You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Toxic relationship, Alcohol
Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, War
Minor: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Colonisation
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Abandonment
I really enjoyed “The Strangers” a lot. I thought the author did a great job pacing out the different issues and themes explored with the characters. I loved that we got to see the different perspective of the women of the Stranger family to get closer to the root of their generational trauma.
As much as I want to give this book 5 stars I have to stick with 4 because of an issue I had with the book. I hate that we never find out what Phoenix did to get went to jail. The story seemed to be building up to it and the fact that we find out that whatever she did put her on the sex offenders list makes it harder to root for her. I wish we could have at least known more about the circumstances or gotten more context clues as to what happened instead of leaving it to the audiences imagination. If it weren’t for that one flaw I would say this book was A+
As much as I want to give this book 5 stars I have to stick with 4 because of an issue I had with the book. I hate that we never find out what Phoenix did to get went to jail. The story seemed to be building up to it and the fact that we find out that whatever she did put her on the sex offenders list makes it harder to root for her. I wish we could have at least known more about the circumstances or gotten more context clues as to what happened instead of leaving it to the audiences imagination. If it weren’t for that one flaw I would say this book was A+
DNF at 45%. This is so boring, I keep hoping it will pick up but I can't read another page.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-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
Meet The Strangers, three generations of Métis women fighting their own demons issued from inherited trauma while navigating the systems that keep failing them. Set a few years after The Break, this multi point of view story follows Phoenix in jail, her sister Cedar-Sage in the foster care system, their mother Elsie who is battling addiction and Margarette, their grand-mother who despite her best effort to break the cycle at a young age, is left angry, bitter and alone.
The author is able to weave a story together like no other, each chapter giving you a better understanding of each character's flaws so it makes it almost impossible to place the blame on any of them.
This books is at time painful to read, filled with raw emotions and injustice. I absolutely devoured The Break and while I really enjoyed this one, I was left with some unanswered questions at the end.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review.
The author is able to weave a story together like no other, each chapter giving you a better understanding of each character's flaws so it makes it almost impossible to place the blame on any of them.
This books is at time painful to read, filled with raw emotions and injustice. I absolutely devoured The Break and while I really enjoyed this one, I was left with some unanswered questions at the end.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review.
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
From the first scene - a young woman in detention, giving birth while handcuffed - I was riveted. Just as I found reading Vermette's other book The Break, I cared so deeply about the characters that I thought about them and worried about them when I wasn't reading the book. I don't remember all the details in The Break, so may have missed a few points of connection between the two novels, but what an enthralling storytelling move to take the most broken character - the villain? - of the first book and write a second about all the tragic family history she carries with her, in blood memory or bone memory, as another character describes.
The character I thought most about was Margaret, Phoenix's grandmother, and how the kind of life she wanted was taken from her and she spent the rest of her days with bitterness and regret. Vermette is a master in creating deeply flawed but relatable characters, without a hint of pretension. Can't wait to see what she writes next.
The character I thought most about was Margaret, Phoenix's grandmother, and how the kind of life she wanted was taken from her and she spent the rest of her days with bitterness and regret. Vermette is a master in creating deeply flawed but relatable characters, without a hint of pretension. Can't wait to see what she writes next.
I know so, so many stories like Elsie's, like Phoenix's. I did like how during Cedar's chapters it switched to her perspective.
This was tough to read, at times. I want to read The Break, but I also don't know if I can do another book like this.
This was tough to read, at times. I want to read The Break, but I also don't know if I can do another book like this.