flutelover32's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Suicide, Child death, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, and Vomit
meeklovestoread'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Spoiler
I don't condone the mom helping her son die (in the eyes of the law, that's 1st-degree murder), however, I completely get what she did it. Mercy killings (I think that's what they're called) are very complicated to me when faced with those scenarios. It really shows you how everything isn't so black and white.Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Suicide, Pedophilia, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, Blood, Bullying, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Self harm, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Vomit, Confinement, Cursing, and Medical content
Minor: Murder, Abandonment, and Outing
haaalien's review against another edition
5.0
This book was so different from anything I've ever read. The reason I'm giving it 5 stars even though it was a hard read is because the author did an amazing job at making me feel things towards the perpetrator that I didn't think were possible. It was so confusing to think one way, but feel another. The chapter before the epilogue made me jaw drop, I didn't see it coming at any point of this book which is always nice. Overall I'm super impressed with the author, I can't wait to check more of their books out.
Graphic: Vomit, Violence, Death, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
voilajean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Drug use, Grief, Vomit, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, and Suicide
rebeccadiv's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Violence, Sexual violence, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Hate crime, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide
bmitch21's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Death, Pedophilia, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Vomit
lgstanfield's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Pedophilia, Rape, Violence, Vomit, Suicide, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, and Physical abuse
corywbowers's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Grief, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Sexual harassment, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Drug abuse, Child death, Vomit, Violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, Mental illness, Incest, Bullying, and Child abuse
gknott's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Bullying, Child death, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, and Vomit
kiddocut's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
It’s one of the most challenging and upsetting things I’ve ever listened to and if you skip bits I don’t blame you-I had to skip some final chapters to “finish” this book. <specifically those associated with assisted suicide>
I think it takes great skill to write about this subject matter in a humanizing light without excusing the actions of the MC’s son.
The point of the book is seeing her do everything she thinks she can to save her son from his own urges-even denying the truth or hoping it’s a mistake…and how that rips her family apart. And yeah the MC does stupid and dangerously risky things to do that-but I can’t help but understand how hard it must be with the association of someone like her son.
I think this book does a good job with the ripples of victimhood that the actions of the MC’s son actually does. That it affects every family member and how it affects them. And I think we forget that aspect of these kinds of crimes.
If you can stomach it, (again, it’s not for the faint of heart) the change of perspective is interesting in and of itself.
And as much as I like that, I do wish there was like a blurb or something about the research in this book-especially when it comes to the profiling efforts. It’s well researched but i still felt left hanging.
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Self harm, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Chronic illness, Sexual violence, Stalking, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Pedophilia, Medical content, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Incest, Bullying, Blood, and Adult/minor relationship
Don’t go into this thinking there is a twist like I did-I was mislead by a friend suggestion, there *is* a slight one, but it’s so minuscule and misleading that it’s a pseudo twist that has no affect on the MC or her son.