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emilinaballerina's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Sexual content, Trafficking, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Self harm, Classism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Child death, and Pedophilia
cameronrae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Rape
theblushbookworm'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
4.5
Graphic: Trafficking, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Murder, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Drug abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Police brutality, Pedophilia, and Death of parent
erikaareadss'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
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Self harm, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Racism, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Physical abuse
issyd23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Confinement, Drug use, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Sexism, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Racism, Abandonment, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Child death, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, Vomit, Classism, Cursing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Terminal illness
kp_writ's review against another edition
3.0
Very bleak and caused me to dissociate, so I admittedly skimmed through half the novel and therefore missed out on that poetic prose that was the strongest asset. The plot wallowed so much in its depressing and traumatic turns (of which there were many...) that it got in the way of any character development and relationship building. While the conflict between characters was very real and nuanced, the relationships themselves felt static and stubborn, usually forgotten when the two characters weren't interacting on the page.
In the end, each character felt less like a person and more like an object to project plot points and thematic messaging, which of course under baked any message that was conveyed. I cannot understate how much trauma these characters endured, and how unnecessary some of the descriptions and events seemed to me. While I don't doubt this amount of trauma is reality for some Black Americans, the overuse of it, in combination with some of the other weaknesses of this book, took away from the storytelling.
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Violence, Vomit, Blood, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Child abuse, Child death, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Stalking, and Rape
Moderate: Racism, Addiction, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Bullying, Death, Misogyny, and Mental illness
bambooboy'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Transphobia, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Classism, Blood, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Vomit, Colonisation, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Violence
preciouslittleingenue's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Blood, Sexual assault, Child death, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Pedophilia
hanelisil's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Death, Gaslighting, Police brutality, Sexual content, and Trafficking
flykites's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book just describes how shit the system is. I don’t live in the US but they are presumably universally applicable. Kiara is a strong woman and a women who sacrificed so much to end up in worse situations. Marcus did my head in, his dreams of making it were so big that he ignored what was actually happening on the ground then when someone pulled strings to get him a job he ducking threw it back in their face. He kept going back to Cole convinced he’d make it even though From the sounds of it his bars were weak. Kiara tried everything to get him to listen get him to help and he threw it back in her face shat on her for when she resigned herself to the only way she knew to make money. She had dropped out of school and was trying so hard to get a job but nobody was hiring so she had no other choice. What made her drop out? Her familial situation which was a byproduct of mistreatment at the hands of literally everyone.
Uncle Ty came back and did nothing only ridicule her, the kids did not ask to be born they are not their parents and just cause you had issues with their mother doesn’t mean you shouldn’t help instead you spit in this girls face who is literally doing the onLy thing she can to make money and tell her her dad would be disappointed instead of stretching out a hand and supporting her cause you know how old she is and you know she was taken advantage of.
How selfish of that cop to put her name in the suicide note to drag her into a whole mess partially of his creation too the absolute prick probably realised how much shame and hardship that would bring her.
Sweet ale knew when to walk away at times when she needed breathers which we might’ve disagreed with but once you realise why you forgive her because they’ve all had it rough, she always made her way back to Kiara when she needed her though, I hope the best for Trevor too. I understand it was unreasonable to think Kiara would become legal guardian to him but I hope the system he’s now a part of doesn’t treat him too awfully and that he continues to play ball and swim to drown out the noise around him. He doesn’t deserve any of this. None of them do they are all only kids.
That scene of the police officer cornering her and scraping her vaginal walls so hard it bled was fucking disgusting btw. Literally made mine fucking close up at the thoughts of it. Those police men were all as bad as the other, the people no are supposed to protect you turn out to be dicks exploiting their authority and keeping their jobs after all that. To hear this is based on true story too is harrowing and my heart goes out to any young girl who finds themselves in these situations, I hope it gets better for them but honestly it’s questionable
Graphic: Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Rape, Police brutality, Pedophilia, and Misogyny
Minor: Addiction