historybabe's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
5.0
This post-apocalyptic tale of survival and betrayal had me hooked from page one. Elka must survive the harsh wilderness while running from the man she called Daddy for most of her life. I did expect to be shocked when her past was cast into the light. But there are more than a few skeletons buried in the woods.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Murder, and Cannibalism
zormal815's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
Thought provoking around themes of childhood trauma, resilience, guilt, and justice. I listened to an audio version read by Amy McFadden, so the dialect sounded relatively natural from the beginning. I could imagine that reading the text could be more awkward and require an adjustment period.
The story kept me interested even when it was predictable. Elka is, after all, very young and her unconventional upbringing has not exposed her to many life lessons. This book is more about the journey than the destination.
While I did find this to be a worthwhile read, I was a mildly annoyed by inconsistencies here and there. Some insights from narrator Elka seem improbable given her upbringing and experience. Other times the author seems to contradict major themes. For instance there is a beautifully written passage about not calling a serial killer a “monster” because allowing the perpetrator to feel other-than-human provides a scapegoat for poor choices to be blamed on the nature of one’s inner beast. For the rest of the book however, murderers are often referred to as monsters and the power of the passage is diminished.
Again, this was overall a worthwhile read for those looking for a thought provoking story around the themes mentioned above.
The story kept me interested even when it was predictable. Elka is, after all, very young and her unconventional upbringing has not exposed her to many life lessons. This book is more about the journey than the destination.
While I did find this to be a worthwhile read, I was a mildly annoyed by inconsistencies here and there. Some insights from narrator Elka seem improbable given her upbringing and experience. Other times the author seems to contradict major themes. For instance there is a beautifully written passage about not calling a serial killer a “monster” because allowing the perpetrator to feel other-than-human provides a scapegoat for poor choices to be blamed on the nature of one’s inner beast. For the rest of the book however, murderers are often referred to as monsters and the power of the passage is diminished.
Again, this was overall a worthwhile read for those looking for a thought provoking story around the themes mentioned above.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism and Murder
Minor: Rape
katilovesthewoods's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Animal death, Gore, Cannibalism, and Child death
Moderate: Death of parent
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