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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Summer heat, family tension, silent mothers, and second favourite daughters.
I’m uncertain with how I feel about this novel. I definitely enjoyed the prose and the concept, but I always felt uncomfortable reading it— like I was as unsure as one of the characters, unsettled.
There were times I felt the author repeated herself unnecessarily, telling the same sentences just with different words. As much as new information was revealed across its course, “I already know this” kept banging in my head.
I also preferred when the story was smaller geographically (?). I get the role of Tree’s story being fictionalised by Zoe for the larger narrative, but less so the jump over to America, with all its different cultures and sounds and histories.
These critiques struggle against the vividness of the book and its cast, but are why I didn’t rate it as high. I also think there were some things that just went right over my head.
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The blurb reflected the plot but not so much the tone and focus of the book. I guess that’s a good thing with what I’d argue is a book exploring the dynamics of family and unprocessed grief rather than following a plot.
Would recommend to contemporary lit readers but not necessarily a beach read.
Would recommend to contemporary lit readers but not necessarily a beach read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes