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julzella's review against another edition
2.5
Graphic: Pedophilia and Rape
talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
The writing ranges from dry to pointedly (in other words, unnaturally) quotable, and the dialogue is somehow even more stilted and unrealistically grammatically flawless than the narration. A few spoken lines toward the end literally go on uninterrupted and with no stuttering or backtracking for 100+ words; virtually no one, let alone who's suffered recent repeated physical trauma, is that eloquent. Information is revealed in stilted blocks and repeated ten times over. I don't think any teenager -- or person at all -- in the history of cell phones has ever texted like the teenagers in this book are written as doing.
In terms of substance, there's a lot left to be desired as well. All of the individual narrative threads -- or at least most of them -- would make interesting stories, but here they're all kind of crammed into one unbalanced mess. Is the central plot supposed to be Daunis's complex relationship with her family members and community? Her desire to pursue a career in medicine/science and unite traditional and more modern "scientific" practices? Her recovering from and learning about the factors leading up to her best friend's sudden, tragic death? Her role as an undercover informant in an FBI investigation involving meth and her community (as much suspension of disbelief as that requires)? Her and Jamie's relationship? A general critical overview of the treatment of Indigenous women in American and Canadian society? It's never really decided, and so we jump awkwardly from one to the other without more natural transitions or better multitasking, leading to really overall odd pacing.
The general emotional pacing never quite hits either. A significant medical detail about the protagonist is made explicit for the first time 70% in and never serves any real relevance (and is outright contradicted or ignored at other times). Major traumatic events like the murder of Daunis's best friend and
The characters -- including, perhaps especially Daunis -- lack depth, whittled down to one trait (not even one that is shown, but told... multiple times). The supporting cast especially kind of blends together as a result of that weird pacing and unrealistic, stilted dialogue. I couldn't get a real sense of any of their motivations, so the culprit reveal and relationships all feel more than lackluster. In that regard, the romance is particularly egregious, even putting aside the core issues with
Overall, quite disappointing execution of multiple interesting premises, and I remain bewildered by the overwhelmingly positive response. Perhaps it was a great book for many others, but nothing about it ended up clicking or sitting well with me.
(Also, urine, even your own, is not actually sterile! Please do not use it as a substitute for hydrogen peroxide. I know this is set in 2004 -- as little as there is to solidly ground it there -- and a lot of people believe that myth even today, but it just feels... irresponsible to include in a book like this, especially framed as an objective valuable fact.)
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Car accident, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol
margaret_k30's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Racism, Sexual assault, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, Vomit, and Abandonment
Minor: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, and Cultural appropriation
erebus53'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? It's complicated
4.75
She is plugging on with things despite her favourite uncle having died, her grandmother being in palliative care, injuries having taken her off the ice, and having to make some hard decisions. There is a new guy in her brother's team, from out of town, and she is roped in to be his Ambassador and show him around.. but no she is NOT interested in dating "hockey guys". One of her childhood friends seems to have started relying meth. He's acting erratic and this is just the start of some life threatening chaos.
This is only the second book I have ever read that focuses on the Anishinaabeg (Nish) people of North America, in the area of the Great Lakes where arbitrary laws of settlers divide the people by a geo-political border between Canada and USA.
The main character is curious and scientific and super geeky, hoping to get into medical training. I personally love all her scientific naming of things, as that hits me where I live, and the puzzle solving she does is laid out and methodical so that the reader isn't left behind if things start getting complex. Her work on traditional indigenous medicine and scientific exploration describes a fusion between traditional practice and modern life; that both are valuable and do not deny each other.
I notice that this is, thematically, a very crepuscular book. Most of it is set in morning and evening, with young people and elders, and during the months of spring and autumn/fall, when the mushrooms abound — times of change, for looking back and forward; reviewing and planning. It also considers setting and respecting personal boundaries, and our decisions and their repercussions.. all this with a main character who seeks to understand herself, her values, her peoples and their history... and to understand how love can work when you don't always agree with another person. It's pretty rich.
Honestly though.. this book is gripping. There are continual revelations and twists, but they aren't weird or arbitrary. I wanted to know more and did not want to put it down. Every time something big happened I had to remind myself to take a time out to savour it.
Graphic: Drug use, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Vomit, and Toxic friendship
aasiy4h's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Kidnapping
Minor: Body shaming, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Car accident, and Death of parent
ellabean's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Pedophilia, Racial slurs, and Rape
ryanbookemoji's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Moderate: Addiction and Drug use
Minor: Pedophilia and Rape
peachmoni's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Racism, Suicide, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation
Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Vomit, Medical trauma, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
hotbitch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
emma3674's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail