Reviews with content warning for Addiction - Signal Fires

Signal Fires is the story of two families living in the same suburban street, whose lives intersect in sometimes surprising ways. It’s a book that spans several decades, albeit in a non-linear fashion, and with much of the action happening off page. As a reader I felt the blurb for this one was misleading. The car accident isn’t really the focus of the story at all. Certainly it had ramifications particularly the impact of secrets and things not spoken about, guilt and regret. However, I was expecting this to be more fleshed out. What really impacted me as a reader was the character of Waldo, his obvious giftedness, his sensitivity, his wonder at the universe, the way his father struggled to connect with him, and the bond he and Dr Wilf forged with each other. Kids like Waldo always grab a piece of my heart. I enjoyed the character studies of the others also. There was a strong philosophical, spiritual element to this book, almost magical realism, and that didn’t work so well for me. It felt heavy handed and not well-integrated with the plot, almost emotionally manipulative. To me it was unnecessary - the details already in the novel were strong enough for the reader reach the desired conclusion, to see the author’s message, on their own accord.

Content Warnings

megankholley's review against another edition

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emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

julied's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

4.0

Content Warnings

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