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selenyigini's review
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Police brutality
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Child death, Abandonment, Drug use, Gun violence, and Child abuse
Minor: Classism
eliannamentzer's review
4.5
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Grief, Death, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Racism, Emotional abuse, Rape, Suicide, and Sexual assault
hilarylouise'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
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Rape, and Police brutality
Moderate: Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Self harm
Minor: Transphobia
kaimetcalfe's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Sexual assault, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Police brutality, Rape, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Child death, Drug abuse, Trafficking, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Suicide, Body horror, Sexual harassment, Violence, Drug use, Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Blood, Transphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Alcoholism
Minor: Mental illness, Gore, Terminal illness, Grief, Vomit, and Confinement
issyd23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Confinement, Drug use, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Sexism, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Racism, Abandonment, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Child death, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, Vomit, Classism, Cursing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Terminal illness
swell_gal'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Police brutality, Child abuse, Rape, Suicide, Death, Child death, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, and Gun violence
bella_cavicchi's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Police brutality, Racism, Grief, Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Trafficking, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Misogyny, Abandonment, Suicide, and Drug use
Minor: Alcohol and Cursing
buer'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
4.0
I had incorrectly heard that this was a true story and it was only once I reached the end of the book that I realized that it was inspired by a true story but is actually a complete work of fiction. I wish I had realized this before I read the book because there were many moments that were so speculative (and rightly so! it's fiction!) that they irked me when I thought that they were being attributed to actual people who lived these events.
Kiara is a frustrating character because she does not make decisions: she is swept along by her circumstances and although she has a moment of happiness at the end of the book she doesn't seem to have grown much. Mottley very effectively shows her readers what a person trapped by the current of an out of control life looks like. Mottley asks her readers to empathize with a girl who is so busy trying to keep her head above water that she cannot even think about swimming toward shore.
It is difficult to evaluate the quality of the writing when you are listening to a book, but I can definitively say that Mottley does a great job setting scenes and bringing the reader deep into the inner life of her characters. This is a visual and introspective story and it is told beautifully. I think the end could have use a little more editing, as it kind of began to feel like the narration was looping without treading new ground, but overall a lovely telling of a really difficult circumstance.
I enjoyed the narration by Joniece Abbott-Pratt. Toward the end of the book I started to find her performance a little grating, although this is very likely a me-problem. The end of the book is emotionally raw and Abbott-Pratt is an emotive reader. I was rushing to finish the book before the due date and something tells me that if I had not been binging those last few hours I would have enjoyed it more.
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Minor: Suicide
edarling3's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Drug use and Suicide
chelle22's review
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Confinement, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Cancer, Child death, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, and Violence