anniemackillican's review
4.0
I was going to give this a 3 stars but the final third of the book really turned things around for me. It's touching and a little bit heartbreaking.
"I wish I was a gopher."
Robyn laughed. "You don't like being a girl?"
"I wish I was a gopher."
Robyn laughed. "You don't like being a girl?"
dessa's review
3.0
I was super into this book for the first half, but slowly some of the characters began to grate on me. Add some wild time-hopping to chapters that are already mega brief, and things began to feel a little too choppy for me. Given, I’m suspicious of any book that gives me multiple viewpoints, especially so quickly back to back, so that bias is my own. Anyway, lovely reading for an afternoon.
mallorieedward's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
steelfern's review
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.5
I only wish this had been a little longer, and in a linear narrative rather than jumping back and forth between years. I wanted to linger in the moment or with a character towards the last few chapters, but there wasn't the same amount of time to really dig in.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, and Pregnancy
caseythecanadianlesbrarian's review
5.0
Such an incredible book! A family saga, snapshot of growing up in Calgary in the 70s, coming back home in the 80s & then in the 2010s, and a queer coming of age story. The characters--two sisters Bernadette and Frances, their dad (who lost two wives
livewisdom's review
3.0
This was a quick fun, read.
Late 20th Century Western Canadiana as the backdrop for a coming of age story of a family in Calgary doing their best to hold each other up, as they clumsily hold each other back.
Late 20th Century Western Canadiana as the backdrop for a coming of age story of a family in Calgary doing their best to hold each other up, as they clumsily hold each other back.
devrose's review
2.0
I wasn’t fond of this book. The dysfunctional family and fire elements reminded me of Mostly Dead Things, which felt much more well done to me. I also would have preferred more about Phoenix’s life if we were going to jump around in timelines rather than going back to 1974 for the end.