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ghostlyprince's review
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Child death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Racism, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Brief mentions of stillborn birthstaliatalksbooks's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Agnes at The End of The World by Kelly McWilliams was far better than I expected. I really am fascinated by cults, so the fact that this story surrounds one was a huge draw for me. Though some moments got a little preachy, I do think that it was an interesting depiction of a religious heroine, which isn’t something you see too often. Though I’m not religious myself, I think that this book handled its ideas well, without being overly about the existence of God, and the implications of that. I liked how characters were given the freedom to choose what they believed or didn’t, and while there weren’t any explicitly atheistic characters, I do think that there was an overall acceptance from the characters that if there had been, that character wouldn’t have felt out of place or I welcomed. I think this is a great depiction of how people can live in harmony with different opinions and not force choices on one another, which I think was one of the main themes of this novel. While again, I lean strictly on the side of science, this book was able to transcend my own belief (or rather lack there of) and provide an entertains and well thought out story. The characters were pretty true to how I would expect them to act if they had been real, and while there were certainly fantastical elements involving miracles, I think that with a little bit of reality suspension, this book really pulled through. I think that it was well written, had strong character development, and allowed the reader to take what they would from it. While I certainly didn’t change how I feel about religion, nor did it suddenly spark a belief in God, this was a fun and exciting novel about the implications of growing up in a cult and why the right to choose your path is incredibly important.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexism, Medical content, and Grief
Minor: Bullying