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mannnishboy's review
Reading. Felt it was well written and a very fast read up until that point. Also interesting subject. Wish it was a little more closed door with the scenes. Maybe that is the one and only. I just didn’t want to keep reading to find out.
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Torture, and Sexual content
arbramirez's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Classism, Drug use, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Outing, Self harm, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Trafficking, Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, and Vomit
kaseycanread's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Homophobia, Suicide attempt, and Torture
aely's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Parks-Ramage managed to write realistic characters who go through SO much trauma, with a bittersweet ending that left me feeling… complicated.
My only critique would be that the book felt so depressing and hopeless that at times it was very hard to return to the story.
Other than that, the book is a grim cautionary tale about abusive relationships and sexual assault. It was very emotional and well written. I hope that Jonah is able to live happily after the books ends. That is all.
Graphic: Alcohol, Child abuse, Cursing, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Classism, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Addiction, Death, Murder, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Stalking, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, Blood, Trafficking, Dementia, and Abortion
julesrsovis's review
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
Graphic: Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, and Torture
foxmulders's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Torture, Gaslighting, Confinement, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Incest
kwarnimont's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Rape, Kidnapping, Violence, Drug use, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, and Confinement
Moderate: Classism
bells_shelves's review
- 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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Torture, Trafficking, Murder, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Violence, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Homophobia
jessicamarie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Graphic: Rape, Trafficking, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Confinement
bluehairedlibrarian's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
With that said, this book is dark and traumatic, but the writing quality kept me reading despite the horrors on the page. Jonah is a compelling narrator and I sympathized with him while also thinking he was a complete idiot at times. The situations he got himself into could be excused by his naivete and Midwestern religious upbringing, but at the same time, he was incredibly naïve. He's also a very unreliable narrator, but I liked the framework that is revealed later on in the book. I thought it a bit strange for it suddenly to revolve around his non-relationship with a side character, and the ending felt strange and little forced.
I can't say I enjoyed this book, but I don't regret finishing it either. It's difficult and does not fall under the Gothic Horror trope at all. It's a difficult read, but a mostly well-written one.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Bullying, Child abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, and Torture