Reviews

The hiding place by Trezza Azzopardi

carolinejhm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

sageyywageyy's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

barbarabarbara's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

linair's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad slow-paced

1.0

rachelp's review against another edition

4.0

I was torn between giving this book three or four stars. I guess I would give it a 3.5, if that was an option. The story was told by Dolores, the youngest of six sisters. Her family is a Maltese family living in Wales. Her father is a chronic gambler and her mother is just trying to hold everything together. Dolores is replaying her family's story and trying to fill in the gaps.

internationalreads's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal death, Bullying, Classism, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Vomit, Cursing, Death, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Murder, Sexism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Physical abuse

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

I put this aside after just three chapters in two months. I may return to it but other books are calling more loudly right now.

tabbeycat123's review against another edition

1.0

I was not the biggest fan of this book. In the novel, Dolores Gauci tells her life story, growing up in Wales with a boderline abusive family with her four other siblings. She is only 3-5 years old. Each chapter kept getting sadder than the next. I was very suprised that her father Frank would go as far as to kill a man. If you think this is light-hearted and joyful from the cover, do not read this book. Probably good for adults but not for high school teens.

savidgereads's review against another edition

4.0

I'm quite particular about family dramas, I either love them or loathe them with little I between. This however I adored. The tale of the childhood of sisters brought up by a pair of runaway parents (one from Malta one from the valleys) is a wonderful, evocative and occasionally emotionally wrought tale that looks at the lives of the working classes and how the memories of children can be so different from the truth. Family secrets and twists galore, stunning writing. Bingo.

nickelini's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0