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shirp's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. Just magnificent and powerfully written. Julie Buntin is brilliant. I can't wait to read more.
maariie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
tishywishy's review against another edition
3.0
Marlena was an interesting read. The author painted a picture that certainly would never inspire me to visit that area of Michigan if it existed (I believe that was her goal). Perhaps the most unnerving part for me was reading about Marlena's life and having my imagination conjure the pictures from the contextual clues. It's realistic, melancholic, a tale of how teenagers can slip through the cracks with drug use, lack of guidance, needing chosen family and how that can affect them as an adult.
littlespookysmut's review against another edition
4.0
There is something so fragile and special about teenage female friendships, especially the more toxic ones. This book is not for everyone like there is no mystery on figuring out how she died. Also I love reading about messy characters, there was something so raw and real about this book. It’s very dark with the drugs and the poverty but it was so good.
mollywetta's review against another edition
3.0
I expected to like this book because for the plot and characters, but what really stuck with me was the sense of place and how real the small time life felt, and how the poverty and drug abuse felt so organic to the story without being an issue that the author wanted to make a point about. There's a timelessness to this book, which I liked.
annvalentine's review against another edition
emotional
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Addiction, and Drug use
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault
bettyclementine's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
4.0
moodyjulia's review against another edition
4.0
I've had my own "Marlena". I think just about anybody who's had a best friend has, but there was something about this novel that chilled me. Maybe because of the depictions of coming of age, of emotionally wrapping yourself around a person, of being so connected but really, not at all. Maybe the fact that so much more could have gone terribly wrong in my own story. Oh to go back. Thankful that I never have to. The book was haunting and hard to read at times, so good.
yikesbmg's review against another edition
5.0
HOLY COW WHAT A BOOK
pros:
-incredibly strong plot line
-very, very difficult main characters that evoke dismay, pity, and disappointment and nostalgia, awe, and curiosity all at the same time. girls i've never read about before, given depth i didn't know existed tbh
-DETAILS so many details. the book is so vivid because of the attention buntin paid to details of the snow, a hand gesture, the way someone said something. literally everything is drowning in details that makes michigan really come front and center to your brain.
cons:
-there was one sentence where buntin used the word colonized in a sort of callous, childish way. that's it that's the only con i can find
if you're looking for a novel you can't put down, a plot and characters that make you feel uncomfortable, insight to an fraught and complex interpersonal relationship between two adolescent girls
(and later one truly broken woman) read this. if you want to dive into addiction and alcoholism and see what that might look like, from one author's intensely detailed perspective, read this
pros:
-incredibly strong plot line
-very, very difficult main characters that evoke dismay, pity, and disappointment and nostalgia, awe, and curiosity all at the same time. girls i've never read about before, given depth i didn't know existed tbh
-DETAILS so many details. the book is so vivid because of the attention buntin paid to details of the snow, a hand gesture, the way someone said something. literally everything is drowning in details that makes michigan really come front and center to your brain.
cons:
-there was one sentence where buntin used the word colonized in a sort of callous, childish way. that's it that's the only con i can find
if you're looking for a novel you can't put down, a plot and characters that make you feel uncomfortable, insight to an fraught and complex interpersonal relationship between two adolescent girls
(and later one truly broken woman) read this. if you want to dive into addiction and alcoholism and see what that might look like, from one author's intensely detailed perspective, read this