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rideauriverreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Cursing, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, and Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Child death, Blood, Dementia, Drug abuse, Drug use, Medical content, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Racism
a_islandcriptid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Warning that it is a very heavy, dark, emotional story so take care of yourself and be cautious of triggers.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Colonisation, Cursing, Addiction, Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Drug use, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Sexual violence, Racism, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, and Mental illness
Moderate: Self harm, Child abuse, Classism, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, and Police brutality
raybudbury's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Very hard but important read. Be mindful of the content warnings especially sexual abuse, child abuse, and the rest. Really liked this one. I was listening to this at a very fast pace to be able to go to book club (hit 88% rip) and so may have missed some. Not an easy read to listen to as character pov jumps at a break neck speed so be mindful of that.
I didn’t read the actual novel but saw copies of it during the book club meeting and I love that there is a family tree in it. Which would be useful as a lot of the characters go by nicknames of their actual names so it can get confusing w that as well!
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Drug use
Minor: Alcoholism
siobhanward's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The book definitely dragged in the middle, and it could be confusing as the book moved quickly through different characters, but overall this was a solid read.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Child abuse, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent and Drug use
Minor: Pregnancy
margardenlady's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment and Child abuse
mossybean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Addiction, Sexual violence, Rape, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Child abuse
bnelson13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Addiction, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Death, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Mental illness, Blood, and Violence
wordsofclover's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book is phenomenal for a debut novel - the combination of pain, violence and neglect as well as the love, kindness and care between all the characters is amazing. I was really hooked into this story and all the women we are following as they try and piece their lives together after a terrible violent act.
This book focuses on the lives of Métis women living in Winnipeg in Canada, and looks at the danger and intergenerational trauma lived by so many young girls and women in such societies where they are looked down upon, are abused and assaulted on regular basis and let down by any type of government authority that should be caring for them. I feel like Phoenix's story reflects this the most - the anger, and confusion she feels throughout the novel, despite at times presenting as a young, scared child who just wants to be cared for. And in parts we learn what her mother Elsie went through as a teenager and piece together what Phoenix's life must have been like because of this.
And Cheryl, Lou, Emily and Paul - along with Rita and Ziggy - are in such a community of love and kindness with one another, it feels like another world but that doesn't mean these women weren't hurt from abusive husbands to heartbreak, to witnessing terrible things and knowing at all times the danger they are in as women in their world.
But while this book is centered around a horrible act of sexual violence, the deeper story in it is about the love and hope between all these women, and how they hold on to each other throughout it all and never let anyone fade away.
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, and Child abuse
Minor: Child death
dallyowally's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Sexism, Child abuse, Gore, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcohol, Sexual violence, Racism, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, Hate crime, Misogyny, and Grief
schaarzy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape
Moderate: Blood, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Sexual content, Medical content, Child death, and Mental illness
Minor: Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Racial slurs, Eating disorder, Dementia, and Death of parent