of escapism and how the author isn’t pushing an underlying meaning in your face but that it is carefully weaved into the story and dialogue in a way that creates the impact but doesn’t lessen the whimsical sense of family and home. I have read what the book around what the book is based on, but if you can separate fantastical art from reality then I think you will love this book too!
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse and Abandonment
glitterstained's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Fatphobia, Racism, Forced institutionalization, and Abandonment
heini's review against another edition
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement and Abandonment
Minor: Body shaming and Child abuse
hales_1243's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment
Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, and Cannibalism
Minor: Drug use
There was no explicit drug use, but there was reference to drugs briefly by a side character.silverhill's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Go with the audiobook. I usually prefer print, but the audio was a delight with all the different voices!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Forced institutionalization, and Abandonment
Minor: Confinement
teslis's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
This was the fifth book-club book me and my friend's read this year. I think that this book were the first book all four of us really enjoyed.
This book is both cute and gets your brain thinking. The main character gets an assignment to visit a children's home for magical children. I think that the children are my favorite characters in this book instead of the main character and the adults.
I liked Klune's writing, it's easy to read and understand, but also lively and vivid. I like when books languages are easy and direct witch made me interested to read a second book by Klune.
It's over a month since I finished this book so I don't have so much to say right now :(
Quotes I liked:
"A home isn't always the house we live in. It's also the people we choose to surround ourselves with." - Helen, p. 281
"What's the point of living if you only do it how others want you to?" - Zoe, P. 339
Took me 10 hours and 32 minutes to read.
This book is both cute and gets your brain thinking. The main character gets an assignment to visit a children's home for magical children. I think that the children are my favorite characters in this book instead of the main character and the adults.
I liked Klune's writing, it's easy to read and understand, but also lively and vivid. I like when books languages are easy and direct witch made me interested to read a second book by Klune.
It's over a month since I finished this book so I don't have so much to say right now :(
Quotes I liked:
"A home isn't always the house we live in. It's also the people we choose to surround ourselves with." - Helen, p. 281
"What's the point of living if you only do it how others want you to?" - Zoe, P. 339
Took me 10 hours and 32 minutes to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Body shaming
crystalunvrs's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, Xenophobia, and Abandonment
dhiyanah's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
This book felt like a bright, warm hug for me. Linus is used to a daily grind that kept his life small and dreary until he's sent on an assignment that opens his heart up to choices. A space that's utterly surprising to him, we see how at home he feels in the new environment yet how he resisted it, which created many laughable moments in the book. His cat acts as an emotional barometer throughout the story, which I thought was super cute and clever.
Our experience of this magical world that poignantly parallels our own - where those who are different are systematically isolated and marginalized - is shaken up as Linus himself embraces a new trajectory. I appreciate how serious issues are brought up in a way that doesn't leave the readers stuck in re-living traumatic triggers. There is flow here, and enough resolution towards the end so that we land softly in the realm of possibility, which I thought was very important.
Through this story, we see how the changing tide of Linus' life is responding to structural needs for change and healing. We join him as he navigates the challenge and the courage to be led by love. The pacing, writing, and characters were enjoyable. I had to remind myself it was okay to finish reading this because it meant I can re-read it later (lol). Highly recommended for a cozy, hopeful read that brings in a boost of chosen family love, heartfelt character growth, and funny dialogues 🌈
Our experience of this magical world that poignantly parallels our own - where those who are different are systematically isolated and marginalized - is shaken up as Linus himself embraces a new trajectory. I appreciate how serious issues are brought up in a way that doesn't leave the readers stuck in re-living traumatic triggers. There is flow here, and enough resolution towards the end so that we land softly in the realm of possibility, which I thought was very important.
Through this story, we see how the changing tide of Linus' life is responding to structural needs for change and healing. We join him as he navigates the challenge and the courage to be led by love. The pacing, writing, and characters were enjoyable. I had to remind myself it was okay to finish reading this because it meant I can re-read it later (lol). Highly recommended for a cozy, hopeful read that brings in a boost of chosen family love, heartfelt character growth, and funny dialogues 🌈
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, and Abandonment
lilacs_book_bower's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
On the surface this is a sweet book. A bureaucrat named Linus goes to an orphanage to see how things are going with the magical children and their mysterious headmaster, for lack of a better term. The kids are sweet and he comes to love them and Arthur, the headmaster (who deeply loves and cares for the children). I was very fond of Arthur and the children, and was passingly fond of Linus. We are told he is by the book and seems unflappable, which is why he was chosen for this review by the government agency he works for. But he sort of dithers around and seems very surprised and shocked by the kids. We are constantly told how wonderful he is, but I don't quite see it? Because he is open-minded and not a jerk to the kids? I also think the book is a smidge too long. I found it to be a soothing book about giving people chances and not judging them for being different, and that everyone deserves a place to call home with people who love them.
HOWEVER, there are some controversies about this book, as Klune was at least partially inspired by residential schools, where Indigenous children were taken from their families and placed in to orphanages, treated brutally (some even killed) to try to assimilate them into white society and culture. There are also some excellent points to be made about trauma and children in foster care systems, and whether or not that is accurately reflected here in the book. As I have no experience with the foster care system, and I am not an Indigenous Person, or even a person of color, I do not want to make a judgement call on this, nor do I feel able to. I have seen comments on both sides about these issues. What is clear is that Klune is using the magical children as an allegory to show the oppression of a marginalized group by society, culture, and the government. I think we can all appreciate the attempt. But how people feel going from there is really going to be up to each person and their individual lives and experiences. The story and the characters are sweet and soothing, but there is still a lot I feel uncertain about. I did not want to ignore the issues that many other readers have addressed much better than I have.
HOWEVER, there are some controversies about this book, as Klune was at least partially inspired by residential schools, where Indigenous children were taken from their families and placed in to orphanages, treated brutally (some even killed) to try to assimilate them into white society and culture. There are also some excellent points to be made about trauma and children in foster care systems, and whether or not that is accurately reflected here in the book. As I have no experience with the foster care system, and I am not an Indigenous Person, or even a person of color, I do not want to make a judgement call on this, nor do I feel able to. I have seen comments on both sides about these issues. What is clear is that Klune is using the magical children as an allegory to show the oppression of a marginalized group by society, culture, and the government. I think we can all appreciate the attempt. But how people feel going from there is really going to be up to each person and their individual lives and experiences. The story and the characters are sweet and soothing, but there is still a lot I feel uncertain about. I did not want to ignore the issues that many other readers have addressed much better than I have.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Cultural appropriation, and Abandonment
Minor: Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Torture, Violence, and Grief