Reviews with content warning for Death - We Run the Tides

Reviews tagging 'Death'

We Run the Tides by Vendela Vida

8 reviews

valjeanval's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-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

5.0

If you would like a master-class in voice, particularly writing the voice of thirteen year old girl, look no further. I don't think I've ever read an early teen thought process that worked as well as this one. I think I generally shy away from "coming of age" stories because they so often feel trite. Eulabee's voice is that perfect intersection of intelligent immaturity that I feel really captures this age. The flash forward at the end is also inspired. Just a fantastic piece of fiction that I'd recommend to just about anyone.

Content Warnings

cassandrareadsbooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I wanted to give this book 3.5 stars, but I settled on 4 because I did enjoy the main character. It’s a coming of age during the mid 80s and the last chapter flashes forward to 2019.

Eulabee and her family are quite likable and I think it’s due to the fact that they live in an extremely wealthy neighborhood but don’t come from money. Both parents had to work for their money and status in society. Other characters are descendants of the Mayflower or heiress to fortunes. Eulabee’s mother is from Sweden and her dad is American (Hungarian descent).

Eulabee remains true to herself always. She isn’t defiant or overly rebellious, and is rather an honest and truthful person who is not easily swayed by the affluent people in her town. She is a thirteen year old girl who attends an all girls private school, so there is some naivety that comes with that kind of upbringing. However, she’s much more smarter than people perceive her to be. Perhaps it’s the real reason why she’s ostracized. Her suspicions about the kidnapping are true.

Everything surrounding Maria Fabiola and her disappearance comes full circle in the last chapter. She lies for attention and she lies because something deep inside of her feels she is lacking. All the money doesn’t matter if you can’t be your true self.

Expectations for this novel: enjoy the story and enjoy the characters. Do not expect a plot twist or to have a visceral reaction.

I feel like this book was going to be like season 1 of the Hulu show Cruel Summer but it did not have that plot twist I was looking for. There was no tension building.

Content Warnings

oliviabubl's review against another edition

Go to review page

fast-paced

3.75

this book was rlly interestingly written bc it wasn’t character driven but not plot driven either??? Like it was just random moments of a thirteen year old’s life (that were quite interesting but still rlly “what the fuck” to read about)

It doesn’t really have an overly thrilling plot or overly loveable characters, shocking turns of events are handled like everyday things and happen suddenly. Overall you’ll be double taking if certain stuff actually happened because the main characters seem so unbothered by that absolutely disturbing
turn of events.

lol. very random and fun tho!

Content Warnings

headachesince03's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging funny mysterious reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

hannakutlu's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

kclark's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This writing in this book was incredibly accessible and enjoyable, and when I sat down to read it it was easy to read 50+ pages without looking away. However I feel like the plot just stringing the reader along with no real structure to it. The time jump at the end at first felt like a bit of a cop out, but it did a good job of putting the enigmatic character of Maria Fabiola into perspective as a person who is in her own way deeply flawed and struggling with her own identity throughout her life. Overall the book was enjoyable but nothing special.

Content Warnings

girlonbooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark funny mysterious sad 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

3.0

🛹🛹🛹 (three stars as rated in the oblong shape of Keith's skateboard floating in the waves)

Eulabee has never thought of her life as terribly exceptional. Like every other latchkey kid in the 1980's, Eulabee spends the hours after school and on weekends roaming the neighborhood with her best friend Maria Fabiola. Maria Fabiola is one of the richest kids in Sea Cliff, the upscale San Francisco neighborhood where they both live. Maria Fabiola is pretty and popular and Maria Fabiola always gets her way. When Maria Fabiola goes missing on her way home from school one day after a falling out with Eulabee, everyone in the neighborhood is naturally sick with worry. Everyone except for Eulabee, that is. The police call it kidnapping, the news calls it a local tragedy. Eulabee calls it the biggest sham her former best friend has ever pulled off.

"Separately we are good girls. We behave. Together, some strange alchemy occurs and we are trouble."

I first came across this book when researching new releases in February and fully intended to eventually read it but, full disclosure, seeing that Marin Ireland narrated the audio book is what pushed it to the top of my list. As with Leave The World Behind, Ireland's voice carries this book to an entirely different level and I can't imagine experiencing the story without it. She is just that good.

This book is written exquisitely. The prose itself is dynamic, illustrative and even harrowing at times while expertly maintain the whimsical ethos of a teen aged narrator living in a sheltered upper-class American neighborhood in the 1980's. For that I am in genuine awe of Vendela Vida's ability to capture the nostalgia of time and place - one which I have no personal experience with, at that - and forget it into something so perfectly familiar to me that I devoured the entirety of her novel in less than 24 hours. I saw myself in so much of Eulabee and even, truth be told, in Maria Fabiola at times. I think there are relatable traits in the worst of this book's cast of character which is precisely what made the entire thing so deliciously alluring to me.

This book is described as a mystery and even as a thriller. I would, however, classify We Run The Tides as contemporary fiction the likes of Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng and Trust Exercise by Susan Choi. It is a story of teenagers that is written as much for adults to enjoy and relate to as for their younger counterparts. And, admittedly, that is my absolute favorite genre of fiction.

✨ Rep in this book: n/a

✨ Content warnings for this book: death, suicide, kidnapping, drowning, murder, sexual content, bullying, vomiting, blood, fatphobia, trauma, death of a parent, drug use, pedophilia, sexual violence, toxic relationship

Follow me on: Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr | Pinterest | Storygraph

Content Warnings

briwithabook's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I thought this was an excellent coming of age story. I really enjoyed the San Francisco setting as well as getting to know Eulabee, Faith, Julia, and Maria Fabiola. I thought each of their stories were interesting and unique, and as someone who was born in the early eighties, I loved being transported back to that decade through this story.

While Eulabee and her friends were definitely more brazen than I was at that age, I could totally connect with and understand the things they were going through. The early teens are such a tumultuous time for any young woman. This book covered several important and heavy topics, and my heart hurt for Eulabee and some of the things she endured.

Though her character was over the top, I have no doubt that there are plenty of real Maria Fabiolas in the world. I had a "Maria" in my life as a kid, just not to the extreme of the character in the book. But I really respected Eulabee for the way she handled that relationship, when it would've been so much easier to go along with her friend and keep the peace.

This was a quick and enjoyable read, and I thought the ending was perfect. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a coming of age story or that is nostalgic for the 80's.

Thank you to netgalley and Ecco for a copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Content Warnings

More...