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euphemiajo's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Alcohol and Death
thazell's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Wow, this was my first time reading a book that mixed magical realism with mental health, it was brilliant. The novel is about a young woman named Rose Colter who has her car broken down, in the silence of the night she hears a message from the radio tower from her dead best friend, Gaby. The same message was left before her best friend died. Rose follows the lights only to find herself in Lotus Valley, a town with prophets. The third most accurate prophet, Cassie, tells her that due to her arrival, in three days a flood will destroy the town.
The mental health representation, the prose, the characters, all of it was brilliant and beautiful. Now, you may be wondering, if you love it so why did you give it a rating of three stars rather than four or five? Well, at the start of the novel, I found myself confused about lots of it. It wasn't quite clear about the flashbacks of the character and sure it might be a personal style of the author, but it just pulled me out of the novel largely. That's really my only complaint about the novel was how confusing it was right off the bat.
Later, everything was cleared up and tied perfectly into the character and plot. I thoroughly enjoyed the entirety of the novel, especially how the magical elements were presented. It was beautiful and, well magical. It was also, as I said, mixed into the mental health rep in such a beautiful and unexpected way. The ending as well also was poetic. This had to be the best story I've read with PTSD representation, as well as mental health in general. I found myself relating to the character. There were also queer couples and I loved that!
Anyone looking for mental illness, mental health or PTSD rep should read this book!
The mental health representation, the prose, the characters, all of it was brilliant and beautiful. Now, you may be wondering, if you love it so why did you give it a rating of three stars rather than four or five? Well, at the start of the novel, I found myself confused about lots of it. It wasn't quite clear about the flashbacks of the character and sure it might be a personal style of the author, but it just pulled me out of the novel largely. That's really my only complaint about the novel was how confusing it was right off the bat.
Later, everything was cleared up and tied perfectly into the character and plot. I thoroughly enjoyed the entirety of the novel, especially how the magical elements were presented. It was beautiful and, well magical. It was also, as I said, mixed into the mental health rep in such a beautiful and unexpected way. The ending as well also was poetic. This had to be the best story I've read with PTSD representation, as well as mental health in general. I found myself relating to the character. There were also queer couples and I loved that!
Anyone looking for mental illness, mental health or PTSD rep should read this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Car accident and Alcohol
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