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peyt149's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
ycristina84's review against another edition
5.0
“I killed a little boy today” opens the book, and you meet 8 year old Chrissie, who has in fact killed a 2 year old boy.
This was disturbing in a way I haven’t read before. Nothing is written for shock or gore, but it is hard to read nonetheless. Specially if you have small children. As a mom to an 8 year old I struggled with Chrissie. She is a child. She’s also horrible. She has very real reasons to be horrible. But you hate her. But you also pity her on a deep level, because truly all she needs is someone to love her and give her what she most needs. I understood her, hated her, and felt so sad for her.
This story leaves you with so much heartache. For Chrissie, small and older, for the lives she’s taken, for kids in real life that have lost everything when committing a crime they don’t understand. Should a child be held responsible FOREVER for something they did as an 8 year old? When the concept of death and forever isn’t quite solid in their minds? When they may be hungry, abused, lonely, and so empty inside that they don’t know how to exist in the world without being mean and hurtful? What punishment is punishment enough for a child? And when that child grows up, how does the world receive them? Can you get a second chance at life after killing someone?
The writing is excellent, the story so well told. It’s a bit of a slow burn, and this isn’t a plot driven novel, it’s masterful storytelling. I will be thinking about this one for a long time.
This was disturbing in a way I haven’t read before. Nothing is written for shock or gore, but it is hard to read nonetheless. Specially if you have small children. As a mom to an 8 year old I struggled with Chrissie. She is a child. She’s also horrible. She has very real reasons to be horrible. But you hate her. But you also pity her on a deep level, because truly all she needs is someone to love her and give her what she most needs. I understood her, hated her, and felt so sad for her.
This story leaves you with so much heartache. For Chrissie, small and older, for the lives she’s taken, for kids in real life that have lost everything when committing a crime they don’t understand. Should a child be held responsible FOREVER for something they did as an 8 year old? When the concept of death and forever isn’t quite solid in their minds? When they may be hungry, abused, lonely, and so empty inside that they don’t know how to exist in the world without being mean and hurtful? What punishment is punishment enough for a child? And when that child grows up, how does the world receive them? Can you get a second chance at life after killing someone?
The writing is excellent, the story so well told. It’s a bit of a slow burn, and this isn’t a plot driven novel, it’s masterful storytelling. I will be thinking about this one for a long time.
readerxtine's review against another edition
5.0
What a powerful force of a book, I could barely put it down. The author does such a good job of inhabiting a character as a juvenile and an adult. I think the best description I can give is that this book is tragically beautiful; the writing is so well done but the subject matter is haunting. I will definitely be looking out for more books by Nancy Tucker!
lisa_d9's review against another edition
4.0
This was what I was hoping from The Gosling Girl(which I read last week). I picked this up not knowing what it was about but it completely pulled me in. It was really thought provoking and unexpected. Can a person atone for a heinous crime that was committed when they were a child? The two viewpoints were so well written and there was so much pain.
I read up on Mary Bell and this is clearly heavily inspired by her. Somehow the author made me feel both repulsed and empathetic towards this character. I was really impressed by this book, it really took me by surprise.
I read up on Mary Bell and this is clearly heavily inspired by her. Somehow the author made me feel both repulsed and empathetic towards this character. I was really impressed by this book, it really took me by surprise.
scrook8's review against another edition
1.0
Legitimately baffled by the good reviews. I genuinely feel stupider for having read this.
rosiitaapplebum's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mnmoore145's review against another edition
5.0
I have given out very few 5 stars this year, but this book was brilliant. It’s raw, gritty, dirty and will linger with me long after the last page. It’s tender and brutal all at the same time. Well done to the author for creating a book I couldn’t stop thinking about.