Scan barcode
nookandcrannyseattle's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I don't even know what to say. The prose was serviceable, but just......why? What was the point? Why did I read to the end?
macedowitz's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
yuuto's review
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
kelsie17's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-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? It's complicated
3.0
lizardinabigwizardhat's review
3.0
Love the ace & disability rep. Events seemed to happen so quickly in the story, though that kept my interest rather than dispelled it. Not my favorite but I enjoyed it.
booksarebetter's review
3.0
Dnf'd after 50 pages. This started off with a very off putting authors note, that I tried ignoring feeling she had good intentions. Then I tried the story, and I just wasn't connecting at all. The writing was fine, as well as the characters. Maybe it's a me problem, in that lately I'm not finding things I'm really excited about to read. At first this sounded so right up my alley, but the execution wasn't quite there for me. I may come back to this later. 3 ⭐
lottie1803's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
3.75
brownwall268's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
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
5.0
I loved this book! The Asexual representation as well as queer platonic relationship representation meant a lot to me as an aroace person. Also, seeing characters deal with physical and emotional trauma after an accident was healing as someone who’s been through similar circumstances. Overall, this book meant a lot to me and I loved all the characters.
misanthropic_bibliophile's review against another edition
Soft def - I really like the characters and their relationships but I'm not so into the plot and feel like I wanna be reading something else
libraryofdreaming's review
2.0
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. In 1904 Norway, three disabled teens run away together and enter a horse race after a dire incident. Asta doesn’t want the life that’s been set out for her: marriage and domesticity. She prefers performing at a local theater with her best friend Gunnar and his secret love Erlend. After Gunnar is gravely injured, the three carve out a new life for themselves while bucking society’s rules. But can they find happiness in the face of discrimination and hatred from the surrounding community?
The representation in this book is based on the author’s experience with hearing loss, post-concussion syndrome, and spinal cord trauma.
I’m very excited to see more disability reads, especially historical fiction, but unfortunately I did not enjoy this book. While I appreciated seeing disabled characters (especially Erlend who has anxiety and stomach problems), I didn’t feel like there was enough character development. The epic friendship between the main characters was not fleshed out enough.
I also really struggled with the level of bodily harm and violence in this book. There was just one injury on top of the other to the point where it felt gratuitous. I didn’t like how many of the characters continued to take risks while suffering from extreme pain and injury. Also, I felt like Gunnar, who experiences the most violence, needed a narrative voice so we could understand his perspective.
I liked the themes of found family and the unusual historical setting. I just wish there had been more than a few rays of light in the middle of utter bleakness. My heart hurt and I didn’t connect with the story.
Trigger/content warnings:
The representation in this book is based on the author’s experience with hearing loss, post-concussion syndrome, and spinal cord trauma.
I’m very excited to see more disability reads, especially historical fiction, but unfortunately I did not enjoy this book. While I appreciated seeing disabled characters (especially Erlend who has anxiety and stomach problems), I didn’t feel like there was enough character development. The epic friendship between the main characters was not fleshed out enough.
I also really struggled with the level of bodily harm and violence in this book. There was just one injury on top of the other to the point where it felt gratuitous.
Spoiler
Was it really necessary for Asta to break her collarbone at the end? Was the stabbing after the beating after the accident really necessary?
I liked the themes of found family and the unusual historical setting. I just wish there had been more than a few rays of light in the middle of utter bleakness. My heart hurt and I didn’t connect with the story.
Trigger/content warnings: