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xereads's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
More twists than a tornado lol! Libby told me I finished the book in 6 hours and I desperately need a sequel because I have so many questions. The story had me so invested and kept me guessing and plotting. If you love family drama, suspense, & mysteries this is for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Suicide and Death of parent
hesticht's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- 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? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Terminal illness
Moderate: Infertility, Suicide, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide attempt
andieobrien99's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- 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
5.0
*before you read this book, keep in mind these trigger warnings:
- miscarriage
- childhood illness
- Multiple child death
- murder
- manslaughter
- cheating
- trauma
- suicide mentions
Woah! What a book! Those twists at the end š¤Æ
Incredible writing
Incredible story
It was heartbreaking. Poor Yasmin. I cannot fathom the thought of losing 2 children in horrific ways.
I highly highly recommend reading this.
- miscarriage
- childhood illness
- Multiple child death
- murder
- manslaughter
- cheating
- trauma
- suicide mentions
Woah! What a book! Those twists at the end š¤Æ
Incredible writing
Incredible story
It was heartbreaking. Poor Yasmin. I cannot fathom the thought of losing 2 children in horrific ways.
I highly highly recommend reading this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Suicide, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Abandonment
soobooksalot's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicide, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
irinim26's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Terminal illness, and Grief
Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt
tragland24's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Lots of twists at the end! Strong depiction of older sister younger sister relationship and what we do in service of āhelpingā family.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Infertility, Mental illness, and Suicide
Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity
jkar7's review against another edition
sad
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is very sad and just keeps getting sadder. I didn't see the twists coming at all. It felt a bit too long and repetitive at times, but overall really enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Infertility, Infidelity, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
charlotte112's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The book charts the aftermath of a horrible and tragic accident and the resulting legal battle between Leila, the boy's aunt, and the state. The four main characters are closely linked and the ways in which they are form a big part of the story and the twists at the end. I personally liked the main character, Leila, and was rooting for her throughout. The other 3 characters I found a bit more wishy-washy and I particularly was not a fan of the boys mother, Yasmin, who is a bit of a wet blanket. I was surprised by the twists but I felt like the detail for one was not fleshed out enough and glossed over. The twists are only revealed in the last 50 pages so it does make for a quick ending which I was disappointed with. However overall it was an easy reading drama with an unexpected twist but I sadly did not gel with many of the characters.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
zenzi2read's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- 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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Suicide, Terminal illness, and Suicide attempt
secre's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Ugh. I was all set to give this a full five star rating. And yet by the last page, Iām at a two star rating. What is it with authors and the stupid, āsensationalā twists? This was a stunning book for the vast majority, delving into the tragic consequences of a forgotten baby in a hot car. Itās a rare but well known phenomenon and claims the lives of 38 children a year on average in the USA. Itās even more rare in the UK as our weather is more changeable, and we have far fewer really hot days. But it happens. And if this novel had just stuck to the damn brief, it would have been powerful and thought provoking. Instead Iām just annoyed.
I really, really hate it when authors take a solid premise and stick in a wildly unlikely twist to jazz up the conclusion. And thatās what happened here. Strangely enough, I had my suspicions fairly early on that all wasnāt as it seemed. There were elements that didnāt quite sit right. But I ignored my suspicions and figured it was just the authorās style. Well, it was the authorās style, I guess. Just the style in question is ludicrous twists.
Maybe two stars is harsh, but Iām rarely quite so peeved on finishing a novel. And I think itās the wasted damn potential that gets me. Youāve taken a serious, tragic and catastrophic series of events - forgotten baby syndrome - and deliberately made it tawdry, tacky and sordid. With 33 families in 2022 left shell shocked and grieving because that one moment of inattention leading to the death of their child, Abdullah has taken their story and made it less. In the face how much judgement and anguish is experienced, the guilt and shame of forgetting your own child and causing their death, it doesnāt seem like too much to ask for the topic to be dealt with sensitively. And for 80% of this, that would seem to be the case. But itās thrown away and discarded in the final chapters. Left to the side for the sake of the sensationalist twist.
So yeah, maybe the two stars is harsh. But I canāt justify going any higher considering my gut wrenching disgust at how this was handled by the end. It would have been better finishing abruptly at the 80% mark instead of this ā¦ charade of tragedy.
I really, really hate it when authors take a solid premise and stick in a wildly unlikely twist to jazz up the conclusion. And thatās what happened here. Strangely enough, I had my suspicions fairly early on that all wasnāt as it seemed. There were elements that didnāt quite sit right. But I ignored my suspicions and figured it was just the authorās style. Well, it was the authorās style, I guess. Just the style in question is ludicrous twists.
Maybe two stars is harsh, but Iām rarely quite so peeved on finishing a novel. And I think itās the wasted damn potential that gets me. Youāve taken a serious, tragic and catastrophic series of events - forgotten baby syndrome - and deliberately made it tawdry, tacky and sordid. With 33 families in 2022 left shell shocked and grieving because that one moment of inattention leading to the death of their child, Abdullah has taken their story and made it less. In the face how much judgement and anguish is experienced, the guilt and shame of forgetting your own child and causing their death, it doesnāt seem like too much to ask for the topic to be dealt with sensitively. And for 80% of this, that would seem to be the case. But itās thrown away and discarded in the final chapters. Left to the side for the sake of the sensationalist twist.
So yeah, maybe the two stars is harsh. But I canāt justify going any higher considering my gut wrenching disgust at how this was handled by the end. It would have been better finishing abruptly at the 80% mark instead of this ā¦ charade of tragedy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Suicide