Scan barcode
mynameisrebecca's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Xenophobia
Minor: Miscarriage and Abortion
babsi_222's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I really liked this book!
It stood on my shelf for over a year but I finally got around to reading it, and I reallllllyy liked it alot!
I really liked that it was set in two years, one in 1973/4 and one 'now'. It kinda felt like Malibu Rising in this way, which I liked alot.
I think some things were pretty predictable like that Vivienne is her mom but then there were also some plottwists
The many side stories were really nice and one was pretty sad.
I really liked the character Clive because he just seems so strange and interesting. I also really like Imelda Burova her relationship with her mom, her dog and her passion. I especially liked how she thought about her parents marriage. It was really nice.
It stood on my shelf for over a year but I finally got around to reading it, and I reallllllyy liked it alot!
I really liked that it was set in two years, one in 1973/4 and one 'now'. It kinda felt like Malibu Rising in this way, which I liked alot.
I think some things were pretty predictable
The many side stories were really nice and one was pretty sad.
I really liked the character Clive because he just seems so strange and interesting. I also really like Imelda Burova her relationship with her mom, her dog and her passion. I especially liked how she thought about her parents marriage. It was really nice.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
ambersbooksandbakes's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Animal cruelty, Death, Racism, and Death of parent
caprivoyant's review
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
As someone who works in the "woo-woo" field, I think my absolute favorite thing about this book was how Madame Burova was written: she is grounded, kind, and empathetic with a strong code of ethics that she sticks to with compassion. There are a lot of stereotypes floating out there about who psychics are as people (some of those stereotypes are spoken about in this book, actually) but this book did a fantastic job of *showing* someone who has honed this talent/skill and with this career as a real human worthy of respect. I really appreciated that. ♥
With that said, there were a number of times when I was reading the book when I stopped to think "Oh, I really hope this book had some sensitivity readers." Namely, with the representation of the Romany experience -- I'm still unsure if using racial slurs for Romany people 13x (plus a few Black racial slurs) was really necessary or how Romany people feel about being so tightly associated with the woo-woo world. That felt rather stereotypical as well. BUT! I'm a white person, so I wouldn't know whether that is truly harmful representation. I can only say that it felt rather unnecessary to me. So. Take that for what it's worth.
Story-wise, this one is a sweetie. It follows one girl's journey to learn more about herself and where she came from after the death of her parents and, of course, Madame Burova who's found herself at the center of this girl's discovery-journey. The book has a cozy-close-knit-community & feel-good vibes, so this one is great when you're in a bit of a funk and want to be guided out of it by someone who's also trying to sort through their own emotional funkiness. Or! If you want to just have a peek into what it feels like to have a supportive community. I think we all need that sometimes.
So! All in all? A super cute story that I hope beyond all hope got some feedback from real people represented in these pages.
With that said, there were a number of times when I was reading the book when I stopped to think "Oh, I really hope this book had some sensitivity readers." Namely, with the representation of the Romany experience -- I'm still unsure if using racial slurs for Romany people 13x (plus a few Black racial slurs) was really necessary or how Romany people feel about being so tightly associated with the woo-woo world. That felt rather stereotypical as well. BUT! I'm a white person, so I wouldn't know whether that is truly harmful representation. I can only say that it felt rather unnecessary to me. So. Take that for what it's worth.
Story-wise, this one is a sweetie. It follows one girl's journey to learn more about herself and where she came from after the death of her parents and, of course, Madame Burova who's found herself at the center of this girl's discovery-journey. The book has a cozy-close-knit-community & feel-good vibes, so this one is great when you're in a bit of a funk and want to be guided out of it by someone who's also trying to sort through their own emotional funkiness. Or! If you want to just have a peek into what it feels like to have a supportive community. I think we all need that sometimes.
So! All in all? A super cute story that I hope beyond all hope got some feedback from real people represented in these pages.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Racial slurs
Minor: Animal cruelty, Cancer, Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Death of parent, and Pregnancy