raybudbury's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexism, Animal death, Incest, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Child death, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Animal cruelty, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Self harm, Grief, Confinement, Blood, Murder, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Child abuse
chlamlydia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Incest, Rape, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
books_hay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I'm 8th grade it seamed a bit of a love story. This time is was a tale of horrible abuse and imprisonment.
This book takes on shocking turns. It's a good read, but it's horrifying at times.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Child death, Incest, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Blood, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Torture, Religious bigotry, and Physical abuse
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
rronnniii's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Blood, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Rape, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
fe_aye'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
2.5
There’s a sense of complete bleakness here, no escape just a constant headfirst plunge into the depravity and darkness of the world. Even the lightheaded scenes are tainted with this horrible oppressive feeling, and Chris and Cathy’s ‘relationship’ only makes things worse. I am also not a fan of how Andrews chose to portray any of the relationships in this book beyond the bond the siblings share as siblings. Their family bond was precious to see and kept me going through the slog of selfish decision after selfish decision that the adults around them kept making.
Spoiler
I am extremely disturbed by how casually incest is portrayed in this, the only person who ever speaks out against the incest is an utter bigot and only revealed to have some semblance of a conscience right at the very end of this book. The mother is deified for her ‘brave relationship despite all odds’ with her uncle, which is never corrected by any of the children. Chris and Cathy also struggle with this until it escalated to him raping her, and yes he does rape her she is fighting him off, I don’t care what the conversation afterwards says. In that moment she was telling him no. And she blames herself for it too. I think that that whole plot thread really could have been left in the first draft and didn’t need to be here at all.All in all wasn’t an fan and don’t recommend this to people unless they know what they’re getting into.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Confinement, Death, Abandonment, Animal death, Child abuse, Grief, Incest, and Child death
Moderate: Blood, Sexual content, Violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, and Injury/Injury detail
hue's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
Graphic: Medical content, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Domestic abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Body shaming, Car accident, Emotional abuse, and Incest
toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Having said that, the writing itself isn't that great. The story itself had me hooked from page one though.
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Grief, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Animal death, Body horror, Car accident, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Confinement, Incest, and Animal cruelty
maggiemaryamos'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Incest, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Torture, Physical abuse, Murder, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Hate crime, Grief, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Death
hapikohw'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
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Gaslighting, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Incest, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Car accident, Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Violence, Child death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Confinement, Murder, and Rape
eyrechrysalis's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Death, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Animal death
Moderate: Gaslighting and Violence