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mbmayo's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
This book is not for everyone, but I loved it.
Coral finds her younger brother, the last member of her immediate family, dead in his home. She calls an ambulance, goes to the hospital, but when she returns she doesn't share the news with others. Instead she begins to impersonate him through his phone, texting with his daughter, coworkers, girlfriend, etc. It is interspersed with excerpts from Coral's novel, memories from her past, and meditations on what it means to be human.
Coral finds her younger brother, the last member of her immediate family, dead in his home. She calls an ambulance, goes to the hospital, but when she returns she doesn't share the news with others. Instead she begins to impersonate him through his phone, texting with his daughter, coworkers, girlfriend, etc. It is interspersed with excerpts from Coral's novel, memories from her past, and meditations on what it means to be human.
stressgirl70's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
bizzerg's review
dark
emotional
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
btdill's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
janeycanuck's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Huh. This has such a strange structure that just defies description. It works, giving such depth to Coral‘s story, but it can be hard to stay in the story. I liked the Wildfire excerpts the best, oddly, and I think if this had been longer, I‘d have better appreciated & understood the way Blackburn was telling the story.
mlgilp's review
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
anthonyk's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
This book honestly felt like the author didn't want to be writing it.
alexandriaslibrary's review
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Grief isn’t linear and is often messy, jarring, backwards, and disorienting. In her true experimental sensibility, Blackburn’s debut novel is unlike anything else.
Coral discovers her brother’s body and begins to use his phone. But while this seems like a thriller, it’s a very internal and philosophical look at grief and the human condition. Coral is the author of a semi-popular dystopian graphic novel Wildfire and her narrators of the series (a first-person plural omniscient entity) is the narrator of the entire book. Flashbacks, excerpts from Wildfire, musings on humanity, and Coral’s week following her brother’s death—weave together harmoniously to the end.
Also, as someone from Long Beach California, this book is a beautiful ode to an oily, salty city!
Coral discovers her brother’s body and begins to use his phone. But while this seems like a thriller, it’s a very internal and philosophical look at grief and the human condition. Coral is the author of a semi-popular dystopian graphic novel Wildfire and her narrators of the series (a first-person plural omniscient entity) is the narrator of the entire book. Flashbacks, excerpts from Wildfire, musings on humanity, and Coral’s week following her brother’s death—weave together harmoniously to the end.
Also, as someone from Long Beach California, this book is a beautiful ode to an oily, salty city!
jaimeeslitlife's review
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
endointhewild's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated