Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith

4 reviews

shadeyc's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Usually, I really enjoy middle grade books. I expect the kids to be growing and learning and experiencing new things, and it's a breath of fresh air to have often hard topics dealt with gently, and slightly simplified for younger readers. I'm used to coming out of the book feeling like I could pass it on to one of the many children for whom I am the best Aunty ever.
I don't hate this book, but I don't like enough to suggest to my niblings. 
Probably mostly because it was REALLY DARK. 
There is some hard core neglect and abuse going on in this and it's not gentle in any way or form. 
And while our MC is a bright brave spark, and the side characters are a great found family, there aren't any smart kids in this book. 
In fact, no one showed a brain cell until around the 75% mark. Including the adults. That's a long slog. Especially when the majority of that time was spent thinking the MC was going to get any number of characters killed off because of the lack of smarts. 
I did like the majority of the characters, and hated the one I was supposed to. 
But I kind of mostly rage read this book, and I'm not used to that happening with middle grade. I expected there would at least be a little bit of fun. But...none of them have fun...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment

Moderate: Physical abuse

theirgracegrace's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring medium-paced

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

4.25

Sir Callie is the sort of book that you wish middle-schoolers got the chance to read when you were growing up. Callie, a non-binary child who wants to grow up to be a knight like their father, travels to Helston, the centre of their nation. There, they discover that their two dads and their accepting commune are very different from the rest of the world, where everyone is expected to fit into two gendered boxes (boys become knights, girls become magicians) and a bigoted chancellor rules instead of the Crown Prince. A harrowing read as you worry for Callie and the small group of friends they collect as they challenge the encroaching evil of the witch Alis and the bigotry in the city walls. Excited to read book two!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Alcohol

In a chapter, Callie gets period cramps and describes the dysphoria that comes with that.

anna_wa's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Transphobia

Moderate: Sexism, Blood, Grief, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Self harm and Violence

bardicbramley's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Transphobia, and Abandonment

Moderate: Homophobia, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail