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pridiansky's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I truly thought I would give this book a 3 until fifty pages from the end, where it takes a turn for the worse. To be frank, this character isn't the most...robust of characters. She is constantly, CONSTANTLY having to be buoyed up by the kindness of the many female characters around her who are willing to be patient with her stubborn, often irritatingly naive way of thinking. There are multiple occasions where the character insists she's not dull, as the people around her assume, but I think there's some Dunning Kreuger at work here. She is, in fact, rather dull at times. She doesn't learn quickly, or is just determined, I felt, to stay the naive little girl. It's never explicitly said, but on some level I felt she's trying to distinguish herself in some way from the 'riff raff' she's forced to associate with. She frequently appeals to the reader to consider her upbringing and how meek and mild she was expected to act. While that is true, I just felt like telling her 'That was then, and this is now.' It's harsh, but you adapt or you die. The book took on a pattern where she would be engulfed in despair or self-pity until her unfortunate, more experienced friends scraped her up off the floor and gave her a pep talk.
At first, this was fine. I'm not denying that the character goes through a great deal and at a very young age. Trauma, depression, rape, abortion, emotional abuse, the loss of a son (she's not able to visit him any longer), and a steep learning curve on the realities of the world in general. There were scenes where I deeply felt for the character, and I set the book down for probably two weeks because I hit a section that caused me so much anxiety that I had to take a break. So, it wasn't like I wasn't invested in Henrietta for a good portion of the book. I skimmed ahead multiple times in certain sections because the suspense was too much for me and I had to know how it turned out. But by the end, when she hits a rough patch for the umpteenth time in the home stretch of the story (and over something far less daunting than all of the other traumas that came before) I just thought: "REALLY? Again? Really? FFS." It's not like this book is short, either, coming in at 450 pages. It's no Count of Monte Cristo, but 450 pages is still a commitment. So, when she unravels in the last lap of the book, it was so frustrating to watch, and I lost sympathy for her character. I think that was a mistake on the author's part. If the character continuously lacks the resolve to see herself to the end goal, then how are you supposed to care about it as the reader, and so near the end of the story? I resented that I had read so far only to see the character fall to pieces once again and disappoint me. And when you've already read the first 400 pages, it felt silly to not see it through, even though I no longer felt invested in the outcome.
Honestly, the payoff didn't feel worth the length of the book. In fact, I would go as far as to say that the ending was insulting, as it ends very abruptly and sets you up for the next volume, which I have no intention of reading. To read that far and have the book end in such an abrupt manner is foul play by the author. You couldn't pay me to spend one more minute with Henrietta, the main character. If you get frustrated with these kinds of characters, you will probably know what I mean and know that this book isn't your cup of tea. The world felt well-fleshed-out, colorful, and alive, as did some of the other characters. But, with such a limp noodle of a main character, the journey is not nearly as fun as it could have been.
At first, this was fine. I'm not denying that the character goes through a great deal and at a very young age. Trauma, depression, rape, abortion, emotional abuse, the loss of a son (she's not able to visit him any longer), and a steep learning curve on the realities of the world in general. There were scenes where I deeply felt for the character, and I set the book down for probably two weeks because I hit a section that caused me so much anxiety that I had to take a break. So, it wasn't like I wasn't invested in Henrietta for a good portion of the book. I skimmed ahead multiple times in certain sections because the suspense was too much for me and I had to know how it turned out. But by the end, when she hits a rough patch for the umpteenth time in the home stretch of the story (and over something far less daunting than all of the other traumas that came before) I just thought: "REALLY? Again? Really? FFS." It's not like this book is short, either, coming in at 450 pages. It's no Count of Monte Cristo, but 450 pages is still a commitment. So, when she unravels in the last lap of the book, it was so frustrating to watch, and I lost sympathy for her character. I think that was a mistake on the author's part. If the character continuously lacks the resolve to see herself to the end goal, then how are you supposed to care about it as the reader, and so near the end of the story? I resented that I had read so far only to see the character fall to pieces once again and disappoint me. And when you've already read the first 400 pages, it felt silly to not see it through, even though I no longer felt invested in the outcome.
Honestly, the payoff didn't feel worth the length of the book. In fact, I would go as far as to say that the ending was insulting, as it ends very abruptly and sets you up for the next volume, which I have no intention of reading. To read that far and have the book end in such an abrupt manner is foul play by the author. You couldn't pay me to spend one more minute with Henrietta, the main character. If you get frustrated with these kinds of characters, you will probably know what I mean and know that this book isn't your cup of tea. The world felt well-fleshed-out, colorful, and alive, as did some of the other characters. But, with such a limp noodle of a main character, the journey is not nearly as fun as it could have been.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abortion, Rape, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Pregnancy
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