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tawneereads's review against another edition
2.0
I was really hoping for so much more from this book but it fell completely flat. It's like the author had an idea but forgot to include major plot points and details throughout the story, especially at the end.
nkling6's review against another edition
3.0
Some interesting and creepy imagery, but I wish there was more to the story.
natlvsbooks's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like it. Even up to the last page, I kept thinking; now I'm going to like it. I didn't hate it either, though. I suppose I am rather ambivalent in regards to this book.
colorfulleo92's review against another edition
2.0
Nope this wasn't my cup of tea. Like always the premise drove me in but the novel it self didn't deliver. Feel it was to short to make a real inpakt, maybe it could have in better.
justwanna2read's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
chanteld's review against another edition
1.0
I simply do not understand this story. The writing is good, the description clear and clean, the creepiness of a Gothic novel is maintained throughout and then the last chapter just crushes it all.
I really don't understand the point of it all.
I really don't understand the point of it all.
sophiedavenport's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed it but my reading was dampened by my needing to find a moral or a meaning in a story, and I didn't understand the ending well enough to formulate one. Maybe this is a story for the sake of being a story. Not meant to be understood, or maybe I'm just not getting it. I enjoyed the relationships and the mystery, but I had the assumption that the mystery would clear and I would understand David by the end of the book, but I'm just confused. Really enjoyed it for the most part but my brain kind of hurts.
fallingletters's review against another edition
4.0
Brief thoughts originally posted 13 July 2018 at Falling Letters.
At the start of June, I had a hankering to read something different from middle grade or young adult fiction. I may have overdosed a bit on those genres due to my children’s and YA lit courses. So I plucked a couple books off my to-read-intriguing shelf. I file weird books, ghostly books, something-not-quite-right books, unusual books, on this shelf (excluding MG and YA). I read [b: The Night Rainbow|15715592|The Night Rainbow|Claire King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1350952886l/15715592._SY75_.jpg|21385084] and The Children’s Home in less than three days. (Both are also under 300 pages, with about 1,900 ratings.)
While Morgan is neither perfect nor unproblematic (he’s rather flawed, really), I found him relatable. I empathized with his experience.
This book is also a little bit gay. The relationship between Morgan and the doctor develops quietly, but does reach some resolution by the end of the story.
The low rating here surprised me (average 2.94). However, among people I follow, The Children’s Home received: 1 x ★★★★★, 2 x ★★★★, and 1 x ★★★. I've rated it ★★★★. Yes, it’s one of those peculiar and somewhat obscure novels; you’ll find few straightforward explanations. However, I found Morgan’s story to have a solid enough conclusion that I didn’t feel totally lost by the end.
Admittedly, I would have liked to know a bit more about the children – especially what was going on in the factory. Though I suppose leaving that part up to the imagination is the most significant of all…
At the start of June, I had a hankering to read something different from middle grade or young adult fiction. I may have overdosed a bit on those genres due to my children’s and YA lit courses. So I plucked a couple books off my to-read-intriguing shelf. I file weird books, ghostly books, something-not-quite-right books, unusual books, on this shelf (excluding MG and YA). I read [b: The Night Rainbow|15715592|The Night Rainbow|Claire King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1350952886l/15715592._SY75_.jpg|21385084] and The Children’s Home in less than three days. (Both are also under 300 pages, with about 1,900 ratings.)
While Morgan is neither perfect nor unproblematic (he’s rather flawed, really), I found him relatable. I empathized with his experience.
This book is also a little bit gay. The relationship between Morgan and the doctor develops quietly, but does reach some resolution by the end of the story.
The low rating here surprised me (average 2.94). However, among people I follow, The Children’s Home received: 1 x ★★★★★, 2 x ★★★★, and 1 x ★★★. I've rated it ★★★★. Yes, it’s one of those peculiar and somewhat obscure novels; you’ll find few straightforward explanations. However, I found Morgan’s story to have a solid enough conclusion that I didn’t feel totally lost by the end.
Admittedly, I would have liked to know a bit more about the children – especially what was going on in the factory. Though I suppose leaving that part up to the imagination is the most significant of all…
sausome's review against another edition
3.0
A quick read, this book was intriguing and compelling for reasons both apparent and mysterious. While I agree with some others about some plot points feeling a bit underdeveloped, or written for a short-story or novella kind of length, there was also something alluring about having the story feel a little hazy. I think part of the haze could have been purposeful, especially in keeping with the mysteriousness of the children and their origins. We aren't sure whether they are really there or a figment of a disturbed and traumatized mind.
The ending did end up feeling a bit Matrix-y without an entire movie/plot build to set us up for the weirdness, so it was a bit shocking and confusing. However, I don't think this takes away entirely from the pleasant confusion and mystery of the rest of the book.
I think part of the allure felt similar to the book "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" (the first one), and I remain confused as to why that book was ultimately put into the YA genre category, but that's another issue. I recommend if you like a strange tale.
The ending did end up feeling a bit Matrix-y without an entire movie/plot build to set us up for the weirdness, so it was a bit shocking and confusing. However, I don't think this takes away entirely from the pleasant confusion and mystery of the rest of the book.
I think part of the allure felt similar to the book "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" (the first one), and I remain confused as to why that book was ultimately put into the YA genre category, but that's another issue. I recommend if you like a strange tale.