cactusmotif's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
2.5
★- mediocre, crude, incoherent
★½ - unrealized potential, underdeveloped, disappointing
★★- fine, coherent, technically proficient
★★½ - good, enjoyable, well-crafted
★★★½ - profound, inventive, original
★★★★ - exceptional, genius, thought-provoking
★★★★½ - masterpiece
★★★★★- unparalleled, revelatory, revolutionary
Graphic: Grief, Dementia, Forced institutionalization, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Abandonment, Child death, and War
Minor: Racism and Xenophobia
bi_n_large's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Graphic: Dementia and Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Child death, and Grief
Minor: Racism, War, and Xenophobia
peggymay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Medical content, Racism, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, War, and Xenophobia
Minor: Child death
mkstalcup's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Dementia
Minor: Xenophobia and War
kers_tin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Graphic: Death of parent, Dementia, Medical content, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Xenophobia and War
just_one_more_paige's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Grief, Terminal illness, and Dementia
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia
tindin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Dementia, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Mental illness, Child death, Confinement, Miscarriage, War, and Medical content
Minor: Abandonment, Racism, and Xenophobia
ukponge'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Xenophobia
sfbookgirl'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: Dementia, Death of parent, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Xenophobia, Racism, and Child death
krys_kilz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
I liked the voice Otsuka wrote from - the first-person plural we and the second-person singular you. It blurs the distinction between the collective and the individual and complicates conceptions of the "self." Even with the sort of disembodied narration style, the story is still incredibly emotional and heartbreaking.
I loved the mirroring between the cracks forming in the pool and the fog descending on Alice's mind. It was a very clever parallel about being with the unknown, losing pieces of yourself, and the painfulness of a community coming to an end. It also really makes you reflect on how we treat elders in the so called united states - the isolation, abuse, and exile from community we put them and their families through.
tw: dementia, forced institutionalization, death of a parent, Japanese internment camps
Graphic: Dementia, Forced institutionalization, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Death of parent, Racism, and Xenophobia
Minor: Child death and Fatphobia