Scan barcode
stbyleth's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
A really compelling and thoughtful read. Truly does this manage to consider some questions of ethics and morality. The ending is bittersweet and sad but it was more about the in between than the ending, and Cathy knows that too.
I enjoyed that this book presented information like a puzzle to be solved. The narration allowed such information to be digested easily. Some people have said that there's too many loose ends, but I disagree; this book sets out to ask the reader specific questions and does it really well. The overall world building is negligible in a book like this, so you don't need to know everything.
I really recommend this book. I read it for a book club and I'm glad I did. Very thought provoking, poignant, and relevant today.
I enjoyed that this book presented information like a puzzle to be solved. The narration allowed such information to be digested easily. Some people have said that there's too many loose ends, but I disagree; this book sets out to ask the reader specific questions and does it really well. The overall world building is negligible in a book like this, so you don't need to know everything.
I really recommend this book. I read it for a book club and I'm glad I did. Very thought provoking, poignant, and relevant today.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma and Medical content
Minor: Infertility
issyd23's review against another edition
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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Basically the quiet, artsy, English version of Michael Bay’s The Island. TBH I kinda prefer Bay’s version with car chases & explosions 3👩🏼🍼
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Infertility, Medical content, Torture, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Chronic illness, Confinement, and Terminal illness
librarymouse's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I read this book once before, as a child, but I forgot how much it hurts. Beautifully written, heartbreaking, and begging the reader to confront and understand a horrifying ethical dilemma within the view of a pastoral childhood, this book is one that I will never be able to forget and one which will never stop hurting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Infertility, Medical content, Sexual content, Death, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Classism and Cancer
frannyrdclark's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Death, Medical content, and Sexual content
Minor: Infertility
charliereadsalot's review against another edition
3.0
3 STARS
CW: mention of homophobia, death (of loved ones), bullying, mention of infertility
I read this for a class at uni and must admit, I probably wouldn't have picked it up otherwise. Generally, I liked the book, especially because of all the questions it raised. Admittedly, it made me want to continue reading if only to find out what Madame's Gallery was all about and what Hailsham was actually all about. But I never found myself truly loving what I was reading, probably also because it read a lot like literary fiction to me and that just isn't my genre. I feel like over the course of the entire book nothing happened but still, enough was going on (and you know, the incentive of having to write an exam about this) to keep me going.
While reading I was trying to piece together what was going on and it came together in a painstakingly slow way. And all the while, there is still so much to think about regarding Kathy, Ruth and Tommy's (as well as their fellow students) experiences at Hailsham, that entire enterprise of the school and their fates after they left.They were never truly free, their entire purpose was being an organ donor in their later life and even though Miss Emily explained to Kathy and Tommy that she and Marie-Claude initiated Hailsham to make the students experience more humane, was it really? Why give them a false sense of hope and joy in life when it doesn't amount to anything in the end? And even the system of Carers and Donors keeps them amongst themselves, isolates them from each other in their roles. But they grow up in this system and never even question its legitimacy, they just accept it and conform to it.
I think it's hard to talk about the full scope of this story without giving anything away and as usual I'm highly anticipating the discussion about it in class.
CW: mention of homophobia, death (of loved ones), bullying, mention of infertility
I read this for a class at uni and must admit, I probably wouldn't have picked it up otherwise. Generally, I liked the book, especially because of all the questions it raised. Admittedly, it made me want to continue reading if only to find out what Madame's Gallery was all about and what Hailsham was actually all about. But I never found myself truly loving what I was reading, probably also because it read a lot like literary fiction to me and that just isn't my genre. I feel like over the course of the entire book nothing happened but still, enough was going on (and you know, the incentive of having to write an exam about this) to keep me going.
While reading I was trying to piece together what was going on and it came together in a painstakingly slow way. And all the while, there is still so much to think about regarding Kathy, Ruth and Tommy's (as well as their fellow students) experiences at Hailsham, that entire enterprise of the school and their fates after they left.
I think it's hard to talk about the full scope of this story without giving anything away and as usual I'm highly anticipating the discussion about it in class.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Death
Minor: Homophobia and Infertility
kelsey22's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Infertility, Death, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Medical content
modrinkscoffee's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Medical content, Toxic friendship, and Bullying
Moderate: Infertility
lilifane's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This book centers around a really interesting topic with lots of possible discussions... in the most boring and unimpactful way possible.
I usually like literary fiction with speculative elements, but I was really bored here. I liked the school setting at the beginning, and I was intrigued by the premise (never surprised, though. I think this was all obvious and predictable) and some details and questions. But I really didn't like the characters, their toxic friendships and relationships, their boring everyday problems when there was such a huge thing looming over everything. The writing style was fitting but didn't contribute much to my enjoyment of the book, same as the bleak and depressing atmosphere.
I'm really glad I read it, though, and I'm still interested in the author's other works.
I usually like literary fiction with speculative elements, but I was really bored here. I liked the school setting at the beginning, and I was intrigued by the premise (never surprised, though. I think this was all obvious and predictable) and some details and questions. But I really didn't like the characters, their toxic friendships and relationships, their boring everyday problems when there was such a huge thing looming over everything. The writing style was fitting but didn't contribute much to my enjoyment of the book, same as the bleak and depressing atmosphere.
I'm really glad I read it, though, and I'm still interested in the author's other works.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Confinement, Medical content, Death, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Infertility and Grief
luxxltyd's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, and Medical content
Moderate: Infertility, Sexual content, and Death
indrabindra's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.5
Narration style in reflective memory. Intimate social interactions foreground, societal conditions and context background, revealed slowly and intensely. Brilliant & fascinating experiential read. Beware: does not give the warm and fuzzies.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Infertility, Medical content, Toxic friendship, and Death
Minor: Suicide, Child abuse, and Confinement