shadeyc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I know a lot of people don't like the style but I found it lent to the atmosphere, the chaotic, exuberant, wildness of how the girls want to be/see themselves.
There is so much sadness and pain here, but the Wild Ones absolutely seek out the wonder and make a point of finding the magic in every place they visit.
I have to say one of my favourite things was all the food. I MUST go to all these places and eat all this food - oh it spoke to my heart.
As many have said, there are multiple trigger warnings, and while nothing is shied away from, it's also not thrown in your face. It feels gentle but firm.
I love all these characters fiercely, and I can say without a doubt that snuck up on me. I wasn't ecpecting to love this as much as I did (mostly because of the content warnings).
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Confinement, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Torture, Trafficking, and Violence
vaniavela'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Suicide
bookswithlee's review
- 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
4.5
I picked up this book having never heard of it and quite honestly I didn’t read the synopsis, I saw the color filled with colors and diversity and I knew I had to read it.
What I liked about this book was the authors ability to tell a story that was both balanced between fantasy and real life events.
Although the cover is beautiful and the book is no doubt fantasy, what I took away from it is that this book was written as away to highlight how girls of color have been silenced and mistreated by others for years. While this book is full of trauma and potentially triggering content, I thought the author did a great job balancing this trauma with joy, and happiness. In the end the book highlighted how strong, amazing, and beautiful women are.
The trauma was not placed in this book to dump on the readers or to pull on heartstrings. It felt as though it was meticulously placed as way to echo much of reality in an authentic way. I sometimes struggle with trauma. being placed in stories as a thrill factor, twist, or to elicit favorable emotional reactions.
There were a few things that I didn’t particularly like about the story. The first half of the book was slow and felt like an information dump at times. I had a hard time keeping up. Not only that there is about 10-11 different characters and I always struggle with that in books as I can’t keep up with what information I need to remember and not every character has great development. However in this story, it was largely done as the “wild ones” are meant to be one entity, which I liked. It give me freshwater/bunny vibes.
Overall I enjoyed this book, but it’s definitely going to require a reread. I think if I had time to really flesh out and process some of the details I might be able to tears a little higher.
CW/TW: misogyny, sexual violence, kidnapping, sexual assault, rape, suicide, trafficking, death of parent
Graphic: Sexual violence, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Rape
Moderate: Kidnapping, Suicide, Trafficking, and Death of parent
ohhellograce's review
4.0
A beautiful, angry little book filled with sisterhood and magic, there is something about this book that makes you want to love it with your whole heart. maybe it is the diverse cast of women who have found a way to soar even when life has been cruel to them. Maybe it is the offbeat pacing that keeps you turning the pages but interrupts you with poetry to say "hey slow down, let's think about this". Its likeability helps you to forgive its weaker points and the odd clunky bit of overwriting.
I loved how we switched from a plot-driven narrative to Peiliahs internal monologue and occasionally to the "book of memories". I loved that these women, or girls, all WOC. that were mistreated by their community built a new family with the "wild ones" and really listened to each other's pain without asking for too much. I also loved that there was no shame to outgrowing that circle when you felt healed enough to need more than the magic nomadic life of sparkly clothes and icecream.
We stan a soft boy in this house
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
foreverinastory'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? Yes
4.0
Rep: Indian female MC (aro-spec coded), French BIPOC trans female sapphic side character, Korean female side character, Indonesian female side character, Filipina female side character, West African female side character (wears a head scarf), Pakistani female side character, Fijian female side character, Turkish female side character, Muslim Iraqi female side character, Japanese female side character. Unsure who is queer but at least half are not attracted to men.
CWs: Abandonment, blood, confinement, death, emotional abuse, grief, homophobia, injury/injury detail, infidelity, kidnapping, lesbophobia, misogyny, murder, physical abuse, sexism, torture, trafficking, prostitution, violence. Moderate: child abuse, child death, pregnancy, mention of attempted abortion, rape, sexual assault, sexual violence, suicide by running into traffic, bullying.
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/injury detail, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Trafficking, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Bullying
nytephoenyx's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Injury/injury detail, Trafficking, Torture, Rape, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Death of parent
thetealdeal's review
4.0
Moderate: Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, and Misogyny
emmysreading's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Violence