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vickigro's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, and Grief
heron_m's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Animal death, Grief, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Antisemitism and Bullying
emzilia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a beautiful novel because it is written beautifully, but the story is anything but.
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Incest, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
bomenvernietiger's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, Grief, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Incest, Pandemic/Epidemic, Self harm, Sexual violence, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Child death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Suicide, Animal death, Death, Death of parent, and Excrement
Moderate: Cursing, Infidelity, Misogyny, Medical content, Alcohol, Body horror, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Body shaming, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, and Vomit
syinhui's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Well, count on this book to give readers discomfort.
Jas is a unique kid with a hyperactive imagination. She's able to vividly conjure elaborate fantasies and relate the darkness of her thoughts to the mundane things around her - twisting objects, people, the animals in their farm and everyday occurences into a haunting reflection of her state of mind.
I am not one to shy away from dark themes. I could handle disturbing contents quite well so those aren't my main concerns (though I find the parts about bodily fluids the nastiest of all). Some would say it's gratuitous but I've read worse and while it covers a handful of taboos, it didn't delve much into it. A few sentences or a paragraph then it continues on to whatever bleak and imaginatively sordid ruminations Jas finds herself in. That's pretty much what the novel is about.
My issue here is that there's not much going on. No substantial plot or clear direction. Even the dialogues are sparse, often disjointed, cut short - never to be pursued again - which in fact fits the narrative but one I didn't really appreciate. It invites readers to immerse themselves in the depths of the character's mind but that's just about it. The use of similes and metaphors while at first brilliant becomes very tedious to read later on. After all, just how many grotesque comparisons for death and disintegration can there be until it loses its efficacy?
I would only recommend this book if you're seeking to read something specific: about a character that offers a uniquely morbid and unsettling perspective, particularly, one seen through the eyes of a young girl as she grapples with the tragic loss of a family member and the grief that follows.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Excrement, Incest, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Death
Moderate: Child death, Eating disorder, Vomit, Gaslighting, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Grief
Minor: Bullying and Pedophilia
justsayfit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Child abuse, Excrement, Sexual violence, Eating disorder, Antisemitism, Bullying, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Animal cruelty, Child death, Grief, Physical abuse, and Self harm
badmom's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Incest, and Body shaming
Moderate: Incest, Abandonment, Suicide, Eating disorder, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Excrement
annniina98's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content, Death, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, Eating disorder, Grief, Incest, and Child death
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Abortion
erikwmj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Child abuse, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Grief, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Antisemitism, Blood, Abortion, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Body shaming, and Ableism
judythedreamer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Self harm, Vomit, Body horror, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Grief, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Excrement, Incest, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Suicide, Violence, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Rape