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firedoor11's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
This was such an honest and raw story of young people learning about themselves and the world around them. Learning about friendships, family, love, and loss. Learning how to carry grief instead of letting it carry you.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Addiction
hdcamp's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? No
5.0
Oh my
This was fantastic, ok? I get the sense that this book will work best for specific people/at a specific time. The reasons I loved this are very particular to this place and time in my life. This isn't a disclaimer though - the writing, story, and characters are beautifully and empathetically executed, and I firmly believe that just about anyone could see that and relate to it in some way. BUT the things I loved about this are because of who I am, which means this is probably going to be a pretty worthless, me-centric review. Yay! Strap in!
1. Home
Sawyer, Tennessee is a character in this book. This thing lives and breathes Appalachia, and I felt like I was there sitting on the porch next to Cash and Pep. One of my favorite things as a reader and a writer is the successful evocation of a place; if you can see it, smell it, hear it, and feel like you've been there, the author has done all the right things. I had a less vivid picture of Middleford, but that feels right too - Cash would be reminded more of his home when he's seeing the campus, so even though seasons and landscapes in Connecticut (is that even where they were?) were described to us, I feel like we spent all our time in Sawyer.
2. Family
Family is super complicated my dudes. Everything about this was so real - Cash's hesitancy to open up about it, the closeness of his relationship with Delaney, the ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING about Mamaw and Papaw and his mom. Beautifully done.
3. Income insecurity
Just this you guys. Normalizing the little struggles Cash and Delaney experienced was so important to me. I think what made it great was that they were never really embarrassed by it, just acknowledged the inconvenience of it, AND their friends never talked down or condescended to them, despite the fact that they likely deduced they didn't have much money.
4. Mental hekkin Health
Cash's struggles with depression were so real and so good. The way his grief was depicted was true and accurate and so needed. I admire the pain Zentner was able to bring out on the page, for both Cash and Delaney. *applause applause*
5. Poetry - writing as a process of healing
Gosh darnit if this isn't incredibly true. Writing (for me) allows me to condense big thoughts and feelings down into manageable words. There's something truly good about the challenge of trying to let the ideas and feelings be big, and find the right words to describe something that is beyond us. It's the opposite of escapist. It's getting right in the middle of ourselves and pulling things out and shining some light on them. I think the world would be a better place if we did more of this, however we need.
I can't even explain to you how great this book was. I'm writing all these ideas and they're not big enough somehow, but I'm sleepy and hungry and I finished this book like a month ago so at the same time a lot of my feelings have faded which means I'm struggling to adequately express myself. It hurt, and it was hopeful, and I was crying all over my lunch like a real professional (apparently, since that's what I am). Highly recommend. Bring tissues.
This was fantastic, ok? I get the sense that this book will work best for specific people/at a specific time. The reasons I loved this are very particular to this place and time in my life. This isn't a disclaimer though - the writing, story, and characters are beautifully and empathetically executed, and I firmly believe that just about anyone could see that and relate to it in some way. BUT the things I loved about this are because of who I am, which means this is probably going to be a pretty worthless, me-centric review. Yay! Strap in!
1. Home
Sawyer, Tennessee is a character in this book. This thing lives and breathes Appalachia, and I felt like I was there sitting on the porch next to Cash and Pep. One of my favorite things as a reader and a writer is the successful evocation of a place; if you can see it, smell it, hear it, and feel like you've been there, the author has done all the right things. I had a less vivid picture of Middleford, but that feels right too - Cash would be reminded more of his home when he's seeing the campus, so even though seasons and landscapes in Connecticut (is that even where they were?) were described to us, I feel like we spent all our time in Sawyer.
2. Family
Family is super complicated my dudes. Everything about this was so real - Cash's hesitancy to open up about it, the closeness of his relationship with Delaney, the ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING about Mamaw and Papaw and his mom. Beautifully done.
3. Income insecurity
Just this you guys. Normalizing the little struggles Cash and Delaney experienced was so important to me. I think what made it great was that they were never really embarrassed by it, just acknowledged the inconvenience of it, AND their friends never talked down or condescended to them, despite the fact that they likely deduced they didn't have much money.
4. Mental hekkin Health
Cash's struggles with depression were so real and so good. The way his grief was depicted was true and accurate and so needed. I admire the pain Zentner was able to bring out on the page, for both Cash and Delaney. *applause applause*
5. Poetry - writing as a process of healing
Gosh darnit if this isn't incredibly true. Writing (for me) allows me to condense big thoughts and feelings down into manageable words. There's something truly good about the challenge of trying to let the ideas and feelings be big, and find the right words to describe something that is beyond us. It's the opposite of escapist. It's getting right in the middle of ourselves and pulling things out and shining some light on them. I think the world would be a better place if we did more of this, however we need.
I can't even explain to you how great this book was. I'm writing all these ideas and they're not big enough somehow, but I'm sleepy and hungry and I finished this book like a month ago so at the same time a lot of my feelings have faded which means I'm struggling to adequately express myself. It hurt, and it was hopeful, and I was crying all over my lunch like a real professional (apparently, since that's what I am). Highly recommend. Bring tissues.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Drug use, Rape, and Drug abuse
angelina41's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
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