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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
A unique story of grief. Really well written with a pitbull mix dog and an intro to Quaker faith.
I think I'm broken. Once again a book everybody seems to love I just didn't. I was really enjoying it in the beginning. probably the first third. Then it just seemed to drag on and on. It was seriously WAY too long...for that? Yeah not as great as I keep hearing it is. The best part of the whole thing was the dog for me.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Animal cruelty
This was a sweet novel about a horrific event. It starts out after a boy has committed suicide and admitted to having killed his best friend and neighbor a week ago. Then the novel centers on the father of the murder boy and the girl, Evangeline, had run-ins with the boys. She knew both daniel, the murdered boy and jonah, the murderer. Evangeline had a difficult life and her mother left her so she took he had one running with turning tricks and then she came and fell in love with Jonah. But Daniel came upon her one evening and forced himself on her. It's almost the next day that Daniel told Jonah and Jonah got very angry and killed. Evangeline finds herself at Daniel's father's house and moves in with him Evangeline is pregnant, although I'm sure of who the father is the whole story centers on either finding himself in Evangeline learning to let people love her. In the end of the interview has a beautiful baby and Daniel's father and Jonah's mother relationship.
dark
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
medium-paced
"She wasn't sure she'd ever been truly happy, but she could tell with this small glimpse that happiness would be addicting, that you'd forever be seeking that first perfect high.
No, whatever this feeling was, it needed to be snuffed out before it rooted and began to spread, before it needed feeding in order not to ache." -pg 160
3.5 on this one. I loved it... mostly, except for those parts that I didn't. This is a slow burn that is beautifully written. Tragic, yet wonderful. It is the story of Evangeline, who at 16 years old is abandoned by her mother. She does what she can to get by for awhile - scrounging for food and at times, giving up her body as a means of survival. When she finds herself pregnant she turns to two of the most unlikely individuals - the parents of two unrelated boys who are both dead due to a murder/suicide that had her at the center of it all. How this all weaves together is magical and heart wrenching at the same time. It is a love story between parents and children, strangers and friends, and is for anyone who may think that there is no one out there who needs or wants us. It is the ultimate story of what makes a family and the power of forgiveness, but it is also frightening in that despite all we do, evil lurks in all of us and no one is exempt.
What I did not like about this novel, however, is the Quaker religious aspect. It seemed odd and out of place. In the end, I can see how it worked into the overall story, I just didn't feel it was as well executed as the rest of the novel. In some ways, Isaac's religious journey seemed so forced throughout, and although I believe that his internal struggle was the intent, I found the forced nature of it distracting. And the epilogue, completely lost me. I feel it came out of left field and I am not sure at all what to make of it. This novel had 4 solid stars until the last 2 pages.
No, whatever this feeling was, it needed to be snuffed out before it rooted and began to spread, before it needed feeding in order not to ache." -pg 160
3.5 on this one. I loved it... mostly, except for those parts that I didn't. This is a slow burn that is beautifully written. Tragic, yet wonderful. It is the story of Evangeline, who at 16 years old is abandoned by her mother. She does what she can to get by for awhile - scrounging for food and at times, giving up her body as a means of survival. When she finds herself pregnant she turns to two of the most unlikely individuals - the parents of two unrelated boys who are both dead due to a murder/suicide that had her at the center of it all. How this all weaves together is magical and heart wrenching at the same time. It is a love story between parents and children, strangers and friends, and is for anyone who may think that there is no one out there who needs or wants us. It is the ultimate story of what makes a family and the power of forgiveness, but it is also frightening in that despite all we do, evil lurks in all of us and no one is exempt.
What I did not like about this novel, however, is the Quaker religious aspect. It seemed odd and out of place. In the end, I can see how it worked into the overall story, I just didn't feel it was as well executed as the rest of the novel. In some ways, Isaac's religious journey seemed so forced throughout, and although I believe that his internal struggle was the intent, I found the forced nature of it distracting. And the epilogue, completely lost me. I feel it came out of left field and I am not sure at all what to make of it. This novel had 4 solid stars until the last 2 pages.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
