Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The World Cannot Give by Tara Isabella Burton

4 reviews

fionamclary's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book is not outstanding and it does kind of explain the Message to you at the end, but it will scratch the itch for a classic, aesthetic tragedy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Grief, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Vomit

marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This dark and lyrical novel by theologian Tara Isabella Burton is told from the perspective of a naive, impressionable girl who, at the start of her junior year, transfers to the coastal boarding school featured in her favorite novel, which is reminiscent of A Separate Peace.  She is captivated by the chapel choir—especially by its hypnotizing leader and soprano, Virginia—and she is overjoyed to fall into favor with the exclusive group.  The singers, who also deify the novel and its alumnus author, are puppeteered by Virginia, whose obsession with gravity and piety leads her down a dangerous and surprising path.  Exploring sexuality, integrity, and idolization, this is a novel about wanting to become something one has read about. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

The content warning for sexual violence is referring to sharing intimate videos without consent.

rhiandroid_'s review against another edition

emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Suicide, and Murder

Moderate: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship

readingtomydogs's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The World Cannot Give is a dark campus novel, where the main characters struggle with what it means to have devotion. The protagonist Laura is drawn to the boarding school in rural Maine for its historical significance, but soon encounters a group of choir students and their cult-like devotion to their leader Virginia. Laura struggles throughout the book with her identity and her place in the world. There is suspense in the second half of the book, with an ending that is surprising, but where the book has been leading all along. 
I thoroughly enjoyed Tara Burton's writing, and never felt like the storyline was predictable. 
As a former boarding school student myself, I can relate to the isolation such living can give you, and how it can make you susceptible to group-think and others' influence. 
I would recommend this to any lovers of Donna Tartt's "The Secret History," Curtis Sittenfeld's "Prep," or the classic campus novel, John Knowles' "A Separate Peace." 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Eating disorder, Suicide, Violence, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Alcohol