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missrisslee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Pedophilia
I was very impressed by this author's knowledge onscar1508's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Vomit
karleennz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment
casey_497's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, and Suicide attempt
kourtjohnstone's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.75
This story is about a mother who finds out her son has molested two young girls through her son confiding in her. I was drawn in right away because I needed to know how she would deal with this news. Noah's parents tell the victim's parents and then the crime unravels in town, destroying Noah's family in its wake.
This book highlights the unconditional love a mother feels for her child amidst devastating news, and what they are willing to do to keep their child safe. Noah grapples with his crime and takes ownership for his actions, recognizing his condition of pedophilia. I'm still not sure I buy this, but I have done no research on this so the story did make me think about how society should treat these individuals who fantasize and molest children.
I predicted the ending quite early on but I did think it was helpful for the story's resolution.
Overall, a very bingeable audiobook that makes you think about the way society treats criminals, a mother-son relationship, and whether criminals should be able to decide their own fate.
Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
nkerekes's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Before I touch on that, can we PLEEEEEEASSSSEEEEE put content warnings on audiobooks because HO.LEE.SHIT. If you can’t handle the content in this and you go in blind, it can be incredibly activating to your grief, trauma, etc.
I took big issue with some of the things said in this book, including (spoilers) when Katie said Noah could touch her and she still wouldn’t be afraid of him, to which he responded that she’s cute or something. And the other area that bothered me is when mom’s thoughts centered around the kind of abuse Noah did to the girls. There was something about how he “only touched them” which is WILD. And then she goes on to say that their lives aren’t ruined forever like Noah’s and that their doctor’s visits didn’t result in evidence of sexual abuse. HELLO??? That’s A WILD CLAIM.
I understand that the author likely wanted this story to read like a conflict of perspectives and the battle between love and what’s “right” but omg this book is messy, deeply disturbing, and frustrating.
I will never pick this one up again. I don’t regret reading it but it wasn’t enjoyable, I just couldn’t put it down because I needed to know where the hell it was going.
I can’t rate this. I
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Grief
kinsportch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, and Rape
aleen_elizabeth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
kathkaf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide, and Vomit
noraestelle's review against another edition
- 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
To give my most honest review there will be spoilers throughout this. I will try to make it known but here’s your warning.
I will start with I have no problem with the authors writing style, if anything it’s what kept me wanting to try again. Something about it is effortless for the reader and while I don’t love the plot twists they do get you. Unfortunately, those are about the only positives I have.
Every book that I have read by this author is coming from the prospective of a mom who is just a bit too obsessed with their son. That’s it that’s the basis of every story. I am not a mom nor to I want to be so I can’t really speak on that aspect of things. Sometimes I can’t even imagine what these fictional women must be going through. But their thoughts and their actions are so unlikeable and bizarre when it comes to their sons. It’s honestly gross. They’ll go as far as breaking up their marriages, betraying friends, breaking laws, neglecting their other children just for their son. I don’t know it’s just very unnerving to me.
With this book specifically you go into it knowing the main part of the story. The main characters son admits to SA little girls and basically alluding to a story of a mother and son bond and I would say that’s very accurate. It’s very mixed feelings toward Noah because it’s disgusting what he did point blank period, but you start thinking like there are people like him in the world. And when it’s a child having these feelings it makes you look at it in a different tone. And while I do think that’s a good thing there were parts in this book that were just plain disgusting and honestly did not need to be in there at all.
• A very minor one that probably just affects me would be people throwing up. There is way too much throw up in this book.
• There are very random religious undertones in this book and I don’t know. It just rubbed me personally the wrong way.
Now the parts that I had major problems with.
• and finally the ending was just weird to me very weird religious undertones. Just such an unsatisfying ending. I personally teared up when
Overall just thinking about this book makes me mad again and disgusted all over again. Do not recommend.
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt