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emzet's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
ma_parx's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lizziedays's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
drridareads's review against another edition
3.0
The things that go unsaid are often the things that eat at you--whether because you didn't get to have your say, or because the other person never got to hear you and really wanted to
Everything I never told you is about how a girl's body is found in the lake. It's about the family dynamics leading to that.
The thing with this book is that it had all the right ingredients e.g:
• Subtle mystery related to girl’s death and disappearance
• About being Asian in a largely white place and the racism that comes with it
• Struggles of fitting in as a POC or biracial
• Women giving up everything for someone and sexism everywhere and all their ambitions only to later regret it and put their dreams upon their children
• Men with their sexy undergraduate students; with whom they finally feel seen even though he’s been married.
• Depression
POC should not have to prove our worth to society. Women can't always be strong; constant sexism even micro comments are tiring. And they make you want to give up. Women from our grandparents or even mom's generations were programmed with different values; they were conditioned by society to believe in all these values about cooking and marriage etc. This is what they learnt and so this is what they teach us. And of course we resent them for it; but it's not really their fault. Women give up on their ambitions and dreams; and yeah if it's a dream you work hard; but it's not equally hard for everyone. Parents sometimes like to transfer their unfulfilled hopes and dreams on to us; which is understandable because not having that makes them feel incomplete and they think it's the same for their children and no good parent wants their children to feel empty. But children are different people and they might not always want the same things. But sometimes because they love and sometimes might fear abandonment they pretend to fit into that mold of your dreams that's clearly not meant for them. And trying to fit in is the worst.
I just want to say that while this is probably a brilliant book and makes you think a lot. I felt sort of disconnected to it and felt like it lacked the heart of it all. Cause even while this book was depressing it barely touched me. Did make me think though.
I read in an another review; that the characters felt like allegories. I have to agree with that. They felt like life lessons out of fables than whole characters.
A good 3 stars
Everything I never told you is about how a girl's body is found in the lake. It's about the family dynamics leading to that.
The thing with this book is that it had all the right ingredients e.g:
• Subtle mystery related to girl’s death and disappearance
• About being Asian in a largely white place and the racism that comes with it
• Struggles of fitting in as a POC or biracial
• Women giving up everything for someone and sexism everywhere and all their ambitions only to later regret it and put their dreams upon their children
• Men with their sexy undergraduate students; with whom they finally feel seen even though he’s been married.
• Depression
POC should not have to prove our worth to society. Women can't always be strong; constant sexism even micro comments are tiring. And they make you want to give up. Women from our grandparents or even mom's generations were programmed with different values; they were conditioned by society to believe in all these values about cooking and marriage etc. This is what they learnt and so this is what they teach us. And of course we resent them for it; but it's not really their fault. Women give up on their ambitions and dreams; and yeah if it's a dream you work hard; but it's not equally hard for everyone. Parents sometimes like to transfer their unfulfilled hopes and dreams on to us; which is understandable because not having that makes them feel incomplete and they think it's the same for their children and no good parent wants their children to feel empty. But children are different people and they might not always want the same things. But sometimes because they love and sometimes might fear abandonment they pretend to fit into that mold of your dreams that's clearly not meant for them. And trying to fit in is the worst.
I just want to say that while this is probably a brilliant book and makes you think a lot. I felt sort of disconnected to it and felt like it lacked the heart of it all. Cause even while this book was depressing it barely touched me. Did make me think though.
I read in an another review; that the characters felt like allegories. I have to agree with that. They felt like life lessons out of fables than whole characters.
A good 3 stars
tatyanavogt's review against another edition
5.0
This was an amazing book, sad, emotional, powerful. I feel very emotional having just finished it. Invested in every character, waiting for answers, trying to figure it out.
The fact that no one will really know what she went through, she left nothing behind to tell the world who she really was, and when she was finally ready to take the leap, to start fresh.. She lost everything. So determined and so sure that it was the answer, that she was starting her life, not ending it. It hurts my heart more than anything else. More than an accident, more than intention. She was finally ready to live.
It always hurts to see stories based off of lack of communication, the issues that it causes. I typically get annoyed, angry even at how dumb the characters are but here I understood. Somehow It made sense. The author did a beautiful job making you understand. And reminding you why its so important to be honest.
I feel a deep sense of loss and sadness right now.
Spoiler
The fact that no one will really know what she went through, she left nothing behind to tell the world who she really was, and when she was finally ready to take the leap, to start fresh.. She lost everything. So determined and so sure that it was the answer, that she was starting her life, not ending it. It hurts my heart more than anything else. More than an accident, more than intention. She was finally ready to live.
It always hurts to see stories based off of lack of communication, the issues that it causes. I typically get annoyed, angry even at how dumb the characters are but here I understood. Somehow It made sense. The author did a beautiful job making you understand. And reminding you why its so important to be honest.
I feel a deep sense of loss and sadness right now.
seraphiina's review against another edition
4.0
Beautiful and heartbreaking portrayal of grief and how it affects a family. Extremely well written and engaging story of all the things, we take for granted and the things, that we never told anyone.
engene's review against another edition
5.0
U know when u read a book that’s so good it immediately puts u in a reading slump
protoman21's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
Parts were good, but mostly I didn't care enough.
Parts were good, but mostly I didn't care enough.
emmacc6's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
rinci's review against another edition
5.0
love love love this book. incredible display over a character that was so praised and admired yet no one truly knew who she was. it's been a while since i read it but i still think about it every now and then.