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leia_lynn's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Pedophilia
ursimae's review against another edition
Sorry but it was just becoming too weird and there are other books I'd rather read.
May come back to it one day, but not today.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Sexism
Moderate: Pedophilia
afroheaux'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
3.0
I know some people will say that this book was a product of its time and I'm sure there's some argument to be made there, but Meggie and Ralph's relationship was disturbing.
Meggie goes through so much tragedy that she clings to Ralph because he's the only consistently good thing in her life. Her parents see her infatuation with him and his with her and neither of them says anything until much later in the book. Fee doesn't comment until Meggie gave birth to Ralph's child almost a decade after their first kiss. Specialists in predators often say you should be wary of someone who wants to spend more time with your kids than you do and Ralph spent the majority of his time with Meggie. Even as he cheats the family out of their inheritance, he is hailed throughout the book as a noble man who sacrificed so much. He's a career-driven, power-hungry weirdo. When the time came in WWII to stand up against the Nazis, Ralph much preferred to stay with the status quo to maintain the status that SOLELY the money he stole from Clearys got him than to stand up for what was right.
If the book's purpose was to display how generational trauma spreads, it does a marvelous job at that. I also appreciated the realistic experiences in war. The excitement of young boys at the prospect of being the hero and getting on the battlefield and realizing you hadn't stepped onto a movie set. You can see parents' and grandparents' decisions trickle down throughout the children, having different effects. It's a testament to the failings of a traditional, conservative family structure because barely anyone is happy throughout this book at any time.
Meggie's relationship with Luke was especially disturbing. There are several detailed scenes of marital rape that are uncomfortable to read and the book does not acknowledge it as assault because Meggie doesn't know that it is. Her naivete and ignorance are frequently used against her throughout the book and it makes a woman who only knows how to love one man and that clouds all else.
If you want to see how grooming and manipulation work in slow motion and how people ignorant of the truths of life make horrible decisions, this book is an excellent case study.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and War
Moderate: Child death and Death of parent
masha__me'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
3.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Racism, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
foreverinastory's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
CWs: Adult/minor relationship, alcohol consumption, blood, child abuse (by a teacher), death, death of parent, emotional abuse, fire/fire injury, gun violence, homophobia, infidelity, injury/injury detail, misogyny, pedophilia/grooming, pregnacy, rape specifically marital rape, religious bigotry, sexism, sexual content, toxic relationship. Moderate: war, violence, mental illness (PTSD).
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Violence, and War