lauramur's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Self harm, Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Suicide
laurenmalia'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
Graphic: Suicide, Self harm, and Child abuse
clo_l's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Mental illness and Abandonment
Minor: Self harm, Rape, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Cancer, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Grief, Bullying, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Infidelity, Infertility, Cursing, Child abuse, Car accident, and Blood
laurenlee2158's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Classism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Racism, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
abbyobsessesoverbooks's review against another edition
3.75
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Abandonment and Suicide
bnae77'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? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Self harm and Child abuse
nightfaery's review against another edition
Spoiler
she does not get her daughter back at the endGraphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Child abuse
tiffyb'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
4.75
This was a harrowing, painful read since I am pregnant with my first baby (girl). This book made me FEEL THINGS, and maybe that’s why so many people disliked it- the absolute insanity and infuriating helplessness you felt as you read. I think that possibly, my personal connection to many concepts I’m this book elevated my feelings even more. Having gone through a divorce, now having a baby, and having a close friend whose children were taken away unfairly (and was mistreated and manipulated by the CPS system) all made me find this book to be incredibly relevant and ALMOST believable. I didn’t even realize it was a dystopian novel until probably 1/4 of the way through the book!
I only have a couple of small criticisms… i struggled with the way that Fridas “one bad day” seemed a little under-criticized by the author. Obviously her punishment went FAR beyond the crime, but it seemed as though the author thinks that many moms have a bad day like that and just leave their babies?? Also the book could have cut down probably 100 pages of her time in the school. I just read more quickly, but if someone disliked the book, I’d imagine that the extra focus on the school would be frustrating. And lastly (SPOILER ALERT) I was expecting for the school itself to be addressed; I actually thought that when they all got out, they would find out that the school was literally just a social/mental experiment on mothers. It was odd that the school was just allowed to do literally ANYTHING in spite of literal deaths?? There were many unanswered questions in regards to the school and CPS system overall (like who made any of these decisions).
This book brought up so many concepts within motherhood- ex’s, sex, what counts as selfishness, race, the ridiculous standards of society, and that no one would ever truly “pass” parenting school if we had to adhere to every piece of advice given on childcare. I’d 1000% read a sequel where the mothers join together and seek to understand what happened to them and find justice. A sequel of powerful, angry mothers lol. I’d read that in a heartbeat after this book
Graphic: Suicide, Child death, Self harm, and Child abuse
honeymoonleo's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Confinement, Gaslighting, Self harm, Suicide, Child abuse, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racism, and Torture
Minor: Addiction, Racial slurs, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Homophobia, Suicide, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, and Deportation
designy808's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Racism, Child abuse, and Body shaming