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bbethcasas's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Children deal with many difficult topics in their lives and how they move forward through life afterwards can be directly influenced by the adults who support them, or don’t.
Dixie is eleven, and she and her older brother, AJ, try to navigate social issues such as near poverty, mental health issues in their parents, and living in a dysfunctional extended family. As things go from bad to worse, Dixie finds herself at a breaking point, feeling there is no one left to turn to in the world. Should she just give up? Or is there still a chance that someone would come and save her?
Dixie is eleven, and she and her older brother, AJ, try to navigate social issues such as near poverty, mental health issues in their parents, and living in a dysfunctional extended family. As things go from bad to worse, Dixie finds herself at a breaking point, feeling there is no one left to turn to in the world. Should she just give up? Or is there still a chance that someone would come and save her?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Suicide, and Death of parent
rmarcin's review against another edition
4.0
Dixie Dupree is a precocious 11-year old, reminiscent of Scout Finch, in that she is smart and sassy, has an older brother that she adores, and lives in Alabama. Dixie is forced to grow up much too soon when a terrible accident seriously injures her father, which caused her Uncle Ray to come visit the family. Uncle Ray is Dixie’s mother’s (Evie) older brother.
Dixie doesn’t have a good feeling about Uncle Ray from the start, and her feelings are justified.
I loved Dixie, but I knew exactly what was going to happen from the very beginning, when she handed over her diary, and I also knew the truth about AJ, Dixie’s older brother, early on. The big surprise to me was the identity of Mrs. Suggs, and how she fit in the story. I would have liked to understand a little more of what went wrong between the parents, as I felt that was glossed over.
I will look for more from this author, as I enjoyed her writing style.
#TheEducationOfDixieDupree #DonnaEverhart
Dixie doesn’t have a good feeling about Uncle Ray from the start, and her feelings are justified.
I loved Dixie, but I knew exactly what was going to happen from the very beginning, when she handed over her diary, and I also knew the truth about AJ, Dixie’s older brother, early on. The big surprise to me was the identity of Mrs. Suggs, and how she fit in the story. I would have liked to understand a little more of what went wrong between the parents, as I felt that was glossed over.
I will look for more from this author, as I enjoyed her writing style.
#TheEducationOfDixieDupree #DonnaEverhart
mrgx0_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
wearethedepinets's review against another edition
4.0
This book grabbed me on an emotional level. As a mother, I was angry with Evie, but as the story unfolds you begin to see how easily life happens and you can easily miss things that are going on around you. I cannot imagine the pain and guilts she will carry with her for the rest of her life.
bmoore7139's review against another edition
4.0
I want to preface by saying that if you’ve experienced sexual abuse in your childhood or even experienced rape or sexual abuse in adulthood, be aware that this book might be a little triggering to you as it is quite graphic in the descriptions. I was unaware of the synopsis of this book before I picked it up so it did shock me a bit and I had to put it down for a while as it was difficult for me to read.
However, the ending was such a satisfying “hammer of justice”, if you will, that I am glad that I completed reading it.
However, the ending was such a satisfying “hammer of justice”, if you will, that I am glad that I completed reading it.
mom2cgpdcd's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pedophilia
astound's review against another edition
1.0
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I did not finish this book.
While I like where this story is going, I find the narrator's voice to be annoying. Though some of the phrases used in this book are beautifully written, I have trouble believing that the prose belongs to a child as intended, as some of the words and phrases are much too advanced.
I wouldn't say that I really dislike this book, but right now I don't feel strongly enough about the characters to continue.
While I like where this story is going, I find the narrator's voice to be annoying. Though some of the phrases used in this book are beautifully written, I have trouble believing that the prose belongs to a child as intended, as some of the words and phrases are much too advanced.
I wouldn't say that I really dislike this book, but right now I don't feel strongly enough about the characters to continue.
vanvicki's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-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
dllh's review against another edition
3.0
(Beware: vague spoilers below.)
I liked it, more in the beginning than as the story moved forward. At times in the first half, it felt like the author was trying to offer subtle foreshadowing and it was anything but subtle, which to me signifies a lack of craft or perhaps merely of touch. I think it's a pretty good book, but Dorothy Allison gives the theme a much more virtuosic and harrowing treatment in Bastard Out of Carolina, so that this book seems more like a riff on something that surely does deserve further riffing on than like a really original treatment of the theme.
I liked it, more in the beginning than as the story moved forward. At times in the first half, it felt like the author was trying to offer subtle foreshadowing and it was anything but subtle, which to me signifies a lack of craft or perhaps merely of touch. I think it's a pretty good book, but Dorothy Allison gives the theme a much more virtuosic and harrowing treatment in Bastard Out of Carolina, so that this book seems more like a riff on something that surely does deserve further riffing on than like a really original treatment of the theme.
thegeekybibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
Dixie Dupree’s observations about her life and the people in it create a vivid world that is sometimes funny, sometimes agonizing, that always feels very real. She finds that life can be ugly, even brutal, and she faces it all with incredible strength and resilience.
There’s no gentle way to tell such a story such as this and still have it ring true. In this magnificent debut novel, Everhart writes with gritty realism and shines a harsh light on the ugliness of abuse. This isn’t an easy read sometimes, but stories that deal with abuse shouldn’t be easy to read. They should make the reader feel intensely uncomfortable and empathetic towards the character that suffers through it. The Education of Dixie Dupree absolutely does this. Being told through the eyes of a child makes it even more poignant and, in the end, triumphant.
Dixie Dupree, with her spirited tenacity and courage, is going to linger in my mind for quite some time.
I received an advance review copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review.
There’s no gentle way to tell such a story such as this and still have it ring true. In this magnificent debut novel, Everhart writes with gritty realism and shines a harsh light on the ugliness of abuse. This isn’t an easy read sometimes, but stories that deal with abuse shouldn’t be easy to read. They should make the reader feel intensely uncomfortable and empathetic towards the character that suffers through it. The Education of Dixie Dupree absolutely does this. Being told through the eyes of a child makes it even more poignant and, in the end, triumphant.
Dixie Dupree, with her spirited tenacity and courage, is going to linger in my mind for quite some time.
I received an advance review copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review.