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emilyrowanstudio's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I went into this with high hopes, it had been on my to-read list for years, but it just didn't do it for me.
The first 140 pages were a slog to get through. They were setting the scene for what was to come but I found the characterisation lacking and feel it really could have been distilled down to about 50 pages.
I very nearly gave up and was prepared not to finish this, but it got very bleak very quickly and I tore through the final 180 pages in little over 24 hours. This story, of a 15 year old child in care who gets pregnant by someone older, should come with every trigger warning under the sun. Everything our protagonist, Bess, goes through is truly heartbreaking, but I found the way the story was told to be lacking for such a heavy subject matter.
Then again, our narrator is 15 years old, and the storytelling feels like it, which I guess it should. I laughed and winced and really felt for Bess, but overall this read was just okay. I'd have preferred it if it was half the length, concentrated on the emotions, and left out the unecessary side-plots. But maybe that's just my style.
The first 140 pages were a slog to get through. They were setting the scene for what was to come but I found the characterisation lacking and feel it really could have been distilled down to about 50 pages.
I very nearly gave up and was prepared not to finish this, but it got very bleak very quickly and I tore through the final 180 pages in little over 24 hours. This story, of a 15 year old child in care who gets pregnant by someone older, should come with every trigger warning under the sun. Everything our protagonist, Bess, goes through is truly heartbreaking, but I found the way the story was told to be lacking for such a heavy subject matter.
Then again, our narrator is 15 years old, and the storytelling feels like it, which I guess it should. I laughed and winced and really felt for Bess, but overall this read was just okay. I'd have preferred it if it was half the length, concentrated on the emotions, and left out the unecessary side-plots. But maybe that's just my style.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Excrement, Bullying, Death of parent, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Blood, Grief, Child abuse, Racism, Suicide, Sexual assault, Islamophobia, Abortion, Sexual content, Self harm, Rape, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, Car accident, Alcohol, and Body shaming
runwildalice's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
4.5
A fantastic book. Heart breaking and hopeful. Ultimately a celebration of female friendship. I really loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion
Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape
Minor: Car accident and Racial slurs
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