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amberinbookland's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
emilyhawk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Drug use, Addiction, and Grief
Moderate: Religious bigotry and Racism
kikiwi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Minor: Addiction, Child death, and Emotional abuse
whatannikareads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Mental illness
katie_ponderingthepages'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? Yes
5.0
Gifty was brought up an Evangelical Christian in Alabama with her Ghanian family, her father left them and returned to Ghana, her brother dies of an overdose and her mother enters a crippling depression. At 11 years old she is sent to Ghana while her mother recovers. Now a PhD student studying neuroscience, specifically addiction, she is trying to understand why her brother was taken and why her mother is trapped in depression again. She explores her faith as well as her neuroscience knowledge whilst recalling her past, trying to find the answer within God and/or science will make everything better.
The writing in this is so clever, it’s layered, it’s informative and offers insight and understanding to a number of issues. I felt as the reader that I was following Gifty’s trail of thought as she recalled events from the past and weighed up why God and her pastor hadn’t helped and why science had failed to provide answers.
Gifty’s need to fix her family is so despairingly strong, that it overtakes her life. She can’t open up to friends or form relationships and as you read her journey, trying to piece everything together for everyone else, you become more and more aware that Gifty herself is broken and struggling. When I read the following ‘“No I’m not ok”, I said, and I wondered when the last time I’d said that was. Had I ever said it, even to God?’ I burst into tears for this incredibly kind and vulnerable character.
I have no criticism whatsoever. This book is phenomenal.
Thank you to @netgalley and @penguinukbooks for the pleasure of reading this before it’s 4th March publication date
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Mental illness
Moderate: Medical content, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Racism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Physical abuse
gdemartino's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts