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rieviolet's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This book is certainly quite peculiar in terms of narrative form and also of point of view (the chapters from the perspective of a desk, I mean what was that?!).
I think that when it worked for me, it worked really really well and I was left really impressed by the writing style and the profound and poignant exploration of a certain topic. However, when it didn't work, it really really didn't work for me and I just felt very confused and like the narrative style had been overdone a bit too much.
Also, some sections where the character of Death was talking sounded to me too much like an essay, maybe too much "telling, and not showing", not very subtly handled.
At times it felt a bit overly graphic (the list of content warnings is so long that, honestly, it'd be easier to say what is not included) and I'm not sure if it was really necessary for the story. So many examples of very brutal crimes are included and the section with example after example of different types of deaths is quite taxing to get through.
I think it was a bit of a mixed bag for me but I'm still glad to have tried something a bit out of of my literary comfort zone.
I think that when it worked for me, it worked really really well and I was left really impressed by the writing style and the profound and poignant exploration of a certain topic. However, when it didn't work, it really really didn't work for me and I just felt very confused and like the narrative style had been overdone a bit too much.
Also, some sections where the character of Death was talking sounded to me too much like an essay, maybe too much "telling, and not showing", not very subtly handled.
At times it felt a bit overly graphic (the list of content warnings is so long that, honestly, it'd be easier to say what is not included) and I'm not sure if it was really necessary for the story. So many examples of very brutal crimes are included and the section with example after example of different types of deaths is quite taxing to get through.
I think it was a bit of a mixed bag for me but I'm still glad to have tried something a bit out of of my literary comfort zone.
You grow and
become who you are
you grow into your shape
I could have been anything
but this was the shape the world
carved into me.
Graphic: Child death, Murder, Violence, Sexual violence, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Domestic abuse, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Blood, Suicide, Mental illness, Grief, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual content, Slavery, Physical abuse, Cursing, Cannibalism, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, and Racism
Minor: Vomit, Excrement, War, Torture, Fatphobia, Trafficking, Transphobia, and Addiction
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