myrtosfullybooked's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I've decided to stop giving star reviews to story collections because as we all know, each story will be different and some will hit a chord more than others, but for this book, I couldn't resist.Â
The stories in this collection deal with painful themes like intergenerational violence, abandonment, and discrimination, but they are written gently, and they flow easily. If anything, the writing felt minimal but, just like the women whose stories it portrayed, hid many deeper layers - not all of them meant to or being fully revealed to the reader. I feel like I learned a lot about the experiences of Indigenous and Latina women in the American West without the book ever becoming didactic or compromising the atmosphere of the story told.Â
Tomi, Any Further West, and Ghost Sickness were my favourites from the collection. Any Further West, especially, felt like a punch in the stomach, but it was so beautifully well-written. I may not be able to explain it very well, but we see characters lost, self-destructive, desperate, or perpetually in pain, and yet somehow what stayed with me was their strength and their survival. The cycles of violence and pain sometimes seem endless and inescapable, but every now and then a daughter will get away and make it; a grandmother will leave a legacy to be honoured; a cousin will be remembered for more than her beauty even if it's by only one person; a lost girl might be found... Normally, these would have been the type of stories I would have found so grim and depressing, and I was really surprised to find myself not wanting the book to end. It is all the things sad girl literature (or the samples of it I've read at least) is trying to be and fails.Â
I am so grateful to @bouebooks for putting this book on my radar. I will certainly be reading Woman of Light too.
Moderate: Abandonment, Colonisation, Abortion, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Racism, and Sexual violence
shellroch285's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Abortion, Fatphobia, and Drug use
Minor: Pregnancy
asainspace's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Cancer, and Racism
Moderate: Sexual violence, Addiction, Suicide, and Alcoholism
Minor: Abortion
wwsimon93's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Racism, Grief, Violence, and Suicide attempt
hngisreading's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abortion, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Cancer, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, and Violence
sofipitch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Moderate: Abortion, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Addiction, and Death of parent
alayamorning's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Car accident, Violence, Body horror, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, Gun violence, Blood, Racism, Domestic abuse, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Colonisation, Child abuse, and Abortion
gabbygarcia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Classism, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Cancer, and Death of parent
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual content, Addiction, Genocide, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Violence, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Murder, and Racism
Minor: Abortion, Fatphobia, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Car accident, Sexual assault, and Suicide
generational trauma, gentrificationgarynoplastie's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Violence, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Toxic relationship, Addiction, and Alcohol
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Racial slurs, Blood, and Abortion
internationalreads's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Car accident, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Abortion, Alcohol, Drug use, Grief, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Suicide