dollhousebooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Colonisation, Slavery, Misogyny, Racism, and Death
kimveach's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Physical abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Racism, Vomit, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Slavery
Moderate: Sexual content
gracescanlon'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
4.75
I found Isobel’s descriptions of her experiences with her own synesthesia quite believable. I haven’t had such vibrant experiences myself since I was a girl, but I remember them, and still have smaller, less dramatic ones. Whether Ms. Albanese has synesthesia or not, I found her portrayals of it, especially how it touches every part of life, to ring true. Well done!
This would have been a five-star read, but I felt that the story was rushed in some places. That rush led to a lack of development and depth in characters and their relationships with one another. I think if more time had been devoted to building and expanding upon these, it would've enriched the novel - and earned five stars from me.
Graphic: Death of parent, Physical abuse, Death, Misogyny, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Colonisation, Miscarriage, Addiction, Racism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Grief, Sexism, Sexual content, and Slavery
Minor: Ableism, Miscarriage, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Child death, Excrement, and Suicidal thoughts
laurenlee2158'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
4.75
Minor: Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Grief, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Addiction, Alcoholism, Classism, Suicide, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Miscarriage, Abortion, Colonisation, Death, Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Sexual assault, Ableism, and Sexual content
spineofthesaurus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Classism, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Xenophobia, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Alcoholism, Child death, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Colonisation, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Racial slurs, Abandonment, Death of parent, Confinement, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Terminal illness, Abortion, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Slavery, and Sexual content
Minor: Medical content, Incest, Vomit, Gun violence, and Excrement
phantomgecko's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A novel that takes embroidery and sewing and portrays it as the legitimate art medium it is. Her needlework is not a weak female stereotype. It quite literally empowers her to be her own woman in a time when that's not easy.
Isobel is a fun character too. She's kind and clever but also naive and makes frustrating mistakes.
Also, hadn't thought much about xenophobia in New England. Like, here's a literate white woman in Massachusetts but oops, she's from ScOtLanD which means she's an imMiGraNt and uNtrUstwOrthY.
As a whole though, this was a great novel with great historical influence and creative speculation.
Moderate: Xenophobia, Classism, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Death, and Slavery
apollo222's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny
Moderate: Pregnancy, Addiction, Abortion, Drug abuse, Slavery, and Racism
Minor: Forced institutionalization
atamano'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
4.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Infidelity, Classism, Misogyny, and Racism
Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Pregnancy, Slavery, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death of parent, Sexual content, and Vomit
haley49'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
4.0
Moderate: Racism, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Addiction, Slavery, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Death, Abortion, Rape, and Death of parent
amberghinii'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
4.75
Moderate: Misogyny, Addiction, Alcohol, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, and Colonisation