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gothicbirdhouse'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: Death and Self harm
Moderate: Cancer, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Alcoholism
hollyp20's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, and Vomit
katerina_l's review against another edition
4.5
Moderate: Alcohol, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Chronic illness, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
jhartsoe's review against another edition
Moderate: Blood, Suicide, Self harm, Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
jouljet's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Suicide, and Mental illness
amyvl93's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Homesick follows the relationship between two sisters - the older Amy and younger Zoe, the whose recurring illnesses means that the girls are home schooled. This is a novel with an interesting history, it has previously been published as a memoir of Jennifer's very real childhood - complete with photos; and has now been re-released as a novel. Having not read the memoir, I can't comment on how much has been fictionalised, but I found this look at growing up really affecting. Amy is naturally good at and interested in languages - creating a language to use to communicate with Zoe away from their parents, which Zoe is disinterested in. Through the means of ice skating, the girls become fascinated with Russia and Ukraine respectively, and their crushes on their language tutor Sasha is a turning point for their relationship.
As I said, a quieter more reflective entry on the Women's Prize longlist - I really liked this book which bought to mind previous reads like Educated. Would highlight that this book does feature self-harm and suicide which I hadn't seen mentioned elsewhere, and plays a pivotal role in the novel.
Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Self harm
helen_t_reads's review against another edition
3.5
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Mental illness and Self harm
amy_park's review against another edition
3.5
Shout out to Charco Press as I loved the quality of the bounding and paper used to create the novel, will definitely read more from the publisher in the future and also intend to read some of Jennifer's translated blacklist as well.
Moderate: Self harm and Suicide
Minor: Vomit
eliodelio's review against another edition
3.75
also, throughout the book she disperses photographs along with a letter to her sister, spread out a couple sentences at a time, and it kind of bothered me because i was so focused on the main narrative that every time one of those fragments came up i couldnt remember what the previous one had been and it was just annoying to get pulled out of the story to try to figure out what she was talking about in the letter.
Graphic: Suicide, Cancer, Suicide attempt, and Self harm
Moderate: Rape
emilyrowanstudio's review against another edition
3.75
Homesick was first published as fiction written in Spanish, then translated to English and published as a memoir including photographs. It was then rewritten and republished a third time as a novel without the photographs. The backstory is fascinating if you care to read into it.
The novel is about photographs, language, sisterhood, family, connection, translation, memory, travel, grief, and mental health. A lot of topics for a short book. I really enjoyed the blurred lines between novel and memoir, which brought a unique sense of an intimacy and tenderness.
I really enjoyed the first half of the book, chronicling sisters Amy and Zoe's childhood and early adolescence, and the ending, but my interest waivered a little around the third quarter. There were certainly poignant and beautiful parts to this story, however I feel overall that the unique style and concept of the story-telling carries the actual story that was told.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Suicide attempt, and Suicide