giuliana_ferrari's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Spoiler
to a young man becoming an arsonistSpoiler
Anna dies so Kate can live, and suddenly the mother is all grieving and suffering and wishing she could have Anna back, although she slapped her child for suing them and ignored and neglected her sonGraphic: Medical content, Cancer, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Child death
zoejjj'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
4.0
Nobody in this book is hateable. Not even Sara. She is written as an incredibly driven woman who will stop at nothing to save her daughter. Unfortunately her other kids get forgotten in the process but she regrets, she makes it right. “This is her pond but my lily pads”? Shaving her head for Kate? Honestly Jesse got the wayyyy short end of the straw but he also almost killed someone.
The ending is… so so.
Spoiler
I wish Jodi would’ve committed to Kate dying. In the end, Anna’s choice was taken away from her AGAIN. Was the whole lawsuit pointless? Maybe! Sure it’s (possibly) realistic bc life does not care but this book isn’t meant to be realistic like that. The ending is out of left field for the topics this book is dealing with.Graphic: Medical content, Car accident, Drug use, Grief, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Cancer, Child death, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Drug abuse, and Blood
Minor: Sexual content and Vomit
maddi_sen13's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
The whole story felt way longer than necessary.
Graphic: Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Death, Grief, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, and Cancer
Moderate: Blood, Suicide, and Vomit
lmy612's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Child death
sarahemhavens's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, and Terminal illness
ultraviolet98's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I also have no idea why the author included so much of the sordid past between Julia and Campbell, especially the more racy parts of Campbell's inner dialogue. Whether they were in love and what her skin smelled like, or the birthmark under her breast really had no relevance at all to the central question or themes of the book, was distracting, and felt really crass to include in a story like this.
Moderate: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Mental illness
obsessor_of_books's review
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Cursing, Vomit, Cancer, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Grief, Car accident, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness
green_amaryllis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Cancer, Car accident, Terminal illness, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Vomit
mirandyli's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Spoiler
Anna is her sister Kate's "savior sister," meaning she was born to specifically as a genetic match for her sister, who has leukemia. Anna is now 13, and needs to donate a kidney in order to save Kate's life. Kate tells her she doesn't want to live anymore in a twist at the end, but Anna dies anyway in a car crash and is pronounced brain dead, donating the kidney before she dies. Pretty unrealistic story, but sad and thought-provoking.Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Terminal illness, Car accident, and Cancer
jenna_justi2004's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Cursing, Child death, Death, Drug use, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Body horror, Car accident, Blood, Cancer, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Vomit, Grief, and Medical content