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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i honestly put this book off for a long time. for one, i’m more of a “true”-crime show watcher than a reader, and even then i find myself zoning out or not paying attention to something like criminal minds. i assumed it would be something like that but man, was i happily wrong. this book is beautiful in a way that is hard to describe. the storytelling is phenomenal. the writing is chef’s kiss😗🤌🏼 4.5 stars, only because i had a hard time switching between third and second person, and because at times with was a bit slow at times.
This book is beautifully written - the author has a flow that is hard to explain, but soothing and appropriate for the topic. I’m not sure what I expected from this book, but I’ll say it was a little more than what I got. The story weaves together in a complicated braid of many characters and, I suppose true to real life, doesn’t end tidy with a complete story for each one. I wish there had been fewer characters so we could spend more time with each one. I would definitely read more by this author and I would recommend this book, but readers should be aware that they’ll walk away with unanswered questions.
3.5 - enjoyed some parts others felt unnecessary but really makes you think about the death penalty and men who enact violence on women
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
truthfully, i don’t know what to say. this book pushed me in a lot of ways. i don’t often read books that center around death, so for this book to state at the very beginning that it was going to end with a death stressed me out.
i enjoyed the different perspectives and how the characters were not intertwined right away. they were all individual people with their own part in the bigger story. i loved that i got to see the befores and afters rather than just a quick highlight blurb.
ansel surprised me. my personal beliefs are my own and still stand strong. but this book forced me to think about the death penalty from a new perspective. bad people do not deserve good things like freedom or fame (however infamous their name becomes). but bad people still do not want to die. this book put ansel’s thoughts, anxieties, and wishes front and center. i had no other choice but to experience such high emotions as the countdown got lower. the use of second person for ansel’s chapters enhanced that as well, placing me, the reader, as ansel. that was a great writing choice.
i don’t know what my final thoughts are on this book yet. i enjoyed it, and i have a feeling i’ll be thinking about this book for a long time.
i enjoyed the different perspectives and how the characters were not intertwined right away. they were all individual people with their own part in the bigger story. i loved that i got to see the befores and afters rather than just a quick highlight blurb.
ansel surprised me. my personal beliefs are my own and still stand strong. but this book forced me to think about the death penalty from a new perspective. bad people do not deserve good things like freedom or fame (however infamous their name becomes). but bad people still do not want to die. this book put ansel’s thoughts, anxieties, and wishes front and center. i had no other choice but to experience such high emotions as the countdown got lower. the use of second person for ansel’s chapters enhanced that as well, placing me, the reader, as ansel. that was a great writing choice.
i don’t know what my final thoughts are on this book yet. i enjoyed it, and i have a feeling i’ll be thinking about this book for a long time.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’m not sure what I expected going into this book, but I thought it was very well done. I always like multiple POVs and timelines. I thought I liked Saffy’s POV the best but in the end, it was Ansel. The book heavily explores nature vs nurture and does so in a contemplative manner.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Grief, Murder, Abandonment
Minor: Sexism
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
super absorbed at the beginning of the book but lost interest as the book went on. i thought it was a super interesting choice to tell this story through the three povs of the women.
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes