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bookbestieash's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
karagruver's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
lovelaceapolo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- 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
3.0
godofwar's review against another edition
1.0
I really wanted to like this, because the first two entries in the series were good. not perfect, but they were enthralling, and I enjoyed the narratives, character voices, and the setup of the stories. The Summer Children was surprisingly terrible, and I'd hope it would be an outlier in the series, and that the conclusion would possess the same qualities as the first two, but that's absolutely not the case.
My main issue is the diversity, and how disingenuous it feels. It feels more like the author trying to show you she understands nonwhite/Americanized people exist, but in doing so, it comes across as performative and Just There rather than actually detailing multiculturalism. There's a disconnect, to me at least, and it doesn't feel like these are actual characters, but rather caricatures of the cultures they're intended to signify. They feel shallow, and defined solely by the diversity they bring to the novel; which isn't how inclusion should work. There should be an obvious nod to backgrounds, but it shouldn't be all they are, because it just feels lazy when you don't bother to define them beyond the fact they aren't cishet white people.
The second biggest issue is really the plot as a whole, most specifically the motivation for the bad guy to be bad. I hate (most) cancer plots, because they rarely seem to do anything for people who have either had it, or have experienced it secondhand through their loved ones, but in the context of this book is what pisses me off the most. I hate that this father's grief for losing his little girl has caused him to hurt other girls. I hate how it's treated as a plot device. I hate how it turned him evil. Maybe it's a thing that really happens but it just feels like a slap in the face to me, as a person who has lost multiple people to cancer. It's what hurt the most about reading this.
There are a few other issues I have, like how Sterling's voice doesn't seem distinct; she doesn't feel fully formed as a character, and I couldn't really envision her in my head. Most of her narrative being centered around her relationship with Brandon conflicts with the way I think she was intended to be written, and overall she's just a pretty forgettable character.
There's very little to love or enjoy about this book, and it's a pretty disappointing end to a series that had a good beginning.
Another "minor" issue I had is a transphobic comment in the epilogue ("minor", because most people don't think transphobia is worth calling out, but, it matters to me, and also reminded me of some issues I had in The Summer Children, with the unnecessary focus that the narrative seemed to have on biology in relation to gender.)
My main issue is the diversity, and how disingenuous it feels. It feels more like the author trying to show you she understands nonwhite/Americanized people exist, but in doing so, it comes across as performative and Just There rather than actually detailing multiculturalism. There's a disconnect, to me at least, and it doesn't feel like these are actual characters, but rather caricatures of the cultures they're intended to signify. They feel shallow, and defined solely by the diversity they bring to the novel; which isn't how inclusion should work. There should be an obvious nod to backgrounds, but it shouldn't be all they are, because it just feels lazy when you don't bother to define them beyond the fact they aren't cishet white people.
The second biggest issue is really the plot as a whole, most specifically the motivation for the bad guy to be bad. I hate (most) cancer plots, because they rarely seem to do anything for people who have either had it, or have experienced it secondhand through their loved ones, but in the context of this book is what pisses me off the most. I hate that this father's grief for losing his little girl has caused him to hurt other girls. I hate how it's treated as a plot device. I hate how it turned him evil. Maybe it's a thing that really happens but it just feels like a slap in the face to me, as a person who has lost multiple people to cancer. It's what hurt the most about reading this.
There are a few other issues I have, like how Sterling's voice doesn't seem distinct; she doesn't feel fully formed as a character, and I couldn't really envision her in my head. Most of her narrative being centered around her relationship with Brandon conflicts with the way I think she was intended to be written, and overall she's just a pretty forgettable character.
There's very little to love or enjoy about this book, and it's a pretty disappointing end to a series that had a good beginning.
Another "minor" issue I had is a transphobic comment in the epilogue ("minor", because most people don't think transphobia is worth calling out, but, it matters to me, and also reminded me of some issues I had in The Summer Children, with the unnecessary focus that the narrative seemed to have on biology in relation to gender.)
karlyvega's review against another edition
informative
tense
fast-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? Yes
5.0
shamatake's review against another edition
3.0
My final brief thoughts on the series as well as the ranking.
Roses of May- 3 stars. Some of my favorite characters, but not my favorite plot in the series.
The Vanishing Season- 3.5 stars. I liked the plot more but didn’t love the characters or care as much about their relationships.
The Butterfly Garden- 4 stars. Loved how spooky and sad it was.
The Summer Children- almost 4.5 stars. Loved the gentleness that the adults used with the children with such a big focus on safety, consent, and bodily autonomy.
Roses of May- 3 stars. Some of my favorite characters, but not my favorite plot in the series.
The Vanishing Season- 3.5 stars. I liked the plot more but didn’t love the characters or care as much about their relationships.
The Butterfly Garden- 4 stars. Loved how spooky and sad it was.
The Summer Children- almost 4.5 stars. Loved the gentleness that the adults used with the children with such a big focus on safety, consent, and bodily autonomy.
miss_muffet's review against another edition
3.0
This series by Dot Hutchison was wonderful, and I was so excited for book 4 to come out! The only thing I was missing from this book that was more prevalent in the first 3 was a more inclusive tie back to the previous books. Characters from the other books are mentioned, but the stories weren't as intertwined which I really enjoyed in books 2 and 3.
kaitlynn0912's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
fast-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
4.5
itiswednesdaymydudes's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
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
4.0
helenastacks's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5