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ebscaggs's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Racism, Drug abuse, Trafficking, and Sexual assault
soffafa's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Graphic: Trafficking, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Rape
Moderate: Drug abuse
frogggirl2's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Child abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Addiction, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence
megwaslike'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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Violence, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Rape, Murder, and Torture
berls's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
- child abuse
- rape
- sexual violence
- drug abuse
- trafficking
Here's the thing - this book is essentially about generational poverty, racism, and immigrant life - and the very real consequences on the children. We follow the life of one girl in particular - knowing from the start that it has a tragic end. And as you read her story and the story of her ancestors, you see how if she had just had this one opportunity, or if her mother had just had that one better decision, or if her ancestors had just had that one better chance, how things could have turned out some differently. And as her path crosses others, you see similar stories of poverty and resulting abuse that just breaks your heart for how tragically real you know it is.
I don't think I would have ever picked up or finished this book if I weren't buddy reading it with my brother. But I'm honestly glad I read it, because it was impactful. And while I can't say it ended happily - how could it? - it does have a happy twist that I brought a happy tear to my eyes.
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Racism, Addiction, and Trafficking
ka_cam's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Child abuse, Violence, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, Body horror, Blood, Abandonment, and Addiction
Moderate: Kidnapping, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Racism, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Medical content, and Colonisation
Minor: Animal cruelty, Car accident, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Eating disorder, and Dysphoria
Additional content warnings: child welfare systems, group homes, explicit descriptions of rape of a child and other child sexual and physical abuse, explicit descriptions of sex in the context of sex workba1l3y's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Trafficking
aubrey's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Graphic: Trafficking, Animal death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, and Animal cruelty
tenten's review
bad things already happened to Marina and i know there's more to come based on other reviews. the author of this novel has done reporting on the child welfare system and was featured on the Netflix doc, The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez so she's probably encountered some heavy horrible shit that might be the basis for the stuff that happens in this book. i couldn't even sit through five minutes of that documentary. this is too bleak for me, especially after just finding out about the SCOTUS draft opinion on overturning roe v wade. much too bleak.
i feel bad DNFing this, and i might pick it back up again considering it's not due back to the library for another 10 days and i'm already nearly halfway through it but idk man. it has great reviews and it is well-written and it's a debut by a woc featuring characters from a culture that i don't know much about but ... sheesh it's heavy
Graphic: Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Drug use, Murder, and Rape