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spuriousdiphthongs's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
wildestsnail's review
- 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
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Classism
gaymoonreader's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
mollyfy's review
- 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? No
4.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Classism
memydogandbooks's review
- 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
5.0
What's it about?
Betty Carpenter, born to a Cherokee father and a white mother, grows up in a world of poverty and violence, finding solace in nature and her father’s stories. As she uncovers her family’s dark secrets, she turns to writing as a means of escape and healing
"Inspired by the life of her own mother, Tiffany McDaniel sets out to free the past by telling this heartbreaking yet magical story--a remarkable novel that establishes her as one of the freshest and most important voices in American fiction."
What did I think?
- This book is both beautiful and emotionally devastating.
- Betty's story and that of her parents and siblings are brutal, trauma trauma-filled but also littered with hope.
- It's a hard story to read, as it's unflinching in its dark themes of intergenerational abuse, racism, violence, trauma and more - it's relentless!
- I'd say the raw brutality of this story is on par with stories such as A Little Life, but Betty is based on McDaniel's mother's life!
- Despite the trauma and emotional devastation, there are glimmers of hope and the magical world of Betty and her father Landon. One of Cherokee heritage and culture.
- McDaniel also tells the wonderfully rich, beautiful and tragic story of native Americans in Appalachia, her ancestors and her direct family. I adored reading about the Cherokee culture and heritage of Landon and his family.
- This book packs in so much in every page: family history, historical fiction/fact, Cherokee culture & heritage, generational trauma and abuse, family bonds and hope, racism, classism, family secrets, and a full spectrum of non-stop emotions.
This book is beautiful, brutal and a masterpiece.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Incest, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Violence, Medical trauma, Cultural appropriation, and Classism
mikaelawms's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Incest, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism
sarahruthsreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Classism
k8ofhearts's review
- 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? No
1.5
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Classism
fozlandgirl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Hate crime, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Miscarriage, Vomit, and Police brutality
Minor: Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Lesbophobia, and War
Please please please take head of the graphic content. It is severe and if you are not in a good place, don't read this until you are.callie_pearce'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
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism