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rebeccai's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Suicide, Sexual violence, Child death, Pregnancy, Addiction, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Genocide, and Grief
ringofkeyz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Physical abuse, Addiction, Racism, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Sexual assault and Drug abuse
Minor: Suicide
kimmyvickers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Racism, Colonisation, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, and Suicide
Minor: Child death, Drug abuse, Rape, and Drug use
danielle_sips_tea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Alcohol, Addiction, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Child death, Colonisation, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, and Drug use
Moderate: Racism, Suicide, Car accident, Death, Grief, Death of parent, and Blood
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Vomit
katies77'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
4.75
Graphic: Child death, Violence, Addiction, Racism, and Sexual assault
nasvans'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Racial slurs, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Grief, Death, Death of parent, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Violence, Drug use, Drug abuse, Cultural appropriation, Child death, Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
kherrington3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, Suicide, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Colonisation
sab3467's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, Suicide, Death, Colonisation, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Addiction, Torture, and Kidnapping
jilianh's review against another edition
5.0
"What I so desperately needed was to be standing on that stool by the stove, carefully stirring under her watchful eye like when I was little. To be little again, living without fear and brutality- no one gets that back. All that's left is a craving, insatiable empty place."
This book is SO well done. So powerful. The characters are multi-dimensional and their stories feel authentic. Good has created multiple realistic arcs for these people trying to cope with varying traumas as they forge a new life. Residential Schools are not so distant in our past as Canadians and this book honestly should be required reading. The horrors that these children endured have left a clear and lasting mark on the indigenous population of our country. Although it is fiction, it gives a voice to many true stories in a way that is impactful and easy to empathize with.
"We were children, me and Lily, and neither of us survived, even though I'm still walking."
My only critique was that the timelines were difficult to keep clear in a few instances, so a subheading with the year for each chapter would have been nice. Also there seemed to be a contradiction regarding who escaped first (Howie or Kenny). Kenny helped Howie escape, but the start of the book Kenny escapes while Howie is being taken to hospital? I tried to solve this by rereading multiple sections and I still left feeling like it was murky. Given that the memories of these characters become quite repressed, I'm going to just pretend it was intentional.
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, and Alcoholism
hologlam's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Kidnapping, Genocide, Child death, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, Racism, Child abuse, Addiction, Colonisation, Pedophilia, and Police brutality