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readandfindout's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Themes: 3.5 stars
Characters: 3.5 stars
Plot: 3.5 stars
Worldbuilding: 4 stars
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Eating disorder and Suicide attempt
Minor: Violence
panthalassa's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: War
kathleencoughlin'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? No
3.75
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, and Gaslighting
Minor: Child abuse, Eating disorder, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment
anniereads221's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting
booksthatburn's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Cora is a mermaid even if her scales aren't on the outside right now, but because of some previous events she's currently a mermaid who is having trouble being in the water. The stress of this drives her to think that being severed from both the Drowned Gods and from her Trenches-derived mermaid nature altogether might be better than having both and being haunted by nightmares. She's fat and comfortable in her own skin, the descriptions of fatphobia in the narrative are about how other people are seeing her and assuming things, and she's rejecting those assertions. Fatphobia is just one facet of the food control at Whitethorn, but it's the one she feels most keenly.
Cora doesn’t get to know the other girls very well and that feels purposeful in the narrative. No one at the school is there to bond, they’re there to forget and break in a way that fits the Academy’s version of the world. This gradually changes, especially once a new student appears and they both run into Regan (the protagonist of ACROSS THE GREEN GRASS FIELDS).
The world of Whitethorn Academy is at least partly modeled after “conversion therapy”, which is a euphemist term for the practice of emotionally and physically torturing people (usually children) until they stop exhibiting some “undesirable” behavior (specifically that of being queer). At Whitethorn, the undesirable behavior is anything having to do with the doors. There are a lot of little subtle things that I appreciate about this manner of worldbuilding, but due to what it’s copying a detailed description would likely be very triggering. The big one I will comment on is that Cora notices that almost all the faculty were former Whitethorn students, because the way in which the school breaks them makes them detached from their doors but also ill-suited for the normal world outside. There’s a lot of little things like that which make for a chilling read, forming a complete vision of a place which takes pleasure in breaking children, but told in a way that makes it clear at every moment that this is a horrible thing.
This continues Cora’s story from her appearances in previous books, as well as showing Regan who was introduced in ACROSS THE GREEN GRASS FIELDS. There's a new storyline which revolves around the continuing effects on Cora from her time spent with the Drowned Gods, and her attempt to break their hold by going to Whitethorn. A big thing is introduced and resolved, but this was just the introduction for Whitethorn Academy and I’m sure we’ll get more in the future. It set up a lot of fascinating things about that school and the contrast between their mission and Eleanor’s. Cora is a new narrator in the series and her voice is distinct from the previous ones. This book is a turning point in the series and might be a bit much for someone to try and start here. It relies in a basic understanding of the doors and why someone might want to either return or forget, so it’s definitely better to start with the first book instead. The ending is well done, with a bittersweet mix of triumph and terror. I'm very excited for whatever's next, this introduced several new characters and I'd love to see their doors.
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Eating disorder, Violence, Blood, and Suicide attempt
TW for strong similarities to conversion therapy.bluejayreads's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Body horror, Eating disorder, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
saltycoffee'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
4.5
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Fatphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting
Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, and Suicide attempt
purplatypus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Death and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and War
anni_swanilda'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: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent
elizabethgreads's review against another edition
- 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
2.5
The biggest issue I have is with the narrator justing that you can die and come back to life other than having an after life. Also I felt that suicide was suggested as a possible solution for getting to move on to a life which is better suited for you which I find appalling and dangerous especially for the targeted audience of this book.
Graphic: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Gaslighting
Minor: Child abuse and Suicide attempt