Scan barcode
se_wigget's review
- 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: Colonisation, Physical abuse, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Bullying, Classism, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Violence
dalenora's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I also just found January insufferable as a character. I understood the allegory the author was going for, but most of the time it felt like we were just being told factually what happened, and we wasted so much time on January justifying others shitty behavior and forgiving people who shouldn't be forgiven (ahem, looking at you Dad) and because of that felt like the ending was too rushed and not properly earned (with the big climax to the story happening maybe 20 pages before the end) with January magically transforming rather than gradually unlearning the trauma she experienced growing up. People don't just wake up fully healed, and it felt cheap that January was suddenly a different person, and the plot device that led to her transformation felt cheap, allowing her character development to come from an external force rather than letting January deconstruct the trauma of her upbringing on her own.
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Colonisation, and Racism
merbears's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Self harm, Racism, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Death of parent, Colonisation, Classism, Xenophobia, Blood, Confinement, Gaslighting, Animal cruelty, Cultural appropriation, and Death
Minor: Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Murder
cardlikecredit's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Murder, Mental illness, Confinement, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Blood, Animal cruelty, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Colonisation and Racism
perifairy's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Self harm, Abandonment, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Classism, Blood, Colonisation, and Abandonment
atlantisfrost's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Self harm
Moderate: Colonisation, Racism, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, and Forced institutionalization
asahome's review
3.5
There is a book within a book. It felt a little like two short stories brought together in one novel with large sections devoted to one story over the other.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Racism, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Violence, Racism, Colonisation, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Blood, Grief, and Murder
amaranth_wytch's review
4.0
Moderate: Classism, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Blood, Confinement, Death, Violence, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Grief, and Self harm
Minor: Gun violence
craftysnailtail'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
4.75
Overall, I highly recommend this book just for Harrow's style alone, but it's also a fascinating plot with creative and well developed characters. Yes, it starts off rather slow, but that's extremely intentional. Yes, January feels frustratingly naive, but of course she is given her living situation. This book is all about adventure, imagination, and developing your own life's narrative. One of the top books I read all year and I recommend it to everyone!
Graphic: Racism, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Self harm
Moderate: Child abuse, Colonisation, Confinement, Cursing, Death of parent, Sexism, Slavery, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Racial slurs
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, and Death
anastasiamakes'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
5.0
It's whimsical but dark, tackles important topics without feeling preachy, and made me cry happy tears.
I have so many quotations highlighted in this book, it's just so beautifully written.
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Grief, Abandonment, Self harm, and Death of parent
Moderate: Blood, Racism, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Gun violence, and Slavery