Scan barcode
cec_loves_to_read_books's review
4.0
Be transported to Tasmania by way of this cute little #loveozya novel by Danielle Binks. ‘The Monster of Her Age’ is a charming nod to inclusion, the value of the Arts and feminism. What could be ‘heavy’ topics such as grief and loss and abuse of power are covered in a respectful and ‘light’ way that focuses more on the importance of being true to yourself, friendship, love and family. Highly recommended.
hayleylumsdsn's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
bookswithbre's review
4.0
Ahh this was a beautiful read. A lovely story of the arts, family, grief and learning to forgive, and what that can look like for different people.
bookshelvesandtealeaves's review
emotional
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? Yes
4.0
GIVE ME MORE SAPPHIC AUSSIE ROMANCES!!
I really enjoyed this book. I found the start a little rocky, and I think the mystery element kinda made it hard for me to understand Ellie, the main character for a while, but once more was revealed and her relationship with Riya progressed, I became hooked.
This book is a very quick, easy read, too. It’s short and sweet and yet still manages to pack a punch. There’s so much love and pain and grief and passion between these pages and I really felt the complexities of humans and life and relationships was beautifully portrayed.
I loved Riya, the love interest, so much. Her passion for horror films was just so freaking adorable, and kinda made me want to explore the genre more even though it’s not really my cup of tea. Her excitement was kind of contagious! I also love the way she spoke to Ellie about her trauma and grief and conflicting emotions. She said some really important things that Ellie really needed to hear.
I kinda just want a sequel that’s Ellie, Riya and Yael living it up in Sydney, doing their thing.
graces_shelves_tv's review
this was an absolute slay of a book. like i think about many queer ya books, i reckon if i had read this approx six years ago, it would have changed and helped me in my own journey quite a damn bit. riya and ellie for life, would honestly love a sequel pls ms binks
olivia_balderstone's review
3.0
it was good, I don't know if I would read it again but I am glad I read it. It is a very easy read, besides the fact that the author uses ' instead of " for dialogue which confused me a lot of the time, but it was a nice story, good book palate cleanser
longlost's review
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Among the quoted praises for this book is: "The Monster of Her Age is as much an homage to film as it is to family and heart-fluttering crushes."
This is absolutely accurate. As much care is paid to the world-building of film and cinema history as it is to the story of Ellie and her family, along with her budding relationship with Riya, and it serves the story well through its intricate ties to the themes & characters and in how well it makes the world and history depicted here seem alive. The passion in this book is palpable, and it made it that much more enjoyable to read. Much like Ellie herself, I now have some films to add to my never-ending watchlist based on the discussions in this book.
The subject matter is heavy at times, but handled with care. The way trauma was presentedand discussed and the subsequent conflicting feelings Ellie harboured regarding her family really spoke to me on a personal level. Ultimately, her journey to better understanding herself and her feelings was a cathartic one to read.
This is absolutely accurate. As much care is paid to the world-building of film and cinema history as it is to the story of Ellie and her family, along with her budding relationship with Riya, and it serves the story well through its intricate ties to the themes & characters and in how well it makes the world and history depicted here seem alive. The passion in this book is palpable, and it made it that much more enjoyable to read. Much like Ellie herself, I now have some films to add to my never-ending watchlist based on the discussions in this book.
The subject matter is heavy at times, but handled with care. The way trauma was presentedand discussed and the subsequent conflicting feelings Ellie harboured regarding her family really spoke to me on a personal level. Ultimately, her journey to better understanding herself and her feelings was a cathartic one to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Medical content, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Car accident
bestdressedbookworm's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I’m actually DNFing this with only about 30 pages to go. I can’t take this anymore. Ok I quickly skimmed the last 30 and it added no value. A stupid 5 page random argument and resolution that lacked any impact because I knew it wasn’t Riya.
It’s a bit pathetic when the most mature character in this entire story is the 17 year old brought in as the love interest.
In this story we follow Ellie, and her family of semi famous thespians. As a young girl she played a role in a horror movie along side her very famous grandmother Lottie Lovinger.
As the story unravels we find out a lot about some of the child star abuse aspects that happen on set, made worse by the fact that she was acting alongside a family member.
Side note: did anyone else know they used to tell Shirley Temple that he mum was being held hostage to get her to cry! That’s freaking horrible!
What really made me angry about halfway through this book is I knew there was trigger warnings for child abuse but I quickly realised it wasn’t being handled well. I get this is YA but if you are going to do this sort of plot it needs to be done better. Lottie was bullied on set and at school in some pretty traumatic ways and it seems that most people around her are more concerned with the fall out it had on the family than the affect on the child! And i didn’t even get anything in that last 30 pages that I would have hoped for.
The story itself was really interesting, but the strong subject matters were handled terribly.
maggior's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
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
4.0
piastri's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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
4.0
a beautiful tribute to the arts industry in australia, and the references to local artists makes me so happy.
i also really enjoyed the exploration of grief and loss, and the complex family dynamics when someone has hurt you deeply but you still love them.
and to top it all off, it’s gay. what’s not to love.
i also really enjoyed the exploration of grief and loss, and the complex family dynamics when someone has hurt you deeply but you still love them.
and to top it all off, it’s gay. what’s not to love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Bullying and Death