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staylorreads's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Mental illness, Addiction, Death, Grief, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Sexual assault, Stalking, Physical abuse, and Violence
mimpart'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Death, Child abuse, Stalking, Drug use, Grief, and Drug abuse
mayaep's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Mental illness
Minor: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Addiction, Stalking, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent
chimichannika's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The premise of the book—without giving specific spoilers—, in the end, is people with varying kinds of horrible pasts living next to each other, by chance, and making this charming corner of the world a better place through their gradually deepening bonds of friendship and camaraderie. It ends on a hopeful note, and is truly about the love permeating throughout, but it does extensively handle those potentially-triggering/retraumatizing topics, at length, for multiple portions of the book.
I still consider it a good book, but would only recommend it to specific people with specific disclaimers, and also a note to please care for your own well-being if any of those topics can be especially triggering or distressing. I’m off to go seek out some comfort media because I physically reacted to the way some of the content triggered me, and need to go un-tense my muscles now.
And yet, the book had portions of charming and sleepy loveliness in it too, the way the characters began forming this “group of misfits” was so sweet, and the last couple chapters were so satisfying, showing where the characters were at now.
One other thing— I mentioned in the content warnings section a brief description of animal violence— the animal is okay, it survives, is loved, and treated very well after it’s rescued. just wanted to note that the animal is more-than-okay ♡
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Child abuse
Moderate: Violence, Sexual assault, Child death, Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal cruelty, Stalking, Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury, and Drug abuse
eliya's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
The whole time I was reading I was trying to figure out what this book was going to be. There was so much backstory and set up, it seemed, that I wasn’t sure when the book, or “real” story, would begin. It caught me off guard when I realized the point of the book, and it was kind of relaxing. This isn’t a particularly exciting book or anything, this is a very healing book.
Now, the actual book was weird. The point was lovely— there was a very odd antihomelessness theme throughout the book. The island that they live on has heavy patrols for people sleeping anywhere but inside a house & none of the characters bay an eye about it. The author tries to do this like “I remember poverty… it was rough” thing with a couple of the characters and it doesn’t land, it just reads as empty, really. I think she could have dived deeper and given detail instead of vague “what was probably abuse” description.
I feel bad for Lizbeth honestly. I think she and Lucy should have had a larger part of the story. You have Lizbeth and her diaries and we’re waiting for this big ball to drop (no pun intended) at the end when someone finally reads her diaries, but it, again, falls flat on delivery.
I’m glad the loose ends were tied up, but the package was a lot smaller than it made itself out to be.
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Violence, Addiction, Death of parent, Stalking, Forced institutionalization, Death, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Racism, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Classism, Pregnancy, and Emotional abuse
accovino's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Rape, Pregnancy, Incest, Drug abuse, Stalking, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Cultural appropriation
fn2902's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Addiction, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Car accident and Death
Minor: Sexual content, Violence, Confinement, and Stalking
betsygrace's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Abandonment, Body shaming, Child abuse, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, and Grief
litliz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Grief, Pregnancy, Incest, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Stalking, and Child abuse
mmqin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Incest, Stalking, and Child abuse