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ohemgeebooks's review
3.0
YA novel featuring magical realism to describe the manifestation of PTSD after a tragic event that leads to the death of a best friend.
The beginning had me hooked. The middle was mostly confusing. And then connections were being made from the past to present with a very thoughtful resolution in the last 50 pages.
I very much appreciated author’s note of content about certain trigger warnings in the book at the beginning and the author’s resources in the back regarding trauma, PTSD, and suicide hotline.
It’s a great book, or “life preserver” for a teen struggling to be able to wade through thoughts and feelings after a traumatic event.
The beginning had me hooked. The middle was mostly confusing. And then connections were being made from the past to present with a very thoughtful resolution in the last 50 pages.
I very much appreciated author’s note of content about certain trigger warnings in the book at the beginning and the author’s resources in the back regarding trauma, PTSD, and suicide hotline.
It’s a great book, or “life preserver” for a teen struggling to be able to wade through thoughts and feelings after a traumatic event.
guessgreenleaf's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, and Grief
Minor: Car accident
kellyrosenreads's review
CW: PTSD, panic attacks
I had this book on preorder since I first heard about it, however I still went into it a bit hesitant as it is YA and I don't pick up a lot of YA.
This book certainly exceeded my expectations. I was kind of expecting a YA urban fantasy set in the desert. What I got was an expertly crafted exploration of grief, trauma and anxiety wrapped up in a weird fabulist package.
I do not have PTSD which is the specific mental illness represented in this book, but I do have severe anxiety and have had several panic attacks throughout my life. This book perfectly captured that sense of spiralling, loss of control, and dread that comes with mental illness. But worked it into the story in both a realistic and fabulist way.
The way this book depicted both the healthy and unhealthy relationships with Rose and her family/friends was great. The therapy rep was also great!
It was definitely written for a YA audience in that relationships are a bit more simple and less fleshed out then they would be in an adult novel, and there was a 'everything is going to be okay' kind of ending that you get from most YA. But it was still worth a read and I think it will be valuable to younger readers who are still working through something like PTSD or anxiety.
I can see how a lot of people might be put off by the fabulist twist to this book, but I feel like it really added to and reflected Rose's emotional journey well.
I had this book on preorder since I first heard about it, however I still went into it a bit hesitant as it is YA and I don't pick up a lot of YA.
This book certainly exceeded my expectations. I was kind of expecting a YA urban fantasy set in the desert. What I got was an expertly crafted exploration of grief, trauma and anxiety wrapped up in a weird fabulist package.
I do not have PTSD which is the specific mental illness represented in this book, but I do have severe anxiety and have had several panic attacks throughout my life. This book perfectly captured that sense of spiralling, loss of control, and dread that comes with mental illness. But worked it into the story in both a realistic and fabulist way.
The way this book depicted both the healthy and unhealthy relationships with Rose and her family/friends was great. The therapy rep was also great!
It was definitely written for a YA audience in that relationships are a bit more simple and less fleshed out then they would be in an adult novel, and there was a 'everything is going to be okay' kind of ending that you get from most YA. But it was still worth a read and I think it will be valuable to younger readers who are still working through something like PTSD or anxiety.
I can see how a lot of people might be put off by the fabulist twist to this book, but I feel like it really added to and reflected Rose's emotional journey well.
ari__s's review
2.0
hm. I think this might be another case of this being a book that just wasn't a good fit for me - the classic "it's not you, it's me" of book reviews. I feel appreciation for the notes that are undeniably and objectively good: real-talk themes of grief? nailed it. diverse representation in characters? solid. down-and-dirty grappling with trauma? oh you bet. wrapped up with pivotal messages that a reader could carry on away with a bit of internal enlightenment? sure thing. But was I able to feel attached to the characters themselves and connect strongly to the story? No. No I was not.
cocoloco's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
rsehrlich's review
4.0
This book drifts somewhere between a 3 and a 4 for me depending on what part I’m remembering, but the writing itself is stunning and I think it deserves the 4. There are parts of it that are beautifully told, the author has a knack for description and world building, I love almost all of the characters, the ending had me thoroughly emotional, I couldn’t put it down the entire time I was reading, all the usual glowing things one might say about a book.
The problem is it stays frustratingly confusing until maybe about 50 pages from the end—and even then there are threads and pieces of flashback that are never properly addressed, clarified, or tied up with the resolution.
If the main character’s backstory had started piecing together a little earlier and in some more detail, I think it would’ve helped quite a lot and made the ending feel a little less anticlimactic. It seemed to be building to something much bigger until the threads started to tie up.
My main gripe, though, is the numerous backstory elements for the side characters that are introduced a couple times or shown in “flashbacks”, then never expanded on or properly explained. They felt pointless, open-ended, and very confusing, where they could have added so much depth to the characters. This is mainly a problem with Alex’s backstory as well as Rudy, but almost every supporting character has a little bit of this. Too vague, too much wasted potential to get the reader more attached to the characters. I still have so many questions about things that were mentioned once, used for a dramatic moment, and then never explained.
Because of this, the supporting cast (and in some ways the main character herself) aren’t quite fleshed out enough, and it’s far too unclear what’s happening and what the neighbors and their capabilities are even by the ending, although I do understand what the intention was and the central message. Overall, though, I would recommend it and I would absolutely read more from this author.
The problem is it stays frustratingly confusing until maybe about 50 pages from the end—and even then there are threads and pieces of flashback that are never properly addressed, clarified, or tied up with the resolution.
If the main character’s backstory had started piecing together a little earlier and in some more detail, I think it would’ve helped quite a lot and made the ending feel a little less anticlimactic. It seemed to be building to something much bigger until the threads started to tie up.
My main gripe, though, is the numerous backstory elements for the side characters that are introduced a couple times or shown in “flashbacks”, then never expanded on or properly explained. They felt pointless, open-ended, and very confusing, where they could have added so much depth to the characters. This is mainly a problem with Alex’s backstory as well as Rudy, but almost every supporting character has a little bit of this. Too vague, too much wasted potential to get the reader more attached to the characters. I still have so many questions about things that were mentioned once, used for a dramatic moment, and then never explained.
Because of this, the supporting cast (and in some ways the main character herself) aren’t quite fleshed out enough, and it’s far too unclear what’s happening and what the neighbors and their capabilities are even by the ending, although I do understand what the intention was and the central message. Overall, though, I would recommend it and I would absolutely read more from this author.
cowboy_blue's review
4.0
this one was strange, a bit confusing but stunning all the same. probably i will have more thoughts when it’s not 2:30am, but very lovely concept beautifully executed
androidsfighting's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
mel91's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0