Reviews

Split by Swati Avasthi

bmhbiattiwoeytba's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse

emleemay's review against another edition

4.0

4.5

[b:Split|6270483|Split|Swati Avasthi|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320410460s/6270483.jpg|6453798] was somewhere between 4 and 5 stars for me, so I'll go with 4.5 because I can't make my mind up. I spent most of the novel thinking I would give it 5 stars, but there was something a little unresolved for me. Okay, a lot unresolved, but DO NOT read this if you haven't read the book:

Spoiler

I wanted their mother to find a way out, I understood that this book's message is that it's not as simple as that, I understand why she struggled to leave him, how her life had been shaped around her husband and their violent existence... but I wanted the final message to be that it was possible, even though it was difficult. I didn't like how the ending seemed to be an acceptance that some people are just doomed to stay with their violent partner for the rest of their life.

But, apart from the stuff in that very spoilery spoiler, this was an unbelievably powerful novel. It does what so many other books have tried to do but the writing, the characters, the emotions running wild in this book... they all contributed to make it stand out amongst stacks of stories about domestic violence.

The story opens where Jace Witherspoon has finally left home, his mother, and his abusive father behind. He wants to start a new life with his older brother - Christian - who ran away years before and hopes his mother will eventually break away and join them. But Christian's life is very different now and he is reluctant to ever go back to the way things were before, not to mention the fact that Jace isn't being entirely honest, a lot has happened since Christian left and he isn't too eager to share a lot of it. Can Jace and Christian build a new life as brothers and put their violent upbringing behind them? Or will Jace's secrets bring the past crashing down onto the two of them?

What [a:Swati Avasthi|2851248|Swati Avasthi|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] has here that gave her the ability to write such a stand-out novel, is years of experience dealing with just these kind of people, relationships and abusive partners/parents. It shows, it really does. A lot of authors try to answer that question: why does an abuse victim still stay with their partner? Most of them fail because it's not a simplistic answer, you need to take a deep look into these relationships, see how the victims become psychologically changed to believe that they somehow deserve it, that they cannot cope with any other way of living, that the good times are worth the bad. I don't pretend to be an expert on domestic violence, but I knew someone who was in this kind of relationship and people always say "I just don't understand why they don't leave", "it's pretty simple, if someone hurts you, they don't love you, so you walk out the door". I've seen it first-hand and what they don't know is that the victims are being damaged far more psychologically than they are physically. You cannot tell someone to snap out of a mental disorder, and it is a very similar kind of thing. The routine of violence becomes so embedded into them that they start to just accept it. It's sad but true and [a:Swati Avasthi|2851248|Swati Avasthi|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] is one of very few authors who shows this.

But this isn't just a novel about domestic violence. It's a novel about how people can change their lives for the better, how with work you can choose to move on from your past and re-create yourself, how you do not have to let the bad stuff that has happened define you. It's about fear. Fear of another person, fear for another person, fear of yourself and who you might be turning into, fear of making the people around you just as screwed up as you are.

Moving and unforgettable.

babymadcap's review against another edition

5.0

This book helped to remind me that what's on the surface rarely means anything about what's on the interior. It is written so perfectly, and becomes so real. It's a definite must read.

cornmaven's review against another edition

5.0

A very intense book about domestic violence that does an excellent job of exploring the impact on those who are abused, and those who witness the abuse. Everyone is split in this book, resulting in lives that are barely functioning, even when they appears to be. I would guess that kids who have this kind of "family" will do a lot of head nodding while reading it, and those who don't might come to understand many of the reasons behind why their friends might act the way they do. And it does give a very clear portrayal of the power inherent in abuse. Chilling.

elizabethtrue's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Violence

Minor: Rape

atfatesend's review

4.0

Decent read about an abused boy.

julianareiner1's review against another edition

5.0

I absolutely loved this book!!! It’s been months since I’ve given 5 stars, and this story is truly deserving!

Jace escapes his abusive father in Chicago and makes the 19 hour drive to Albuquerque, where his brother, Christian, is currently living after having escaped the home himself five years prior. Jace carries barely any money, no plan, and the hope that his mother follows through on her word to escape her violent husband for good and meet up with them in New Mexico.

One of my favo

hannahflora's review against another edition

5.0

4.5 stars

reader4evr's review against another edition

2.0

I don't know what it was about this book but I had heard decent reviews about it but I wasn't thrilled at all. I didn't like Jace at all. I know he went through a lot of crazy stuff really young in his life and was 100% effected by it but it was kind of arrogant and a jerk. I can honestly say the only character I liked was Miriam. I knew the mom wasn't going to live the dad in the story. I wish Jace and his brother, Christian would have stood up to him and done something to help his mother who was trapped unlike her sons. Honestly, I knew nothing was really going to be resolved at the end of this book and almost stopped reading it but I knew I had to finish it for the committee I am on. I kind of stopped caring about Jace and his family and I am not sure if this is because of the writing, the character development or whatever but I am not a fan of this book at all.

This book was really freaky and a little too graphic for me with what this dad did to his family. I know like I said earlier this kind of stuff unfortunately happens all the time but my gosh, so disturbing.

savble23's review against another edition

emotional inspiring lighthearted tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25