Scan barcode
redefiningrachel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Medical content, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Grief, Gore, and Death of parent
Minor: Misogyny
jenn_bookstitcher's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Gore, Grief, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
annegirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
turtleycool's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Colonisation
stacikristine's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Death of parent
bstrawbs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I found Ellie to be a highly lovable character with a few wisecracks that reminded me of when I worked with younger children. I also enjoyed her inner thoughts that seemed so simple and so complex.
It really was a reflective bit of literature where you could watch the characters grow and change and you could see the way they cared for one another in a foreign and harsh place.
I will be rereading this again. I loved the way it was written and I can see myself falling back into the easy pacing of it. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys detailed description and character driven stories.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Medical content
waytoomanybooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
For one thing, it's overly long. It would've been a tighter story if it were 100 pages shorter. The plot gets stale because waiting around is a core component of the story, but not in an interesting way.
I also found Ellie's family really unsympathetic to her even though the whole family was grieving over a shared tragedy. A tragedy where Ellie shouldered all the blame for literally no reason. Her family essentially ostracizes her to a degree where she's sent to sleep in the barn without supper. This treatment of her continues through the whole book...until the mother and sister have a change of heart in the last few chapters. And Ellie instantly forgives them. Her family doesn't even apologize for their wrongdoing. It was really disappointing.
I also think the story suffers from having too many plotlines. We have the Stock Market Crash, a family tragedy, and Ellie's only friends suffer multiple tragedies (which Ellie gets roped into). And for some reason Ellie, who is only 12, is the only one making any attempts to put out all of these fires. I didn't find it inspiring; I found it incredibly depressing.
I think a kid would like this book because kids like stories where people their age have agency and intelligence, which Ellie definitely has. (Although Ellie sounds more like she's 24 than 12. I kept having to remind myself that she's a child because she doesn't sound like a child.) just wish we could've had a story where her family feels any sort of remorse for their actions and that Ellie found happiness in more than just the last 10 pages.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Medical trauma
mossyrock's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Medical trauma