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karin_goodreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Once again I'm reminded that every child deserves parents, but not all parents deserve children.
This book was really interesting. I enjoyed it A TON!
What I've realized while reading is that I usually read about love between romantic partners, but this book has made me realize, that I enjoy reading about love between siblings/parents/guardians etc. And that is quite exciting!! Makes me confident to discover other books with such themes :)
It was also incredibly easy to read because of the format, the book only uses this e-mail type of formatting. It was very different and new, but also easy to get used to!
I wondered: Did Mom and Darren hurt us more by what they did or by what they didn't do? Which wounds us more - the hostile presence or the absent kindness?
I REALLY liked Ezra and Bea. They're both amusing and they feel very realistic, like someone I could actually meet in my life. But that also means that their story is a reality for many. The whole time I was hoping that at some point their life turns around or they're magically saved by this other parental figure. But reality is often disappointing.. the turn this book took was shocking (to say the least). Everything I thought would happen didn't and instead they basically got a new problem thrown in their face. Even through all of that happened and their emotions were played like a fiddle, the Ahren siblings were still close to each other.
I appreciate that the authors gave the characters an ending where they had each other, no matter what happens in the future. Regarding the future, the book stayed pretty open ended, but to me that felt satisfying. A sort of "hope nugget" to latch on to.
Thank you to both of these amazing authors for shedding light on people's lives who suffer from abuse or know someone who does.
We thought there was a wall around our story. But what if there were windows?
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment
Minor: Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Homophobia
namedroppingsleaze's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Abandonment, Car accident, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Grief, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Kidnapping, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Antisemitism, Alcohol, Cursing, and Sexual assault
its_van_vulpen's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Outing, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, and Violence
onespicyrat's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness
Moderate: Death of parent and Abandonment
Minor: Cursing
lucytoo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Cursing and Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse and Toxic relationship
alisazhup's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Infidelity, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
Minor: Cursing
betweentheshelves'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
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Cursing, Violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Kidnapping
cookreadrepeat's review
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Death of parent and Kidnapping
I have mixed feelings about this book. Even though it was an easy to read tale with dark themes on child abuse, familial expectations and self-doubt. I found the format uncomfortable. The entire interaction of characters especially Bea and Ez took place in a series of emails. Told via two points of view: Bea and Ezra, we are taken on an emotional rollercoaster as we discover an empty room where a sister once lived and the apathetic reaction of her mum and stepfather. It is quickly established through the panicked and frantic emails to his sister that Ezra is hurt, angry and feeling abandoned by the one person who has always been his constant. As their conversations unfurl you can't help but fall in love with these broken individuals. Bea is spunky and brave even when she feels her world crumbling around her, and Ezra is emotional, relatable and wise beyond his years. Together, they were strong but apart they learn how to stand on their own two feet and that despite their heartbreaking situation discover who they are as individuals and how they can go forth and flourish. I was heartbroken when I read about the abuse Bea and Ezra experienced at the hands of their stepfather, but what made it worse was knowing that their mother ignored their pain and suffering. You may think that Anne Ahern's personality and apathy are dramatised for effect but, it's all too more common than some people realise. There are hundreds of young children and teenagers who live every day with parents and caregivers who treat them as an inconvenience "who should be grateful" that the adult/s in their lives allows them to live in "their house". As, a survivor of a Narcissistic parent, I understand and can very much relate to Bea and Ezra. Even now, after over eleven years of being free from, said parent, I am still struggling with the effects of their behaviour. I know, the issue lies with them, but sometimes it's hard to escape the memories. This was the reason why I requested this book. I wanted to see how the topic of child abuse was handled by David Levithan and Jennifer Nevin. I was pleased that they handled it carefully, honestly and didn't sugarcoat anything. I just wish they'd gone with a different format. The e-mail interactions just weren't for me. The story was great. The characters had substance and the message was uplifting and bittersweet. I would very much like to read more from these authors and hope they continue to collaborate in the future.missusb21's review
5.0
Moderate: Violence, Cursing, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Stalking, and Toxic relationship