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noosayag's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Trent Dalton is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors.
This incredible book is about art, love, loss, hope, despair, magic and the dangerous criminal underbelly of Brisbane. If you loved Boy Swallows Universe, this book is for you. If you didn't, still read Lola in the Mirror and then give Boy Swallows Universe a re-read.
This incredible book is about art, love, loss, hope, despair, magic and the dangerous criminal underbelly of Brisbane. If you loved Boy Swallows Universe, this book is for you. If you didn't, still read Lola in the Mirror and then give Boy Swallows Universe a re-read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Drug use, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
baikiebookie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
My favourite Trent Dalton book! The pace was medium for most of the time and then it gets fast towards the end. Other Trent dalton books make me lose my focus half way through, but the pacing is much more steady. I love the geographical references. Other books did this a bit too much, but I didn’t feel it with this one.
I didn’t get the whole police officer saying it’s the saddest story ever heard. The story was saddest but didn’t live up to the hype of the saddest story ever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
typedtruths's review against another edition
Too dark and triggering for me, atm.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Death of parent
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Murder
ryleee's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
If I wasn't reading this for book club, this probably would have been a DNF... This attempted to present some large and important themes (domestic violence, homelessness, addiction), but I felt as though it just trivialised these topics, reducing them to gaudy one-liners (Tyrannosaurus Waltz, Tyrant Lizard), or only superficially reflecting (throwaway sentences about the impact of the 2032 Olympics on those without stable housing, or the incredibly brief mention of settler violence in the opening-ceremony-bit). It tried to be a window (or... a mirror) into everything, and in doing so, became an empty view.
The main character doesn't develop at all, despite experiencing a kaleidoscope of traumas. She seems to bounce from one horror into the next without even a glance in the rear-view. The plot does develop, but only through the most whip-lash-inducing twists that are so unbelievable that it's incompatible with the hyper-real setting that the author spends every second word reiterating. There always seems to be someone or something that arrives for the narrator at exactly the right time, so she is able to avoid self-reflection entirely. The only remotely likeable character is Charlie.
The entire 'Danny' sub-plot is borderline elitist. I'm not sure if the author was intending this character to be ironic? I can't even describe my dislike of his storyline. Charlie sums it up perfectly on pages 338-9. It's skimmed over but the narrator stalks Danny. For a book that is so vocal about domestic violence, this was a double standard for me.
Perhaps I took this book too literally. There are some segments that are solid. It invokes some emotion, mainly through the ancillary characters. I wish it focused more on the narrator's internal journey.
The main character doesn't develop at all, despite experiencing a kaleidoscope of traumas. She seems to bounce from one horror into the next without even a glance in the rear-view. The plot does develop, but only through the most whip-lash-inducing twists that are so unbelievable that it's incompatible with the hyper-real setting that the author spends every second word reiterating. There always seems to be someone or something that arrives for the narrator at exactly the right time, so she is able to avoid self-reflection entirely. The only remotely likeable character is Charlie.
The entire 'Danny' sub-plot is borderline elitist. I'm not sure if the author was intending this character to be ironic? I can't even describe my dislike of his storyline. Charlie sums it up perfectly on pages 338-9. It's skimmed over but the narrator stalks Danny. For a book that is so vocal about domestic violence, this was a double standard for me.
Perhaps I took this book too literally. There are some segments that are solid. It invokes some emotion, mainly through the ancillary characters. I wish it focused more on the narrator's internal journey.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual assault and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Child abuse, Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Fire/Fire injury
matildaesandell's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Wow Trent Dalton does it again, I really loved this book. Not only was it a story, but it was also really informative and opened my mind more to the homeless experience. This isn’t my usual genre, but this book definitely pulled me out of a book slump. Some things I loved:
•Trent Dalton was brutal with what he did to your heart
•There’s a part of the book that compares a rich mindset to a homeless mindset regarding the Olympics in Brisbane.
•I love books set where I live, I feel like I could now go do a tour!
•The illustrations and art gallery bits at the start of every chapter, so creative and fun. Loved
•The passage at the end about the man on Adelaide street in the brown hat 🥹 (IYKYK)
•This book is heavy, but the end of it left on the best note and I feel all warm and fuzzy!
I think I maybe struggled a bit from time to time simply because it’s a lit fic book. The writing and the story was truly a beautiful and wonderful experience.
•Trent Dalton was brutal with what he did to your heart
•There’s a part of the book that compares a rich mindset to a homeless mindset regarding the Olympics in Brisbane.
•I love books set where I live, I feel like I could now go do a tour!
•The illustrations and art gallery bits at the start of every chapter, so creative and fun. Loved
•The passage at the end about the man on Adelaide street in the brown hat 🥹 (IYKYK)
•This book is heavy, but the end of it left on the best note and I feel all warm and fuzzy!
I think I maybe struggled a bit from time to time simply because it’s a lit fic book. The writing and the story was truly a beautiful and wonderful experience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Suicide
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
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