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bingled's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
mapscitiesandsongs's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
2.0
Minor Spoilers ahead:
The first 80% of this book were just uninteresting. I was waiting for something to happen, but I was disappointed. I am not that kind of person that wants things to constantly happen, but if you have characters that are so stereotypical and not at all fleshed out, you need a convincing plot to keep me engaged. I am also quite puzzled by the fact that the future narration by Daniel lead to absolutely nothing. The ending came out of nowhere and basically felt like a sledgehammer. Like other reviewers have pointed out, it was similar to a Quentin Tarantino movie. I just couldn't take it seriously. There were other things that also bothered me: Who is Vivien exactly and why was her character even present in the story? It felt like she had a greater purpose, but nothing happened. What about Daniel's sexuality? Why was that even included and singled out (e.g. truck driver)? Another thing that made my blood boil was the unnessary violence against Cathy. STOP. USING. RAPE. AS. A. PLOT. DEVICE.
The first 80% of this book were just uninteresting. I was waiting for something to happen, but I was disappointed. I am not that kind of person that wants things to constantly happen, but if you have characters that are so stereotypical and not at all fleshed out, you need a convincing plot to keep me engaged. I am also quite puzzled by the fact that the future narration by Daniel lead to absolutely nothing. The ending came out of nowhere and basically felt like a sledgehammer. Like other reviewers have pointed out, it was similar to a Quentin Tarantino movie. I just couldn't take it seriously. There were other things that also bothered me: Who is Vivien exactly and why was her character even present in the story? It felt like she had a greater purpose, but nothing happened. What about Daniel's sexuality? Why was that even included and singled out (e.g. truck driver)? Another thing that made my blood boil was the unnessary violence against Cathy. STOP. USING. RAPE. AS. A. PLOT. DEVICE.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
jessgrace88's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual violence, and Abandonment
Minor: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Slavery, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
maricasement's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I really enjoyed this book. Mozley's writing, especially, is astoundingly beautiful. Her descriptions make references to nature and pull you into the physical settings of the book effectively. The book is written in 1st person and our narrator is extremely connected to the natural world, so having the descriptions be like this is very believable.
I really enjoyed the relationships Daniel has with those around him: Daddy, Cathy and Vivian, mostly. I feel that he makes a good narrator as the one who observes everything that happens, without necessarily being the one who pushes the story further.
The relationship the family has with their land and the natural world is beautiful, too. The land is an extension of themselves; they take care of it and it does the same for them.
When I started reading this book (some time in 2020, after the pandemic had been going on for a while), these were the things that captivated me and made me enjoy the book so much. There was also the vague mystery of the chapters that occur in the future and what Mr. Price might do to Daddy.
But then it kept getting darker and darker and my anxiety (that already was sky high) just got worse. So I stopped reading it.
I left it to stew for more than a year and only continued it in December 2021. The ending was even more intense than I ever though it could be, but the book never stopped being beautiful.
This book also manages to discuss some interesting themes. Mainly, I think it's a book about relationships: our relationship with nature, the relationships between ourselves, our relationship with power and money and land and our relationship with our own body. Mozley is able to hint at and explicitly explore all these things through the narration.
My rating reflects the book's beauty, but also my conflicted feelings about it. Because of the writing and the narration, the book makes me feel calm and at peace, but the actual story and happenings are rather stressful and tense, creating a rather weird dichotomy (at least for me). In spite of this, I do highly recommend this book, but I do advise caution to anyone who might be sensitive to several topics (listed in my content warnings because of spoilers).
I really enjoyed the relationships Daniel has with those around him: Daddy, Cathy and Vivian, mostly. I feel that he makes a good narrator as the one who observes everything that happens, without necessarily being the one who pushes the story further.
The relationship the family has with their land and the natural world is beautiful, too. The land is an extension of themselves; they take care of it and it does the same for them.
When I started reading this book (some time in 2020, after the pandemic had been going on for a while), these were the things that captivated me and made me enjoy the book so much. There was also the vague mystery of the chapters that occur in the future and what Mr. Price might do to Daddy.
But then it kept getting darker and darker and my anxiety (that already was sky high) just got worse. So I stopped reading it.
I left it to stew for more than a year and only continued it in December 2021. The ending was even more intense than I ever though it could be, but the book never stopped being beautiful.
This book also manages to discuss some interesting themes. Mainly, I think it's a book about relationships: our relationship with nature, the relationships between ourselves, our relationship with power and money and land and our relationship with our own body. Mozley is able to hint at and explicitly explore all these things through the narration.
My rating reflects the book's beauty, but also my conflicted feelings about it. Because of the writing and the narration, the book makes me feel calm and at peace, but the actual story and happenings are rather stressful and tense, creating a rather weird dichotomy (at least for me). In spite of this, I do highly recommend this book, but I do advise caution to anyone who might be sensitive to several topics (listed in my content warnings because of spoilers).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Abandonment and Alcohol
tetedump's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-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? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual violence