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lycantreyski's review
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape
simplyv375's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
At first I was confused by the wizard references but once I caught on and realized what they representated, which imo, is change and growth I understood. I loved the writing style for this book it was beautiful and even though i'm not black i resonated with a lot of it. This book brought me through all the emotions; sadness, anger, grief, moments of happiness and those are the best books. Although I will say definitely proceed with caution and look up the trigger warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Murder, Racism, Bullying, Religious bigotry, and Sexual assault
ryliereadss's review
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Very dark themes in this book, definitely check trigger warnings before picking this one up. Echo is a lovable main character who cares about her brothers, wants to make her mom proud, and learn how to use her wizard powers. Her mother doesn’t want to teach her so Echo has to find other women who will teach her. She also makes friends with other girls her age who are wizards which is fun. I liked that the character who became disabled wasn’t forgotten after his accident, like he wasn’t just a trauma Echo experienced. I loved the formatting of the time jumps. There was so much happening, friend drama, family drama, addiction, drugs, magic, crushes, trauma, depression, anxiety, racism, and sexism. The conversations happening at the end of the book were really important.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Rape
Moderate: Sexual assault, Incest, and Suicidal thoughts
sydapel's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Unlike any YA book I've ever read, the magical realism elements of this are woven in so seamlessly, it took me a minute to understand they weren't just a very effective metaphor. The only grip I have is that there are lots of time jumps in this which really are difficult to track when you're listening to the otherwise excellent audiobook.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Rape
Moderate: Racism and Sexism
tinareads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-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
Oh, what a book this was. Halfway through reading I googled Echo Brown and learned she passed from kidney failure due to Lupus in September of 2023, as she waited for a kidney transplant. She was only 39 and I hope she rests in peace and light. I originally started this on Kindle, since that's how I own a copy, and I'm making a point this year to read more books I already own, but reading physical/e-books has been difficult lately, so I switched to the audiobook, thanks to my library. This novel is narrated by the author, and she gave an amazing performance. I can't recommend it enough.
I'm rusty at writing reviews, but this book touched my heart directly, so I feel pulled to speak on it. Please check trigger warnings before getting into this, especially if SA is a trigger for you. It's a prevalent them throughout the book and could be very triggering.
This book made me feel right at home. I was born and raised in California, not Ohio like Echo, but the way she wrote the experience of growing up Black and seeing how your parents struggle-to provide, to survive, to battle their demons-sometimes by using substances to dull the ache. How those struggles, when unaddressed, can bleed onto you, the child and shape you how it shaped them all those years ago. But also how the same parents who hurt you and aren't always available have those moments where they are soft and loving. How you yearn for those moments and cling to them when they're cruel. Phew! But, the magic on these pages added something special to this otherwise sad and tense recollection of Echo's upbringing. I love the aspect of ancestral magic in Black YA books. It often stems from the violence and survival of our ancestors, but it always does something for me. I like to think we might have some of that magic here in the real world, if we're willing to be open to it.
Like another reviewer said, the storytelling is definitely unique. You might be confused at the start, but if you stick with it and are open-minded I think it's quite enjoyable. The way the timelines blend together as the main story goes along was interesting and I was really invested, knowing that this book was about Echo's life with a magical twist. I shed quite a few tears in the last quarter of the audiobook, and it's a shame that we lost such a gifted storyteller so young. I'll definitely be checking out her other novels in the future.
I'm rusty at writing reviews, but this book touched my heart directly, so I feel pulled to speak on it. Please check trigger warnings before getting into this, especially if SA is a trigger for you. It's a prevalent them throughout the book and could be very triggering.
This book made me feel right at home. I was born and raised in California, not Ohio like Echo, but the way she wrote the experience of growing up Black and seeing how your parents struggle-to provide, to survive, to battle their demons-sometimes by using substances to dull the ache. How those struggles, when unaddressed, can bleed onto you, the child and shape you how it shaped them all those years ago. But also how the same parents who hurt you and aren't always available have those moments where they are soft and loving. How you yearn for those moments and cling to them when they're cruel. Phew! But, the magic on these pages added something special to this otherwise sad and tense recollection of Echo's upbringing. I love the aspect of ancestral magic in Black YA books. It often stems from the violence and survival of our ancestors, but it always does something for me. I like to think we might have some of that magic here in the real world, if we're willing to be open to it.
Like another reviewer said, the storytelling is definitely unique. You might be confused at the start, but if you stick with it and are open-minded I think it's quite enjoyable. The way the timelines blend together as the main story goes along was interesting and I was really invested, knowing that this book was about Echo's life with a magical twist. I shed quite a few tears in the last quarter of the audiobook, and it's a shame that we lost such a gifted storyteller so young. I'll definitely be checking out her other novels in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, and Child abuse
Minor: Racial slurs and Suicide attempt
danceswithbugs's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Racism, Sexism, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, and Child abuse
readswithrachel's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Sexism
jrascoe's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Not what I was expecting, but worth the read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Rape, Physical abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia
ahopper7's review
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
Graphic: Rape, Racism, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Drug abuse, Violence, Grief, Mental illness, and Murder
cranedphoenix's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
Mind the trigger warnings because I did not look them up so some of the parts in the book caught me off guard even though you could kind of feel them coming
I appreciate how the book uses magic in a realistic type of way which is unique to the kinds of books I normally read
The book definitely doesn't disappoint in making everything come together and addressing just about any and everything
I appreciate how the book uses magic in a realistic type of way which is unique to the kinds of books I normally read
The book definitely doesn't disappoint in making everything come together and addressing just about any and everything
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Pedophilia, and Misogyny
Moderate: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Lesbophobia, Islamophobia, Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Death, Addiction, and Xenophobia