ns44's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
Minor: Toxic friendship
queenoffirestone'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
Spoiler
Bonnie's story was very painful to read for me. She wasn't involved in the present timeline, we never actually meet her, but she's Keedie's friend who was institutionalized. She's an inspiration for a lot of Addie's fear and indignance about the witches. I'm autistic too and I've spent about a year in residential treatment and the psych hospital- 7 months, 3 months at a time. I've had an ambulance called on me for having a meltdown in public. I can't speak. Addie's fears are real, Bonnie is proof, and Bonnie is me.Addie is a cute but formidable young student and I'm wary of discussing good/bad autism representation because the lower support needs autistic community usually dismisses people on a different part of the spectrum when praising characters like them for being good representation but Addie is both like them and good representation.
This story has good messages about standing up for yourself, enforcing boundaries, and how to handle situations. It does get dark but in a way that I think only stands out to people who already understand that darkness so I think this is a great book for adults and any struggling preteen neurodivergent people you might know alike. I can almost guarantee you they already know about anxiety and trying to fit in.
Graphic: Bullying and Ableism
Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Toxic friendship
Minor: Torture and Panic attacks/disorders
penofpossibilities's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, and Ableism
Moderate: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Torture
Minor: Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Genocide, Physical abuse, and Violence
Meltodowns, shutdown, harmful stimming, ableist slurs, unjust school system & teacher bullyjanneke2302's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
This is a cute story about a girl finding out her town used to have witch hunts and trying her best to get her town to acknowledge that and put up a memorial for them. It's a fun story that I would recommend to kids based purely on that. It is also so much more than that though. Reading Addie's story teaches you so many important things. Wether you're neurodivergent and it shows you that you're not alone and are okay the way you are, or you're neurotypical and it shows you how differently we experience the world from you and the difficulties that come with that. I hope and believe that this book will teach everyone to be more compassionate towards themselves and others.
Moderate: Ableism and Bullying
Minor: Racism, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Toxic friendship, and Xenophobia
musingsofazebra'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
5.0
Moderate: Bullying and Ableism
Minor: Murder, Gaslighting, Sexism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, and Mental illness
bookswithlauren'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? Yes
5.0
We follow Addie who is a kind hearted, passionate, eleven year old autistic girl who loves sharks and reading. In school, Addie starts learning about the witch trials that occurred in her town and she is eager to learn everything she can about them but to show her town how wrong the actions of their past were.
'A Kind of Spark' is quite hard hitting as it explores bullying but also how wrongly treated people are for simply being different. One thing that really hit me is when Addie realises she would have been accused of being a witch if she lived during that time period because of her Autism. It is heartbreaking but also unfortunately true. I do not have Autism but I have Epilepsy and would also have been in the same situation as Addie and the entire book really resonates with me.
Everyone in this world is different and it is a wonderful thing but Elle McNicoll really explores how those differences can be viewed, in the past and during the present day. There are many countries and beliefs that would deem my Epilepsy a curse or the work of the devil. There are many countries and beliefs who do not understand different conditions, genders, sexualities and much more and 'A Kind of Spark' really makes you think about that harsh and heartbreaking reality.
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Child abuse, and Toxic friendship
hayley_mariep'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
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Ableism, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Murder, Death, Violence, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
someonelikeblue's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
Graphic: Death, Ableism, Bullying, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Murder, Gaslighting, Violence, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Physical abuse and Toxic friendship
unimaginablymine's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
The premise has promise. Drawing parallels between people tried for witchcraft centuries ago and autistic people being persecuted in modern times is clever and I like it, especially in a middle grade book. But the tone was a lot more grim than I anticipated, and about halfway through became a slog to the finish, desperately hoping for some joy to creep into the story. What small joys there are is brief and fleeting, and the negatives are drawn out and wallowed in. The core messaging to be yourself doesn’t feel earned, when there’s very few moments of Addie being herself without severe consequence.
The emphasis on ableism in this book cannot be overstated. It’s chapter after chapter of discrimination with next to no relief. For those who have never experienced this firsthand, you may find it illuminating. For those who are affected by this in their everyday lives already, you may find it exhausting. Instead of painting a complete picture of both the positives and challenges of growing up autistic, it felt overly consumed with the negatives and gave me very few enjoyable beats to cling to.
My favorite moment was towards the very end, when
Spoiler
Addie was writing by herself near a herd of cows, and talking to them like they could understand her.Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Toxic friendship
bexi'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
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Confinement
Minor: Torture, Violence, and Murder