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bookswhitme's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship
amzyrebecca's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Addiction, Eating disorder, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Violence, and Child abuse
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Homophobia
emmamarybeth's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I didn't know that I would he crying at the end of this book. It hit surprisingly close to home.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
stayshomeandreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
I need to read the rest of k ancrum's body of work immediately. not very often a book makes me cry actual tears.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
patch's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
sapphirebubble_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
K. Ancrum, please take all my money and keep giving me such books!
Trigger Warnings for the book: depression, drug dealing, hallucinations, hospitalization, pyromania, violence, separation anxiety
Representation: bisexual main character with anorexia, anxiety and depression; bisexual main character with peduncular hallucinosis, an Indian Sikh love interest/side character polyamorous relationship
To say that this book is mindbending is an understatement. The Wicker King destroys and builds its reality piece by piece in such a fascinating manner that it leaves you in awe, and thirsty to drink it all in. It defies all expectations and is something out of this world with its particular format and building of world and characters.
There is so much put into this small book. From amazing characters and character arcs to beautiful relationships, wild imagination, the effects of parental and authoritative neglect, the machinations of a small town and its people, and so, so much more.
The Wicker King is full of yearning. Of August and Jack, for each other, for recognition and affection from their parents and from others, for something more. It was really incredible to see this weirdly affectionate, toxic, needy relationship that August and Jack had with each other. They couldn't help but want to possess each other because they had so little. Even though they came from different backgrounds, the way they molded until they fit each other perfectly to make the most of their circumstances, being the best support for each other in their small world and yet, also leading each other to destruction - it was beautiful, painful, mesmerising, heartbreaking.
Rina was my favourite character, on account of her being South Asian (an Indian Sikh) and also because even though she finds herself in a similar situation to Jack and August, she deals with it very differently. Even though, she realises what they are doing is not good and they require help, she allows them to breathe in their space and make their own decisions rather than forcing them. As teenagers, there are some things that we cannot let others figure out for us and Rina understands that, not fully supporting the boys but not shunning them either.
The Wicker King is a story of neglect and found family. I loved how it portrayed both of these in such a gray manner. You can say that the grass wasn't greener on either side, but it was more bearable on one. It is not a happy ending, but not a terrible one either and I think that pretty much encapsulates how life can be.
There is a lot of ugliness to the relationship that Jack and August have, and somehow that made me love this even more. Highly recommended.
Trigger Warnings for the book: depression, drug dealing, hallucinations, hospitalization, pyromania, violence, separation anxiety
Representation: bisexual main character with anorexia, anxiety and depression; bisexual main character with peduncular hallucinosis, an Indian Sikh love interest/side character polyamorous relationship
To say that this book is mindbending is an understatement. The Wicker King destroys and builds its reality piece by piece in such a fascinating manner that it leaves you in awe, and thirsty to drink it all in. It defies all expectations and is something out of this world with its particular format and building of world and characters.
There is so much put into this small book. From amazing characters and character arcs to beautiful relationships, wild imagination, the effects of parental and authoritative neglect, the machinations of a small town and its people, and so, so much more.
The Wicker King is full of yearning. Of August and Jack, for each other, for recognition and affection from their parents and from others, for something more. It was really incredible to see this weirdly affectionate, toxic, needy relationship that August and Jack had with each other. They couldn't help but want to possess each other because they had so little. Even though they came from different backgrounds, the way they molded until they fit each other perfectly to make the most of their circumstances, being the best support for each other in their small world and yet, also leading each other to destruction - it was beautiful, painful, mesmerising, heartbreaking.
Rina was my favourite character, on account of her being South Asian (an Indian Sikh) and also because even though she finds herself in a similar situation to Jack and August, she deals with it very differently. Even though, she realises what they are doing is not good and they require help, she allows them to breathe in their space and make their own decisions rather than forcing them. As teenagers, there are some things that we cannot let others figure out for us and Rina understands that, not fully supporting the boys but not shunning them either.
The Wicker King is a story of neglect and found family. I loved how it portrayed both of these in such a gray manner. You can say that the grass wasn't greener on either side, but it was more bearable on one. It is not a happy ending, but not a terrible one either and I think that pretty much encapsulates how life can be.
There is a lot of ugliness to the relationship that Jack and August have, and somehow that made me love this even more. Highly recommended.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content and Toxic relationship
piperlee's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book feels difficult to review. Maybe it’s one that I’ll have to mull over for a while before I really get a grasp on it. The book itself is dark and almost tragic, following the story of two teen boys, both neglected by their parents, who fall deeper and deeper into codependency and unhealthy patterns until everything seems to crash down around them.
I didn’t love the story itself or the writing style, but I still felt drawn to the book - I think because of how the author writes such complexity into the characters and their relationship. I expected the focus of the story to be on Jack’s hallucinations and how August helped him cope, but the story really centered on the nature of their friendship and how it evolved as Jack grew more and more lost in his own world.
As I read, I was worried that the author was romanticizing Jack’s mental illness and his unhealthy and borderline abusive relationship with August. But as I kept reading, I saw that the author was simply portraying the real consequences of neglect and codependency and allowing us to uncover the dark nature at the same pace as the characters. While difficult to read at some points, I found this creative writing style also drew me in.
For me, the best part was the author’s note at the end - without it, the book would have felt incomplete. In the note. K. Ankrum describes her intention in how she portrayed the characters and scenarios, highlighting the seriousness of neglect and the future relational damage it can create, as well as demonstrating how failure of other adult figures to address signs of need in students can only create more damage. I found the note really insightful and helped me to see the story in a different light.
Also! I loved the mixed media inclusions as well as how the pages changed color as Jack plunged deeper into his own world. Details like that are my fav.
I didn’t love the story itself or the writing style, but I still felt drawn to the book - I think because of how the author writes such complexity into the characters and their relationship. I expected the focus of the story to be on Jack’s hallucinations and how August helped him cope, but the story really centered on the nature of their friendship and how it evolved as Jack grew more and more lost in his own world.
As I read, I was worried that the author was romanticizing Jack’s mental illness and his unhealthy and borderline abusive relationship with August. But as I kept reading, I saw that the author was simply portraying the real consequences of neglect and codependency and allowing us to uncover the dark nature at the same pace as the characters. While difficult to read at some points, I found this creative writing style also drew me in.
For me, the best part was the author’s note at the end - without it, the book would have felt incomplete. In the note. K. Ankrum describes her intention in how she portrayed the characters and scenarios, highlighting the seriousness of neglect and the future relational damage it can create, as well as demonstrating how failure of other adult figures to address signs of need in students can only create more damage. I found the note really insightful and helped me to see the story in a different light.
Also! I loved the mixed media inclusions as well as how the pages changed color as Jack plunged deeper into his own world. Details like that are my fav.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Child abuse and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Drug use, Homophobia, and Panic attacks/disorders
ollieshark's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i don't know what i was getting into when i got this on kindle. i definitely wasn't expecting having to squint to read the text on the images interspersed throughout the novel, but they were pleasant additions that probably look way better in a hard copy. i was also pleasantly surprised by the turn jack and august's relationship takes at the end of the novel.
there are very few issues i have with the wicker king. one is that the timeline is all jumbled while jack and august are on the quest and learning more about jack's world. there are a lot of timeskips during this portion, and other than taking place mostly in 2003, i have no idea when all of these events take place in relation to each other. my other really big gripe is why the hell are there so many graphic, gratuitous sex scenes in a ya novel? only one is necessary to the story, and the others feel thrown in just to lengthen the story and to make readers hot. at least ancrum doesn't beat around the bush with them the way sarah j maas and her velvet-wrapped steel does.
the reason for jack's visions also feels a little cop-outy. i do realize that it's an extremely serious thing and that i probably shouldn't feel this way about it. it gives me "it was all a dream" vibes, but real people experience it and i feel like a dick for complaining about it.
other than that, i really enjoyed the narrative choices ancrum made. i loved the vignettes. normally i'd whine about telling instead of showing, but in this case it works because waxing poetic would make the vignettes chapters instead. it leads to a remote, detached narrator, like the whole thing is happening in another room in relation to you. it's very clinical while not being dry, and i appreciate it. the supplemental images thrown in strengthen the narrative, as it helps to have a visual on what august and jack are drawing and seeing rather than just hearing jack describe it all. it's also a really fast read as a result, and i would have finished it in one day if i hadn't fucked around watching bad horror movie reviews all day.
this is a good, atmospheric, moody read for fall, winter, and very early spring when it's still cold out. this could be potentially triggering due to its heavy focus on mental illness, but a great story otherwise.
there are very few issues i have with the wicker king. one is that the timeline is all jumbled while jack and august are on the quest and learning more about jack's world. there are a lot of timeskips during this portion, and other than taking place mostly in 2003, i have no idea when all of these events take place in relation to each other. my other really big gripe is why the hell are there so many graphic, gratuitous sex scenes in a ya novel? only one is necessary to the story, and the others feel thrown in just to lengthen the story and to make readers hot. at least ancrum doesn't beat around the bush with them the way sarah j maas and her velvet-wrapped steel does.
the reason for jack's visions also feels a little cop-outy. i do realize that it's an extremely serious thing and that i probably shouldn't feel this way about it. it gives me "it was all a dream" vibes, but real people experience it and i feel like a dick for complaining about it.
other than that, i really enjoyed the narrative choices ancrum made. i loved the vignettes. normally i'd whine about telling instead of showing, but in this case it works because waxing poetic would make the vignettes chapters instead. it leads to a remote, detached narrator, like the whole thing is happening in another room in relation to you. it's very clinical while not being dry, and i appreciate it. the supplemental images thrown in strengthen the narrative, as it helps to have a visual on what august and jack are drawing and seeing rather than just hearing jack describe it all. it's also a really fast read as a result, and i would have finished it in one day if i hadn't fucked around watching bad horror movie reviews all day.
this is a good, atmospheric, moody read for fall, winter, and very early spring when it's still cold out. this could be potentially triggering due to its heavy focus on mental illness, but a great story otherwise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Addiction and Violence
Minor: Homophobia and Terminal illness
shazzea's review against another edition
dark
emotional
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Forced institutionalization
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