Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I barely limped to the end, full of dread and fear of what was coming next for the main character, Eilish, her daughter Molly and her toddler Ben. I skimmed parts of the last 20 or so pages because I just couldn't. The message is important - "fascism is coming for you" - but what is the point of showing us that if it's unreadable? I only finished because I'm a diehard, a glutton for punishment, I was so close to the end, and I cared what happened, but I couldn't recommend it. Instead I would say, the possible future is darker than you can/want to imagine, and please, don't turn away. Do what you can now to change the course of our country.
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i think this will haunt me for literally years to come. horrendous but so powerful.
the writing style is relentless, its definitely a choice to place you as a reader into eilish’s headspace.
the onslaught of words feels like a continuous tide—it sweeps you along and leaves you no room or time to think. like eilish, you can’t keep up, can’t focus, can’t discern what options are available to you, can’t decide what makes the most sense to leave behind.
initially i thought i was reading a fictionalised account of the Troubles, it wasn’t until i realised the technology was too advanced that i figured out its dystopian. i’ve since read it was inspired by syrian refugees but personally it made me think about palestinians, especially when the water was cut off and options were running out.
i saw a few people saying it was unbelievably naive of eilish to not believe the state would tap the phones of private citizens—but i can’t help but think this as a criticism rings with a certain lack of empathy. people want to trust that their government won’t cross certain lines, they want to believe that they have a modicum of the privacy that they’re entitled to. eilish’s story is heartbreaking because she learns to know better.
the writing style is relentless, its definitely a choice to place you as a reader into eilish’s headspace.
the onslaught of words feels like a continuous tide—it sweeps you along and leaves you no room or time to think. like eilish, you can’t keep up, can’t focus, can’t discern what options are available to you, can’t decide what makes the most sense to leave behind.
initially i thought i was reading a fictionalised account of the Troubles, it wasn’t until i realised the technology was too advanced that i figured out its dystopian. i’ve since read it was inspired by syrian refugees but personally it made me think about palestinians, especially when the water was cut off and options were running out.
i saw a few people saying it was unbelievably naive of eilish to not believe the state would tap the phones of private citizens—but i can’t help but think this as a criticism rings with a certain lack of empathy. people want to trust that their government won’t cross certain lines, they want to believe that they have a modicum of the privacy that they’re entitled to. eilish’s story is heartbreaking because she learns to know better.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
horrifyingly powerful
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I struggled with the writing style. And ultimately the pacing was too slow, which does it fit the topic, but I wasnt able to get into it.
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No