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bexi'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Confinement and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Torture, Violence, and Murder
readandfindout's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Themes: 5 stars
Characters: 4 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, and Murder
nialiversuch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
Moderate: Death, Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Murder
seawarrior'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
5.0
In her older sister Keedie, Addie has her own guide of how to recognize and respond to ableism. Keedie, also autistic, is hinted to have endured even more ableism as a young girl, and serves in her early adulthood as the protective figure Addie needs that she never had herself. I found their relationship extremely endearing and relevant, as there are a number of autistic adults who are so interested in improving the treatment of autistic children because we know that while some things are too late for us, these children still have an opportunity to grow up in a kinder world. Yet as Keedie aptly points out, autistic people of all ages have our valuable perspectives regularly dismissed or met with hatred for a number of paradoxical reasons, and some of us end up permanently institutionalized for our inability to mask as neurotypical. These are difficult and upsetting concepts for children to have to make sense of, but I don't think comprehension is beyond them. A Kind of Spark lays out an age appropriate foundation for young people to see the ableist injustices of today for what they are, an unwinnable system as nonsensical and unacceptable as the witch trials of hundreds of years prior.
I highly recommend this book to other readers of all ages, and would love to see it added to school reading lists and utilized in the classroom. Though Addie's story has a rough start, it ends on an empowering note reminding those of us who are persecuted for our differences that we are worth having our stories told and remembered.
Graphic: Ableism, Emotional abuse, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, and Murder
cassie_ellie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Torture
alayamorning'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
Moderate: Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Murder
bookishcori'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
4.0
Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Murder
Minor: Forced institutionalization