noinikaido's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Hate crime, War, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, Death of parent, Abandonment, Blood, Death, and Violence
gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
Reading vlog:
Where do I begin? I give this all the stars!
My heart soared. My heart raced. My heart plummeted. My heart broke. My heart healed, all in a continuous circuit.
I loved this story so much.
Ox and Joe were so beautiful to read about. I was uncomfortable about this all beginning at such a young age, but nothing inappropriate happened when it shouldn't have.
The connections between the characters were so beautifully written and I don't even know how to explain it... it was all candy canes and pinecones. Epic and awesome!
A 5 out of 5 stars 100%!
Where do I begin? I give this all the stars!
My heart soared. My heart raced. My heart plummeted. My heart broke. My heart healed, all in a continuous circuit.
I loved this story so much.
Ox and Joe were so beautiful to read about. I was uncomfortable about this all beginning at such a young age, but nothing inappropriate happened when it shouldn't have.
The connections between the characters were so beautifully written and I don't even know how to explain it... it was all candy canes and pinecones. Epic and awesome!
A 5 out of 5 stars 100%!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking, Mental illness, Genocide, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, Gore, Kidnapping, War, Death of parent, Violence, Torture, and Murder
Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, and Pedophilia
nickoliver's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I'm not gonna rate this, possibly ever. Absolutely everything about this book worked for me - I loved the characters, the writing (despite its kind of simplicity and the hacked way everyone spoke at times), and the pages flew and flew and wouldn't stop. Honestly, I probably could've finished this book in a couple days if I'd had the time to sit down for long enough this week. After only 34 pages, I could already tell that this book was gonna scrub me raw and leave me feeling emotionally drained and vulnerable.
So I am really mad I can't give it 5 stars, but I just ... I need to sit Klune down and ask him if the kind of age gap he created between main character and love interest was necessary. Because it was extremely uncomfortable and very much not needed. Ox and his love interest were six years apart - which would be fine if they were older, but when they first met, they were sixteen and ten respectively. And Ox developed romantic and sexual feelings for Joe when the latter was seventeen, and everyone acted like it was normal because don't worry! They didn't plan on acting on their feelings until Joe was eighteen! Because it's not like that's literally grooming or anything!
The dynamic between Ox and Joe could've been just the same if their age gap had been, say, two years. And yes, by the time they actually got together, both of them were very clearly not minors anymore, but that still didn't make this okay. In any way.
Overall, this book would've been a resounding 5 star-read for me, but I don't want to praise it all too highly because that age gap was the worst thing I've ever laid eyes on.
So I am really mad I can't give it 5 stars, but I just ... I need to sit Klune down and ask him if the kind of age gap he created between main character and love interest was necessary. Because it was extremely uncomfortable and very much not needed. Ox and his love interest were six years apart - which would be fine if they were older, but when they first met, they were sixteen and ten respectively. And Ox developed romantic and sexual feelings for Joe when the latter was seventeen, and everyone acted like it was normal because don't worry! They didn't plan on acting on their feelings until Joe was eighteen! Because it's not like that's literally grooming or anything!
The dynamic between Ox and Joe could've been just the same if their age gap had been, say, two years. And yes, by the time they actually got together, both of them were very clearly not minors anymore, but that still didn't make this okay. In any way.
Overall, this book would've been a resounding 5 star-read for me, but I don't want to praise it all too highly because that age gap was the worst thing I've ever laid eyes on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Violence, Grief, Death, Death of parent, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Blood, Murder, and Physical abuse
Minor: Genocide
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