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Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Animal death, Racism, Medical content
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Dementia, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
I suppose I should start by saying that I don't read sad books. Like, ever. And when I do, it is by accident and begrudgingly. And NEVER in the "hurt-no-comfort" category. Because I don't like being sad on purpose. Period.
However, a friend of mine gifted me this book when she moved, and after all the hype surrounding it when it came out, and of course the intriguing premise, I knew I was going to have to just power through and give it a chance.
Even though I knew it would be devastating.
And even when I reached the halfway mark and guessed at the truth hidden underneath the lies -- at which point, I knew for certain that I was going to be, you guessed it: devastated -- I wanted to finish it. To feel it and live it with Cady.
Oh, my poor, sweet Cady. How I wish I could just wrap you up in the biggest of hugs.
All in all, this is an excellent book. Devastating, yes. But exquisitely told. Grief is explored in every aspect. And as much as we would all rather avoid this kind of heartache, it comes for each of us. And this book does an amazing job of taking the reader through the process of pain, acceptance, healing, denial, and hope that surfaces even as the wounds turn to scars and the phantom pains set in. I can't say that I loved this book, because it's still so fresh and raw and, well, painful. But I needed it. My soul needed it.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Racism, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Alcohol
Graphic: Animal death
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Grief
Moderate: Animal death, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Dementia
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Fire/Fire injury
Graphic: Animal death