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melodyseestrees's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I wanted to enjoy this book and then I got to the dog fighting chapter and that was where the story fully lost me (and lost itself 1.5 stars). My biggest problem was that the dog fighting had zero relevance to the plot and only served to write off an already detestable character. This same character could have been written off with the gambling/stealing money thing anyways. I can't speak to the accuracy of the setting but it did feel like a real place torn apart with violence and corruption of multiple shades.
The characters had very little redeeming qualities and that made it difficult to root for Insu, let alone his South Park-esque (in that they were rude and crude and otherwise awful people) friends. I also understand the use of slurs made it realistic and may have been appropriate for some characters but it felt inappropriate for the reader to be reading said slurs.
The transitions between Insu's POV and Big Uncle's POV were clunky and multiple times I forgot who I was reading until another character was mentioned.
The characters had very little redeeming qualities and that made it difficult to root for Insu, let alone his South Park-esque (in that they were rude and crude and otherwise awful people) friends. I also understand the use of slurs made it realistic and may have been appropriate for some characters but it felt inappropriate for the reader to be reading said slurs.
The transitions between Insu's POV and Big Uncle's POV were clunky and multiple times I forgot who I was reading until another character was mentioned.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Vomit, War, Animal death, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Violence, Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexism
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Fatphobia, Misogyny, and Suicide
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