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phvntomstvrs's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Xenophobia
Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, and Fatphobia
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
mitchelljohnson's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-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
Not as much plot as I typically prefer, but it was such a good story. TJ Klune is a wonderful storyteller. I cried multiple times reading this, and not just at the ending. Just wait 'til Pixar gets their hands on this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Xenophobia
Moderate: Body shaming and Religious bigotry
bookbrig's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
So many friends have recommended this to me, and I finally found the time to listen to it. I loved the audiobook reader, and the writing did such a wonderful job of drawing me into the story. It was sweet and cozy, kind of like a big gay hug, as one of my friends put it. It was a lovely choice for a summer read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming and Xenophobia
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Confinement
itsnotalakeitsanocean's review against another edition
fast-paced
COMPLETE RE-EDIT OF MY REVIEW BECAUSE I'VE CHANGED MY OPINION ON THIS BOOK!
I am no longer giving Klune any benefits of the doubt. To appropriate a tragedy that effects the Native populations of America and Canada - the violent impact of which is still being felt to this day, and is still being perpetrated in different, horrifying forms - and to then write a so-called inspirational queer found family story that posits "oh if only people were just kinder we could end racism and all get along" is absolutely disgusting and he should be ashamed of this work.
This isn't even going into the unfortunate implications of changing the narrative of very real Native children who are dehumanised by real people into monster children, and having them segregated on an island lest they be subjected to being hate crimed by the local, prejudiced population (not that the prejudice is ever properly written about besides a few petty disagreements, because otherwise it would ruin the cutesy-wutesy wholesome vibes 🙄).
Reads With Rachel recently put out a video that explains the problems far more eloquently than I ever could that you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlFIppBQFl8
I am no longer giving Klune any benefits of the doubt. To appropriate a tragedy that effects the Native populations of America and Canada - the violent impact of which is still being felt to this day, and is still being perpetrated in different, horrifying forms - and to then write a so-called inspirational queer found family story that posits "oh if only people were just kinder we could end racism and all get along" is absolutely disgusting and he should be ashamed of this work.
This isn't even going into the unfortunate implications of changing the narrative of very real Native children who are dehumanised by real people into monster children, and having them segregated on an island lest they be subjected to being hate crimed by the local, prejudiced population (not that the prejudice is ever properly written about besides a few petty disagreements, because otherwise it would ruin the cutesy-wutesy wholesome vibes 🙄).
Reads With Rachel recently put out a video that explains the problems far more eloquently than I ever could that you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlFIppBQFl8
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Xenophobia
Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Fatphobia, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Religious bigotry
polythenesam's review against another edition
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
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming and Child abuse
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
maxcooper's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
5.0
maybe it’s recency bias but this has to be one of the best books i’ve ever read. i have never cried so much. i devoured this, i could not put it down. pump this shit into my veins
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming and Child abuse
katievallin's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Fatphobia, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Confinement and Fire/Fire injury
meeklovestoread's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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? No
5.0
Oh my gosh! THIS BOOK! I'm so happy I read it! It made me feel happy and yet there was a time when my eyes burned due to the tears in my eyes. I loved all our main characters! EVERY. SINGLE. ONE! I was so unwell after I finished it. Heartbroken even. I love this book so much! 🥰😥
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Abandonment
Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, and Child abuse
This book does tackle themes of discrimination and prejudice. And how rhetoric like that can shape the individuals as well as the society affected by it.