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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:
Spoiler
Bodily harm, sexual content, graphic injuries, suicidal ideation, threat of animal harm.eliza_m_ecrire's review
3.0
Avec ce premier roman de la part de Heath, nous tenons une histoire rocambolesque relativement captivante.
Critique complète ici : https://lesmotsdezaza.wordpress.com/2022/10/02/critique-63-the-reckless-kind-2021-par-carly-heath/
Critique complète ici : https://lesmotsdezaza.wordpress.com/2022/10/02/critique-63-the-reckless-kind-2021-par-carly-heath/
izzys_internet_bookshelf's review
4.0
4.5/5
Ugh I loved this book! The characters! The representation! I thought at first I would get bored with the plot because I was reading the book because one of the characters was Hard of Hearing like me, but I ended up enjoying the plot as well.
Ugh I loved this book! The characters! The representation! I thought at first I would get bored with the plot because I was reading the book because one of the characters was Hard of Hearing like me, but I ended up enjoying the plot as well.
spiderpirate's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
stormeno's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Bullying, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty
rjodreyflores's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
xangemtheelibrarian's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
"Some do what's right, some do what they're told. I've been doing what I'm told for far too long." - Jørgen
This book is one I've been wanting to read since it was published, and I kept putting it off in favor of other things. It interested me because the blurb hints at a potential poly relationship, and that is so rarely seen in YA literature. This is even better than that.
This is a story of an entire generation reckoning with the harmful ideology of their hometown. Gunner and Erlend are gay. Asta is Ace. And the beautiful thing about this story is how they become family. The journey each of these three teens take to understand themselves and take charge of their own happiness is so touching. Then they find out it's NOT just the three of them against the world. They find almost as many allies as they do enemies in this town.
I loved the piety vs. sin theme that colored the backdrop of this historical fiction. Christianity destroyed so much in Europe by creating a system where any Outsider was going to hell. This town condemned an entire family because they did not follow the church.
Very slight spoilers ahead:
It ended realistically, and it was perfect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Classism
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Sexual content
Minor: Animal cruelty and Transphobia
lesbrary's review
4.0
This was a great found family queer YA book! I loved their queerplatonic triad. And what an exciting ending!
This book has some pretty serious injuries as well as suicidal ideation around internalized ableism, so make sure to look up content warnings if any of that might be triggering for you.
This book has some pretty serious injuries as well as suicidal ideation around internalized ableism, so make sure to look up content warnings if any of that might be triggering for you.
alicesbooknook's review
This is the type of book that doesn't deserve to be finished