Reviews with content warning for Sexual violence - Monkey Beach

mysterious and beautifully, beautifully written. love all the symbolism and the fact that you have to think about the story yourself instead of having all the answers given to you

Content Warnings

spinesinaline's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I’ve often seen this book described as a coming-of-age and it is in a way but it’s unique in its format as it uses constant flashbacks throughout the narration as we flip between the present day and Lisamarie as a child growing up. So she’s already ‘of age’ when we first meet her but we get to join in her recollections of her childhood and better piece together this character who leads us through the story.

The book is confusing but it feels meant to be. There are no chapters, just breaks in the narration, and the flashbacks are so mixed in with the present-day that at times it takes a moment to get situated again after the shift. Sprinkled in are also some ‘life lessons’, little asides that seem to be spoken directly to the reader that include such things as detailed anatomy of the heart or instructions on how to contact the dead. Though they were odd, while still interesting, their relevance to the story becomes very clear as you read.

There is so, so much death in this book so a big heads up that this is a heavy read. Lisamarie goes through so much in her life and even as a child can feel the impacts of colonialism on her family, though she doesn’t recognize the cause at first.

My friend, who recommended the book to me (and I’m so glad she did!), described it as the author having unified the spirit world, the environment, and trauma and I wholeheartedly agree. The trauma aspect feels more subtle at first and sneaks up on you but it works beautifully and then by the end you realize, oh I’m reading a book about trauma.

I have many, many questions after finishing this book and some things are deliberately left ambiguous, though I do like that it leaves off instead of giving us final answers. Mostly I’m left with the desire to seek out everyone’s interpretations on what could have happened.

Content Warnings

lydialian's review

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

hello_linzie's review

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challenging dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

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