sashley98's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Incest
la_karina1818's review against another edition
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Throughout the whole novel, there is a particular creepy tone as you go along reading it, telling the story of these children hit by the death of their two parents and living by themselves. There was a sense of uneasiness even in the beginning as the entire family is quite isolated from society and hence when their parents die, the children only have themselves to rely on. The point of view of the story told from Jack, the oldest son, shows how isolated he is because he only talks about his family, having no hobbies or people outside of his home that interest him. This brings forward the strange things that the children do. From , they all play part in the fact that these children's home life even before the events of the book has been poor, with the father appearing as abusive and the mother being too sick to be able to take care of the basic needs of her children, let alone their psychological or emotional needs. The whole purpose of this novel is to express the danger of letting children rule over themselves in a world where they haven't been socialized properly and how due to their disturbed sense of normality they may not be able to fit in with normal society. Overall I don't have a lot of thoughts over the book itself, I found it to be something that was just written as it is, it doesn't hold a special purpose or message to me but it is still pretty disturbing.
Spoiler
Julie and Jack playing doctor with Suzie (examining her private parts) and Jack later on masturbating to it, Tommy dressing up as a girl, having to bury their mother twice (the second time because the smell of her rotten corpse began to be noticed) and the sex between Jack and JulieGraphic: Incest and Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent and Abandonment
jasbennett's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
So messed up
Graphic: Incest
zeebjeeb's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Graphic: Incest
corinna_maybe's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Incest
khakipantsofsex's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
2.0
Graphic: Incest
paulines_reading_journal's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Incest and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death and Animal cruelty
karlkemp's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.5
Moderate: Incest
noblememoruled's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Incest
Moderate: Death of parent
mazt's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Incest