Scan barcode
livreads2much's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Vomit, Cancer, and Death of parent
Moderate: Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, and Infidelity
iane_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Death, Bullying, Medical content, Death of parent, Grief, Terminal illness, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Hate crime
Moderate: Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Blood, Child abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Child death
tifftastic87's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
Conor's mom is sick, like really sick, and everyone knows it is the end, except for him. When his mom is admitted to the hospital, a strange thing happens with the yew tree in the backyard. It comes to Conor at night and tells him there will be an exchange of tales, three from the monster and one from Conor. That's when things start to spiral.
Overt Grief
Lately, I have really been about stories with grief. This one really hit the mark. I know this is a middle grade (maybe early YA) book, but damn the imagery - both the words and the art - really expressed how Conor was feeling. It was frustrating, reading this as an adult, and seeing none of the other adults be honest with him about what was happening. We constantly underestimate children's abilities to understand the world around them and expect that they don't feel emotions how we do, when they are usually feeling them much, much stronger.
Story Length
Honestly, I kind of wish this were a longer book. I would have like a little more detail in the monster's stories, a little more back story on some of the characters, and perhaps even a short epilogue. That's my major qualm, is the story felt rushed when it didn't need to be and I felt it should have given space to some of the themes that required a little bit more.
Content Warnings
Detailed descriptions of bullying, grief, loss of a parent, cancer, and medical situations.
Moderate descriptions of violence.
Graphic: Grief, Cancer, Terminal illness, Bullying, and Death of parent
Moderate: Blood and Violence
Minor: Murder
blombern's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Graphic: Cancer
Moderate: Death of parent, Bullying, and Abandonment
Minor: Blood and Death
books_and_coffee_vibes's review
- 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
4.0
I loved the way the book was made especially how the monster was the yew tree and how he came to heal. I love how the monster was Conner in a way how his actions where those of Conors.
I loved the interpretation of the school life for him. How everyone treated him like glass and hardly spoke to him. Tiptoeing around the fact that his mom had cancer.
<when the monster said that he did not come to heal her and that he came to heal you, I felt that. I cried during that. I could feel it in my stomach. When he said that I knew there was no hope and I think I knew it all along jusy like Conor did but I wanted to believe that maybe it would be okay. Also the last line of that book “I held her tightly so I could finally let her go” the author didn’t need to do that to me. </spolier>> </spolier>
This book was heart wrenching from the beginning to the end.
Graphic: Death, Blood, Cancer, Death of parent, Bullying, Medical content, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, and Violence
chloevienna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Grief, Bullying, Violence, Cancer, and Medical content
Moderate: Blood
garynoplastie's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Bullying
Moderate: Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Grief, and Vomit
Minor: Blood and Panic attacks/disorders
angelicathebookworm's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Medical content, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Violence, and Vomit
kaabtik's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cancer and Death of parent
Moderate: Bullying and Violence
Minor: Blood, Cursing, Terminal illness, and Medical content
rayne_1906's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Abandonment and Drug use