The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
sargasso_c's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Xenophobia
Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, and Confinement
Minor: Fatphobia, Physical abuse, and Death of parent
helfire124's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Confinement, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Cursing
merlioras's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I listened to the book. At first I had to get used to the voice actor but having finished the book I think he's a good fit for the protagonist and also has distinct voices for the cast of characters. He did a good job. What sometimes threw me off was how he pronounced certain words. I don't know if that is some kind of accent but I never had heard them pronounced that way. It made it appear as if he has never encountered these words before and didn't bother to check the pronunciation.
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Child abuse, Murder, Body shaming, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Fatphobia
friendly_neighborhood_grandma's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The story is very wholesome, reminds me of the secret society of irregular witches, maybe even better:)
Graphic: Bullying, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Death of parent, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Child abuse, Abandonment, Ableism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Confinement, and Cursing
soggycedar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Graphic: Xenophobia and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Racism, Colonisation, and Fatphobia
Minor: Suicide
Neighbor tells the main character totazemu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
generally enjoyable/sweet but heavily steeped a type of defanged liberal ~diversity and tolerance~ and ~break the system rules but only a little because it can be won over with love~ type messaging that is just...bleh. There's literally a reference to the "Give me your tired and huddled masses..." which 💀 Also a weird fatphobic constant focus on how "round, rotund, bumbling, slovenly, etc etc" Linus is that is played halfway as a self love journey but mostly is strange and distracting?
Overall not a bad book if everything doesn't need to be a Critical Thinking read, but there's plenty here that falls short.
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Fatphobia
blakeandbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Child abuse and Xenophobia
Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia
Minor: Confinement
itsjoenna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I am but paper. Brittle and thin.
i love it. i freaking love it.
throughout the book, i smiled, screamed, laughed, cried, and most importantly i felt warm. this book feels exactly like that, a warm hug.
the children are truly delightful, i especially have a soft spot for Lucy, he's just so fun and unhinged lol i love him so much!!! as for Arthur and Linus, they're... 🫠🫠🫠
“You make me feel like I’m burning up from the inside out.” "You are a fire, and they need to know how you burn."
honestly i was quite busy when i pick up this book, so finishing it took a long time, but i enjoyed it so much. i literally wish it to never end, i just want to keep reading 🥹
i highly recommend it, 5 stars worthy.
Graphic: Child abuse and Xenophobia
Moderate: Fatphobia, Confinement, and Body shaming
indigoriverboat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
If you know much about the real life counterparts to the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, there are some very real horrors that a skirting around this story, which are referred to briefly in the book. As an adult reader with that knowledge the stakes can feel quite high, even knowing that the book ends happily.
I truly enjoyed this read. It would make a great book club discussion.
Moderate: Xenophobia
Minor: Confinement, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Fatphobia
toweroflisa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Minor: Fatphobia