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lozlox's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I enjoyed reading this book, Essie is a great main character. Roarke was likeable, as was his dynamic with Essie, but early-Roarke seemed to disappear as the book progressed.
I gave it just short of 4 stars because it lacked the depth I’d expected. I feel this is, in part, a result of the pacing speeding up big time just past the halfway point. Some might prefer it like that, but I found it strange for there to be such a light touch on such heavy topics.
I gave it just short of 4 stars because it lacked the depth I’d expected. I feel this is, in part, a result of the pacing speeding up big time just past the halfway point. Some might prefer it like that, but I found it strange for there to be such a light touch on such heavy topics.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Religious bigotry
Minor: Gun violence and Homophobia
seawarrior's review against another edition
3.0
This was a surprisingly engaging novel that I read in the course of a night. I couldn't bear to part with the characters until I knew if they'd snare justice for what was being done to Essie. Since I read it so quickly I initially didn't notice many of the novel's flaws, but after thinking about it more I am frustrated with some of the ways the characters were portrayed.
First of all, it was courageous and necessary for Weir to write a novel that multiply exposes the ways in which evangelical families inflict harm on their children. The parents in this story are not relentlessly evil, they have some level of affection for their children. Yet they place them into situations where their mental and physical health is compromised, and look the other way or deny that the harm is occurring, even when the evidence is staring them in the face. I found this to be a fairly realistic portrayal of some of the relentlessly evangelical families I have known personally or heard about from the children that escaped.
However, I thought it was negligent to not depict how Essie, Liberty or Roarke distanced themselves from their family's bigoted beliefs, especially since Essie in particular didn't seem to have much access to information that was not monitored by her parents. Disowning these poisonous beliefs taught as moral truths is a process that takes time and is necessary to living the rest of one's life without demeaning others. I just didn't believe that these characters could have emerged from this process so quickly, and from simply knowing a few people who questioned them. The bigoted evangelical young people I knew in school were relentless with their belief system, even when they asserted that they didn't really hate the individual people in groups they disrespected. If they ever unwound these thoughts from their minds, I doubt they would be able to do so successfully in a short amount of time, and while those ideas were still being preached to them. If I'm wrong, that would be wonderful. Yet I wish Weir dug deeper into the process of unlearning bigoted ideas, since the expression of them was an important piece to understanding why the Hicks family was so dangerous not only to their children or town, but to the entire nation.
It's not my place to speak on the depiction of incestuous sexual abuse, since I'm not a survivor of it. Yet I feel that Weir's story only narrowly avoided sensationalization. Scenes where we learned who abused Essie, where her and Roarke were placed in situations where they had to pretend they weren't aware what this abuser had done, and where we learned the amount of people who were culpable for its continuation seemed intentionally written to be as dramatic as possible. Whether this offends or validates survivors of similar abuse, I can't say. The book is extremely tense and quick-paced, with much of the drama leading up to the reveal of the differing traumas the characters' parents had allowed them to suffer. I do think some of these themes could have been written with more sensitivity and depth, yet I commend Weir for telling stories about difficult subjects that many people shy away from acknowledging.
First of all, it was courageous and necessary for Weir to write a novel that multiply exposes the ways in which evangelical families inflict harm on their children. The parents in this story are not relentlessly evil, they have some level of affection for their children. Yet they place them into situations where their mental and physical health is compromised, and look the other way or deny that the harm is occurring, even when the evidence is staring them in the face. I found this to be a fairly realistic portrayal of some of the relentlessly evangelical families I have known personally or heard about from the children that escaped.
However, I thought it was negligent to not depict how Essie, Liberty or Roarke distanced themselves from their family's bigoted beliefs, especially since Essie in particular didn't seem to have much access to information that was not monitored by her parents. Disowning these poisonous beliefs taught as moral truths is a process that takes time and is necessary to living the rest of one's life without demeaning others. I just didn't believe that these characters could have emerged from this process so quickly, and from simply knowing a few people who questioned them. The bigoted evangelical young people I knew in school were relentless with their belief system, even when they asserted that they didn't really hate the individual people in groups they disrespected. If they ever unwound these thoughts from their minds, I doubt they would be able to do so successfully in a short amount of time, and while those ideas were still being preached to them. If I'm wrong, that would be wonderful. Yet I wish Weir dug deeper into the process of unlearning bigoted ideas, since the expression of them was an important piece to understanding why the Hicks family was so dangerous not only to their children or town, but to the entire nation.
It's not my place to speak on the depiction of incestuous sexual abuse, since I'm not a survivor of it. Yet I feel that Weir's story only narrowly avoided sensationalization. Scenes where we learned who abused Essie, where her and Roarke were placed in situations where they had to pretend they weren't aware what this abuser had done, and where we learned the amount of people who were culpable for its continuation seemed intentionally written to be as dramatic as possible. Whether this offends or validates survivors of similar abuse, I can't say. The book is extremely tense and quick-paced, with much of the drama leading up to the reveal of the differing traumas the characters' parents had allowed them to suffer. I do think some of these themes could have been written with more sensitivity and depth, yet I commend Weir for telling stories about difficult subjects that many people shy away from acknowledging.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Xenophobia, and Pregnancy
amb_farr's review against another edition
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry
Moderate: Homophobia, Incest, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy
lookingmuchimproved's review
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book touches on many issues of our time that will feel familiar to readers: the effect of reality TV on our culture and the people whose lives are being recorded, the grotesque power than comes with money and fame, and the abuse of religion by those hoping to make personal gain from the gospel. It is an incredibly powerful story about one young woman's effort to escape from under the thumb of all of that. It's about the willingness of those with their own agenda, backed by their religious interpretations, to sacrifice the innocent. Essie struggles to rise up and reclaim control of her life, privacy, and body with the help and support of an unlikely mix of people who know what it's like to be denied autonomy to protect the power, fame, or reputation of those who consider themselves entitled to every part of those beholden to them. A complex and compelling story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Incest and Rape
wolf013's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Homophobia, Racism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, and Pregnancy
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Abortion
shira243's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Religious bigotry
samantha_is_reading's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Child death, Rape, and Outing
Minor: Abortion
kng_writes's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
What an incredible read!! I loved the way Weir slowly unfurled the plot— giving us just enough backstory when needed, but not so much that the arc would immediately become obvious. The three narrators were a perfect choice for this book. All equally lovable, all equally flawed. I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest and Rape
Moderate: Religious bigotry
Minor: Abortion
melissaa_clarkk's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is not a typical book that I would pick up but I am happy that I did. A very challenging read based off the subject but one that is important to be shared. Although the topic around this book was hard it was a good read that had moments of joy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Rape, Suicide, Religious bigotry, and Suicide attempt
cheche1's review against another edition
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
3.75
Im shook ( •᷄⌓•᷅ )
Never ever tust men dear me.
It hooked me from beginning to end.
Loved this.
Never ever tust men dear me.
It hooked me from beginning to end.
Loved this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Incest, Rape, Sexual violence, and Religious bigotry