Scan barcode
thegrandnarrative's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
namastayyy's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I love characters like Blue, so rarely seen in novels. Characters that are deeply sympathetic, easy to love but hard to like. He has consistent motivation, reactions, development, and worldviews/perspectives. Everything he does leads you to think, yeah this tracks, all while cringing and a tightness in your belly- a dread and despair for him.
And Emma? I have loved Emma my whole life. The last time I read this book, I wouldve been in high school. I first read this when I was very young, far too young to understand it. Its rewarding to visit this again in my late 20s and see that even if I couldnt have preicted the future, even if I had no way to really process what so much of this novel is proposing about a toxic parent between siblings, I identified with Emma then and I identify with her now. The closure we get for both of these characters is very different and what seems nonsensical or derivitive to one was the only way forward for the other, but this is so true of siblings.
Would be a perfect 5 stars for me except it has the worst tattoo I have ever heard in it. The butterfly butt? *shudders*. WRETCHED
And Emma? I have loved Emma my whole life. The last time I read this book, I wouldve been in high school. I first read this when I was very young, far too young to understand it. Its rewarding to visit this again in my late 20s and see that even if I couldnt have preicted the future, even if I had no way to really process what so much of this novel is proposing about a toxic parent between siblings, I identified with Emma then and I identify with her now. The closure we get for both of these characters is very different and what seems nonsensical or derivitive to one was the only way forward for the other, but this is so true of siblings.
Would be a perfect 5 stars for me except it has the worst tattoo I have ever heard in it. The butterfly butt? *shudders*. WRETCHED
ashwednesdayy's review
4.0
4.5/5
I honestly really enjoyed this. I thought the writing was excellent, blending a little bit of whimsy into the oftentimes bleak reality of the lives of the characters. With that said, the writing never felt superfluous or like it was there for the sake of sounding clever or artistic; it all was very firmly hinged in reality and added to the humanity of the novel.
I thought the character development was excellent, the portraits of Blue and Emma demonstrating both real consistency and development as we watched them grow up. I wouldn't have minded hearing a little more from Elaine as the novel progressed but really no complaints about character.
It was pretty solid in every area. No complaints.
I honestly really enjoyed this. I thought the writing was excellent, blending a little bit of whimsy into the oftentimes bleak reality of the lives of the characters. With that said, the writing never felt superfluous or like it was there for the sake of sounding clever or artistic; it all was very firmly hinged in reality and added to the humanity of the novel.
I thought the character development was excellent, the portraits of Blue and Emma demonstrating both real consistency and development as we watched them grow up. I wouldn't have minded hearing a little more from Elaine as the novel progressed but really no complaints about character.
It was pretty solid in every area. No complaints.
erica_w's review
2.0
Way too many metaphors for my taste and she often took them too far. It was supposed to be amusing, but I didn't find that much that was funny, especially at the end. I'm not really sure why I finished it.
More...