sleepyriv's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Chronic illness
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
moongoblin38's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
The things Maria describes are experiences I think a lot of people have had, and the writing perfectly captures the emotions of those moments.
Now that spring was drawing near, and each day was warmer than the last, and now we were finally going to leave, all the everyday, nothing-special scenes I was so used to seeing, like the ageing corridors of the inn, and all those swarms of bugs that gathered in the light of the sign out front, and the poles where we hung laundry, where spiders liked to spin their webs and beyond which the mountains jutted up . . . suddenly all of these hit me harder, with greater clarity. The inn seemed bathed in a haze of light.
And it seemed to me that even if you weren't actively letting your emotions ride its surface, the ocean still went on giving you something, teaching you some sort of lesson. Perhaps that was why I had never actually considered its existence before—never really thought about the thundering of the waves as they sweep in endlessly toward the shore. But since I was thinking about it, what on earth did people in the city turn to when they felt the need to reckon with "balance"? Maybe the moon? That seemed like the obvious choice. But then the moon was so small and far away, and something about it felt sort of lonely, and it didn't seem like it would really help . . .
Graphic: Grief and Terminal illness
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Death
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Alcohol
olieander's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
change will come and we can welcome it with open arms :) memories of our childhood will stay within us even as we change and leave and grow apart.
Graphic: Animal death
angrybookworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
major_tom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I liked how my perception of the story changed as the plot developed further; I was hard to predict such a big change given how slow and reflective the pacing is.
This book will not be enjoyed by everyone, but I think it's a nice read.
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
amaya_jam's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Animal death
kaneebli's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Animal death and Chronic illness
inestelle_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Animal death, Medical content, and Terminal illness
jselliot'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
4.25
Also, I recommend checking out Astrocourt's review, as they go into many of the same thought processes I had while reading it:
- https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/fe513494-49ac-4ff3-a69b-b4100f1b23db
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
eternalblue's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Minor: Animal death