audreylee's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- 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
3.0
"There should be a word for when you miss a person in the future. Not just missing memories of them, but missing memories you never got to have with them." I felt like most of the story was circling around but never really calling out the main issues of the book: gun control, radicalization, and extremism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Gun violence and Mass/school shootings
gschwabauer's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
The depiction of Quinn wrestling with guilt and shame over her brother's choices was the most poignant part of the story. Warga truly understands grief; not only is Quinn blaming herself for her brother's mistakes, but she's also eaten up with guilt over the fact that she can't seem to stop loving him, or at least the brother he once was, even while hating him for what he did. Her brief letters carry weight.
Cora's perspective didn't pull me in quite as deeply, but I loved her relationship to her father, and particularly liked the scenes at the very end of the story where they talk about how to grieve in a world where all answers for grief are incomplete by nature. Her father's advice, in the form of a clever comparison, was so strikingly unique and insightful that I found myself mulling it over in relation to my own life.
Choosing to examine gun violence from two sides of the same horrible tragedy was a smart choice. No violence or cruelty is portrayed, yet the gravity of the situation is evident.
Cora's perspective didn't pull me in quite as deeply, but I loved her relationship to her father, and particularly liked the scenes at the very end of the story where they talk about how to grieve in a world where all answers for grief are incomplete by nature. Her father's advice, in the form of a clever comparison, was so strikingly unique and insightful that I found myself mulling it over in relation to my own life.
Choosing to examine gun violence from two sides of the same horrible tragedy was a smart choice. No violence or cruelty is portrayed, yet the gravity of the situation is evident.
afro8921's review against another edition
5.0
The Shape of Thunder is a novel about the process of grief. The friendship between Quinn and Cora is severely damaged after Cora's sister is killed. The normal process of grief looks different because Quinn's brother was the shooter. This novel explores radicalization, therapy, and healing in such a authentic way. Definitely for older tweens and teens.
elizabethinmn's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
hbreight's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- 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
4.75
wombat_88's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
kaloughl's review against another edition
5.0
Jasmine Warga's The Shape of Thunder was utterly fantastic. Cora and Quinn were best friends until an act of violence tore them apart: Quinn's brother Parker brought a gun to school and killed Cora's sister Mabel. The two are now reckoning with their own grief and guilt, learning how to move on. After Quinn leaves a package for Cora with research on wormholes and time travel, the two begin to reconcile as they explore whether it's possible to change the past.
I love that Warga had so many different layers to Cora and Quinn, their friendship, and their families. After such an event there are, understandably, a lot of feelings going around. Warga tackles each level beautifully, making clear that no human is perfect in their grief, guilt, or anger and there can be a lot of conflicting truths all at once. There is discussion of mental health and therapy (with one family being in support and active in mental recovery, the other reluctant), thoughts and discussion on how someone can go from being a great brother to a mean and racist killer (the delve into noticing and acknowledging the truth of that descent was really well penned). There is also some bordering on science fiction with the discussion of wormholes and time travel but the whole subject is also just a vehicle for the girls to realize you can't change the past but you can acknowledge it and move on.
I really loved Warga's middle grade debut Other Words for Homeand The Shape of Thunder really solidifies her ability to write the inner monologues of kids with all their facets. It's not a happy book but it's also not entirely sad, which is impressive given it's subject. This book would be great for juvenile book clubs (or even adult book clubs) with discussions of mental health, right/wrong and how they overlap, and friendship/forgiveness. I highly recommend that everyone reads this book!
I love that Warga had so many different layers to Cora and Quinn, their friendship, and their families. After such an event there are, understandably, a lot of feelings going around. Warga tackles each level beautifully, making clear that no human is perfect in their grief, guilt, or anger and there can be a lot of conflicting truths all at once. There is discussion of mental health and therapy (with one family being in support and active in mental recovery, the other reluctant), thoughts and discussion on how someone can go from being a great brother to a mean and racist killer (the delve into noticing and acknowledging the truth of that descent was really well penned). There is also some bordering on science fiction with the discussion of wormholes and time travel but the whole subject is also just a vehicle for the girls to realize you can't change the past but you can acknowledge it and move on.
I really loved Warga's middle grade debut Other Words for Homeand The Shape of Thunder really solidifies her ability to write the inner monologues of kids with all their facets. It's not a happy book but it's also not entirely sad, which is impressive given it's subject. This book would be great for juvenile book clubs (or even adult book clubs) with discussions of mental health, right/wrong and how they overlap, and friendship/forgiveness. I highly recommend that everyone reads this book!
lottpoet's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
lphel's review against another edition
3.0
Sweet story about friendship, loss, love, and a little bit of science.
reading_girlmadeofstars's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0