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jude7's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This was a fantastic book! The first maybe 10% or so before he went to the island was really slow, but I kept going because I knew I would enjoy the rest. I switched to the audiobook partway through as it was available at my library, and I really enjoyed it. Although the narrator bits sounded a bit robotic/stilted, the reading of all the characters different voices was really good!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Hate crime, Physical abuse, and Torture
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Cannibalism
kamin8882's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Ohhhh I loved this book so much !! It was so magical ! I loved all the characters, especially Lucy !!
This book made me laugh so many time, it also made me angry and happy and emotional and worried and excited !! It’s a total package and definitely a book you’ll want to read !! The diversity message in this book is beautiful, the relationships are beautiful, the characters are beautiful!! I loved it all
This book made me laugh so many time, it also made me angry and happy and emotional and worried and excited !! It’s a total package and definitely a book you’ll want to read !! The diversity message in this book is beautiful, the relationships are beautiful, the characters are beautiful!! I loved it all
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Grief
readerette's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Aside from an identity mystery that is pretty easy to figure out if you've read or watched other mysteries, this story is stellar. Touching and funny, and while it's about magical beings in a world that doesn't understand them, the correlation to other kinds of diversity is obvious. The characters are a delight--deeply drawn, imaginatively created, and relatable. It's been a while since I read something so realistic and still so hopeful.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Racism
Minor: Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Violence
keen's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
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? Yes
5.0
I came into this book immensely hesitant. I'm not a fan of romance. I find most stories to be either be too quick with the development, or so slow I forget it was even a part of the book. And overall, it's just not my thing. Additionally, I'm a fan of horror and thriller stories. So, aside from the urban fantasy and found family aspects, I thought I wouldn't get much from a "lighthearted" and "romance" book. This was not helped by me finding the main character, Linus, to be a very different protagonist than I expected: A 40-something year old child service worker with a stuffy, distant attitude.
I teared up three times, and by the epilogue, my eyes were so wet I had to wipe them with a paper towel to be able to see the words on the screen.
I very rarely cry from any story. When I do, I know it has ensnared me. I also very rarely think about books in terms of "Boy, I really wish people would write fanfiction about this." So imagine my surprise when I read nearly seven chapters straight.
The romance isn't the main aspect of this story. The main love story is Linus taking on a fatherly role towards the children in the 'orphanage' and how those kids grow to love him. The way each character developed was so subtle I barely noticed how much had changed until the end.
One complaint I had while reading this story was, "How is this described as lighthearted and middle-school reading?" The story almost feels dystopian at first. A society blatantly prejudiced against the supernatural, going as far as to harm children in its hatred. I'm a black, trans-masc person, so some parts of this story took me by such surprise that I was actually uncomfortable.
But that's not an actually a complaint. By the end of the story, I understood. It's a story about overcoming your own bigotry, learning from people you never expected to interact with (much less care for), and taking the first steps in changing society. Parts of this story gets dark, but I would happily hand this book to a pre-teen.
This story literally made me feel brighter. It made me more confident about choosing the best path in my life, no matter what society says it should be.
I teared up three times, and by the epilogue, my eyes were so wet I had to wipe them with a paper towel to be able to see the words on the screen.
I very rarely cry from any story. When I do, I know it has ensnared me. I also very rarely think about books in terms of "Boy, I really wish people would write fanfiction about this." So imagine my surprise when I read nearly seven chapters straight.
The romance isn't the main aspect of this story. The main love story is Linus taking on a fatherly role towards the children in the 'orphanage' and how those kids grow to love him. The way each character developed was so subtle I barely noticed how much had changed until the end.
One complaint I had while reading this story was, "How is this described as lighthearted and middle-school reading?" The story almost feels dystopian at first. A society blatantly prejudiced against the supernatural, going as far as to harm children in its hatred. I'm a black, trans-masc person, so some parts of this story took me by such surprise that I was actually uncomfortable.
But that's not an actually a complaint. By the end of the story, I understood. It's a story about overcoming your own bigotry, learning from people you never expected to interact with (much less care for), and taking the first steps in changing society. Parts of this story gets dark, but I would happily hand this book to a pre-teen.
This story literally made me feel brighter. It made me more confident about choosing the best path in my life, no matter what society says it should be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Cursing and Murder
stardustandrockets's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book deserves ALL THE STARS. All of them. This was the sweetest book I've read in a long time and the best slow-burn I think I've EVER read.
A more full review to come.
A more full review to come.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Body shaming and Violence
Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Grief, Physical abuse, Violence, and Hate crime
silviaaa's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Fatphobia
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Confinement, Death of parent, Body shaming, Torture, Emotional abuse, and Hate crime
Minor: Cannibalism
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