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kwurtzel3's review against another edition
1.0
In my own defense, I picked this up at the library because it was sitting on the shelf next to a book that I'd been wanting to read for a while. And it seemed weird and vaguely creepy and it seemed way outside of what I normally read. So I took a chance.
I can say, five hours later, that I should not have taken that chance.
I can't figure out if I read it so quickly (in just a few hours) because I thought this book was so bad that I had to get it over with, or because I wanted to see if it got any better. The characters are poorly formed, the whole thing is like a matryoshka doll of cliches, and I was bored to death by the will-she-won't-she of the plot. The ending was unsatisfying. The whole book was unsatisfying.
And overall, the entire book felt like the weird fetishization of a straight white man. Not impressed.
I can say, five hours later, that I should not have taken that chance.
I can't figure out if I read it so quickly (in just a few hours) because I thought this book was so bad that I had to get it over with, or because I wanted to see if it got any better. The characters are poorly formed, the whole thing is like a matryoshka doll of cliches, and I was bored to death by the will-she-won't-she of the plot. The ending was unsatisfying. The whole book was unsatisfying.
And overall, the entire book felt like the weird fetishization of a straight white man. Not impressed.
hannaamae's review against another edition
3.0
I’ve had this book in my closet for two years now. I just couldn’t get myself to read more than the first few chapters. However today I finally decided to pick it up start from the beginning and read it. I liked a lot of the parts of it. However I only gave it three stars do to just how mad the book made me. At the characters and the plot etc. It was a well written book for the concept, parts where just missing for me.
tinkygirl's review against another edition
4.0
Hanna lives in the town of Clearhaven, a polygamist society where girls turning 18 years old are forced to marry much older men. Hanna is betrothed to Edwin, and is going through the motions to marry him, when she meets Daniel and begins to question her life. Her mother has always told her a story about how Hanna fell from the sky when she was an infant, but now Hanna is realizing that story might be true.
I really loved watching Hanna grow as a character. She changes, but the parts of her that make her who she is never do. The magical parts of the book made me stop and think of all the small "miracles" I've experienced in life. Most of us have experienced some weird phenomenon, maybe being frozen in place and unable to take that first step into the crosswalk before a previously unseen car comes barreling through a red light or something similar. I feel like Hanna's experience is comparable, just amplified. We can't know the reason, just the effect.
I really loved watching Hanna grow as a character. She changes, but the parts of her that make her who she is never do. The magical parts of the book made me stop and think of all the small "miracles" I've experienced in life. Most of us have experienced some weird phenomenon, maybe being frozen in place and unable to take that first step into the crosswalk before a previously unseen car comes barreling through a red light or something similar. I feel like Hanna's experience is comparable, just amplified. We can't know the reason, just the effect.
jamiejameh's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this book so much. The concept is interesting, but I feel like Hanna was such a frustrating character that it was hard to really root for her or care how her story ended. She was constantly going from one end of the spectrum to the other - I will leave the community, I will never leave the community. There didn't seem to be any in between. I thought the author could have done a much better job describing the internal struggle Hanna had to have been feeling. Unfortunately, I will not be recommending this book.
jamiethelibrarian's review against another edition
3.0
I received an advanced readers copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Hanna lives in a community where women are only valued for their bodies and ability to reproduce. She has never considered what she wanted out of life, only what others wanted and expected from her. Things started to change as her eighteenth birthday approaches, the time when she would be considered as an eligible bride. A much older man who already has three wives is chosen as her fiancee. Hanna struggles between the options of running away and leading her own life or staying to fulfill her promise and protect her family.
Overall, I found Hanna's indecision tedious after a while. I also grew tired of the feeling that a rape or beating was about to occur at any moment. She never really showed the strength I was hoping for throughout the story.
Hanna lives in a community where women are only valued for their bodies and ability to reproduce. She has never considered what she wanted out of life, only what others wanted and expected from her. Things started to change as her eighteenth birthday approaches, the time when she would be considered as an eligible bride. A much older man who already has three wives is chosen as her fiancee. Hanna struggles between the options of running away and leading her own life or staying to fulfill her promise and protect her family.
Overall, I found Hanna's indecision tedious after a while. I also grew tired of the feeling that a rape or beating was about to occur at any moment. She never really showed the strength I was hoping for throughout the story.
tpanik's review against another edition
3.0
Disturbing on many, many levels. Polygamy, patriarchy, and well-written misogny are all here for the taking! Book clubs will have a field day with this one.
This was an ARC
This was an ARC
amymorgan's review against another edition
5.0
I received a free copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book! A very clever and unique story about a girl's desire for more than her predetermined fate. In order for Hanna to make a new life for herself however, she must leave the old one behind and cut all ties. How does one choose to save themselves and in doing so leave behind the siblings that she has protected their whole lives and will surely be subjected to the same fate after Hanna leaves? Thought provoking, engaging and thoroughly enjoyable I will definitely be recommending this as a must read!
kelroka's review against another edition
3.0
To be honest I didn't intend to read this book. It's not at all the kind of book I'm usually interested in and I only read it because I accidentally requested it from Netgalley. Oops. On the plus side, it has a pretty great, spunky heroine named Hanna, a hunky love interest, a vaguely supernaturalish sub-plot and lots of bizzaro polygamous cult business . If all those things are your cup of tea, this book is for you. It didn't do much for me, but the writing is good, and it's a nice quick read and it would be good for vacation or beach reading.
Full Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from Park Row Books/Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Full Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from Park Row Books/Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.