Scan barcode
kcorione's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Animal death, Death, Self harm, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Grief, Incest, and Suicidal thoughts
jackbifrost'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Death, Excrement, Grief, Incest, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Confinement, Adult/minor relationship, Antisemitism, Bullying, Vomit, Gore, Abortion, Emotional abuse, and Eating disorder
wrackcity's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, and Incest
Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Child death
simeona's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Bullying, Pedophilia, Death, Eating disorder, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Antisemitism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Suicide
ferre_smeets's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Child death, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Grief, Child abuse, Mental illness, Vomit, Bullying, Self harm, Animal death, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Animal cruelty, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Pedophilia
Minor: Cursing, Alcohol, Car accident, and Cancer
beckyjc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
The narrator is a 10 year old girl who lives on a farm in the Netherlands with her extremely religious family. In the early pages of the novel her eldest brother dies in an ice skating accident and this event sends the family members spiraling into grief in different ways, none of which involve honestly expressing how they feel with each other. This leads to some destructive, disturbing and downright bizarre behaviour on the part of the remaining children, who are effectively left to their own devices by their devastated, emotionally repressed parents. They each plot to escape the stifling and loveless environment of the farm - through violent and sexually abusive outlets, as well as literal distancing - and this culminates in an ending that shocked me.
The subject matter is of course very sad, but the unflinching writing style, brutal and sparse, and bleak imagery didn't really encourage my empathy - despite it being autobiographical. I felt like an alarmed observer watching with mounting unease (and downright disgust at points!) as the family comes apart at their greatest time of need.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Grief, Incest, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, and Excrement
Minor: Abandonment
emptychurches's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Grief, and Suicide
Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Eating disorder, Excrement, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, and Self harm
Minor: Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Vomit
celine's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Grief, Incest, and Sexual content
Moderate: Physical abuse and Suicide
Minor: Blood, Bullying, Pedophilia, and Self harm
serenadoodles_'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
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Infertility, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Child death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Bullying, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
uncomfortablenouns's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Antisemitism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Grief, Incest, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
Not for the squeamish. Honestly, I mostly felt trolled by this book.