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mokuren's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
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, Incest, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, and Excrement
Minor: Abandonment
aweinstein'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
2.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship
emras's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, and Grief
lottelow'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
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Religious bigotry
Minor: Incest, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Islamophobia
hanleest's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, and Antisemitism