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_rowantree_'s review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Body shaming, Confinement, Drug use, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
thecriticalreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
Apparently the author is not native Hawaiian (although he was born and raised there), so that might play a role in why the book feels hollow to me, especially in how it engages with native Hawaiian culture. Of course, I'm not in a position to speak authoritatively about what counts as "good" representation in this area or not, but over the years I've developed a better sense of when an author is writing from personal identity and experience and when they are not. When the cultural elements of the book fell flat to me I brushed it off as a "me" problem, but now I wonder if it had anything to do with the author's lack of cultural and ethnic connection to his characters and their myths.
- You like stories about dysfunctional, but well-meaning, families
- You are interested in a book that looks at the real ramifications of white imperialism/tourism in Hawaii
- You like lyrical prose and hard-hitting truths
- You want to read a book about native Hawaiian people, myths, and cultures, by someone who is native Hawaiian
- You find it hard to root for or sympathize with characters who do horrible things
- You want mythology and magic to play a large role in the plot
- Themes of migration from home and return in search of financial security and belonging
- A dysfunctional but loving family
- Main characters with supernatural abilities/magical realism
- Deeply flawed protagonists
- Celebrations of resiliency in the face of hardship, social commentary
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Dementia, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Car accident, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Vomit
Additional Graphic Content Warnings: Poverty, incarcerationaskxtine's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Police brutality, and Classism
Minor: Drug use
danajoy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, and Car accident
Minor: Police brutality and Pregnancy