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bookish_olga's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
“No goodbye is forever
unless you can
erase everything you ever
knew about a person and
everything you once felt.”
This book is incredibly powerful! As someone who has read two previous works by Sarah Crossan, I can confidently say that this one is the most impactful yet. Filled with raw emotion, it struck a chord with me, especially as a survivor of domestic abuse. I must warn you, though: it's a heart-wrenching read. But despite the emotional rollercoaster, you'll find yourself loving every moment of it!
unless you can
erase everything you ever
knew about a person and
everything you once felt.”
This book is incredibly powerful! As someone who has read two previous works by Sarah Crossan, I can confidently say that this one is the most impactful yet. Filled with raw emotion, it struck a chord with me, especially as a survivor of domestic abuse. I must warn you, though: it's a heart-wrenching read. But despite the emotional rollercoaster, you'll find yourself loving every moment of it!
mehsi's review
5.0
A wonderful and special book about abuse, dementia, bad friendship, finding a home, and more. It was beautifully written.
Poetry still isn't entirely my thing, but I just can't resist a book like this one. I know I loved this author's other book, One, so I was eager to get this one started.
I wasn't always a fan of the MC, like how she just got into the house and then how she kept sneaking around and making use of Marla's dementia as I would call it. I get it, she is desperate, afraid, alone, but I still couldn't forgive her for doing this to an old woman. However, later on she became much better, sweeter, kinder, and she started taking care of Marla. Making sure she was happy, learning about dementia and how to help people with that, making food, taking her for walks outside as no one was doing that, going with her past flashbacks, it really made me happy to see them get closer and really bond. She really became a friend for Marla, and Marla definitely needed that. Her own son is mean and hurtful, the woman who pops by at times seems friendly but at times also stand-offish. But now she has Allison, or Toffee as she calls her for most of the book. And Allison has Marla.
I didn't like Lucy at all. For many many reasons. The homework thing, the stealing, the way she acted in other ways. How entitled she would act. Someone should really stand up against this girl and tell her what she is doing is wrong.
I liked Kelly-Ann, we don't see a lot of her, sadly, but what we see of her made me like her. The ending made me smile so much.
We have two timelines and we switch between them, we see the now time with Allison and Marla, see how Allison is trying to find a home, a safe space, trying to become stronger. And then there is the then time with the abuse, how things escalated to the point of Kelly-Ann leaving and then our MC also leaving when things really got brutal, we see how the dad ruled the house and how he treated Allison and fiance. Not always violence, but at times words or silent treatment. Or even putting his own daughter in the cold outside. It was quite shocking to see what the dad was doing and how later he didn't even see what he was doing wrong.
At points in the book my eyes were just welling up, I wanted to grab Allison and drag her out of that bad place, far away from her dad. I hope she is able to fully recover from all the things she experienced in her life. She is getting happier in the book, but I think she has a long way to go. Thankfully she has people around her who care about her and who she can trust. I am sure that Allison will be fine.
I would highly recommend this book to everyone.
"I am Allison.
I am Allison.
I am Allison.
And the world still spins."
"She looks across at me
Are you a friend of Mary's?
No, Marla. I'm a friend of yours."
"Seagulls swoop, owning the sky.
Each one has their own war cry
and can identify another's tune.
Would anyone know my voice
if they heard it ring out?
In my pocket, my phone pings."
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Poetry still isn't entirely my thing, but I just can't resist a book like this one. I know I loved this author's other book, One, so I was eager to get this one started.
I wasn't always a fan of the MC, like how she just got into the house and then how she kept sneaking around and making use of Marla's dementia as I would call it. I get it, she is desperate, afraid, alone, but I still couldn't forgive her for doing this to an old woman. However, later on she became much better, sweeter, kinder, and she started taking care of Marla. Making sure she was happy, learning about dementia and how to help people with that, making food, taking her for walks outside as no one was doing that, going with her past flashbacks, it really made me happy to see them get closer and really bond. She really became a friend for Marla, and Marla definitely needed that. Her own son is mean and hurtful, the woman who pops by at times seems friendly but at times also stand-offish. But now she has Allison, or Toffee as she calls her for most of the book. And Allison has Marla.
I didn't like Lucy at all. For many many reasons. The homework thing, the stealing, the way she acted in other ways. How entitled she would act. Someone should really stand up against this girl and tell her what she is doing is wrong.
I liked Kelly-Ann, we don't see a lot of her, sadly, but what we see of her made me like her. The ending made me smile so much.
We have two timelines and we switch between them, we see the now time with Allison and Marla, see how Allison is trying to find a home, a safe space, trying to become stronger. And then there is the then time with the abuse, how things escalated to the point of Kelly-Ann leaving and then our MC also leaving when things really got brutal, we see how the dad ruled the house and how he treated Allison and fiance. Not always violence, but at times words or silent treatment. Or even putting his own daughter in the cold outside. It was quite shocking to see what the dad was doing and how later he didn't even see what he was doing wrong.
At points in the book my eyes were just welling up, I wanted to grab Allison and drag her out of that bad place, far away from her dad. I hope she is able to fully recover from all the things she experienced in her life. She is getting happier in the book, but I think she has a long way to go. Thankfully she has people around her who care about her and who she can trust. I am sure that Allison will be fine.
I would highly recommend this book to everyone.
"I am Allison.
I am Allison.
I am Allison.
And the world still spins."
"She looks across at me
Are you a friend of Mary's?
No, Marla. I'm a friend of yours."
"Seagulls swoop, owning the sky.
Each one has their own war cry
and can identify another's tune.
Would anyone know my voice
if they heard it ring out?
In my pocket, my phone pings."
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
bookishjosh's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you, Bloomsbury, for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In some secluded corner of our minds, we will both always remember. And hopefully, we can forget, too.
If you're looking for a quick yet heartwarming book, look no further. Being Toffee was written in verse, so it made a Slowpoke/Slowbro/Slowking like me feel like a speed reader. If all of the books in the world were like this, I could read hundreds of them a year. Hahaha.
Being Toffee highlights what it feels like to grow up with abusive parents. Allison, the main character, runs away from home after her dad "accidentally" burns her face with an iron. Having nowhere else to go and nothing to eat, she sleeps in the shed of an old woman named Marla. Marla has dementia, and Allison takes advantage of this by moving in and pretending to be Toffee, Marla's childhood friend. Allison would rather not scam an innocent lady, but she's out of options. Soon, she learns that Marla is always left to her own devices in spite of her condition. Both Marla's son and caregiver are unbelievably neglectful. So in a way, Allison becomes Marla's new guardian angel.
I understand that it's easy to judge Allison for tricking Marla. After all, people with dementia deserve our compassion and kindness. However, if you were in Allison's shoes, what would you do? Like Allison, I would do my best to survive. My parents are nothing like her father, so I can barely imagine what she went through in her hellish house. If anything, this novel made me grateful for the blessing of a loving family.
Allison's recollections of her dad were mostly terrible. He excelled at physical and verbal abuse, hurting Allison with his fists and degrading her with his insults. Every kind word and gesture felt like a miracle, a vague assurance that he really loved his daughter. And when the domestic abuse resumed, he made Allison think that it was her fault. This cycle might sound familiar if you've watched any film/TV show that features an abusive relationship. Now that you know the real score, can you still look at Allison with critical eyes? I certainly can't.
Ironically, Allison became a great "mother" to Marla. She consistently restocked the pantry, washed the dishes, did the laundry, and even tucked Marla into bed. Marla's own children treated her like a burden to be passed on from one sibling to another. When they visited, it was evident that they would rather be somewhere else. Without Allison, Marla would have no one to take her to the hospital when she fell and hit her head. Regardless of its foundation of deceit, Allison and Marla's relationship was mutually helpful. It didn't last forever, though. In real life, the truth will always find a way to reveal itself.
Ultimately, Being Toffee deepened my understanding of dementia and the repercussions of domestic violence. Whether good or bad, our memories are an integral part of who we are today. Perhaps if we made a million happy memories, we would forget only a thousand of them before we finally meet our Maker. Be thankful if you have a non-abusive family to help you achieve that goal.
In some secluded corner of our minds, we will both always remember. And hopefully, we can forget, too.
If you're looking for a quick yet heartwarming book, look no further. Being Toffee was written in verse, so it made a Slowpoke/Slowbro/Slowking like me feel like a speed reader. If all of the books in the world were like this, I could read hundreds of them a year. Hahaha.
Being Toffee highlights what it feels like to grow up with abusive parents. Allison, the main character, runs away from home after her dad "accidentally" burns her face with an iron. Having nowhere else to go and nothing to eat, she sleeps in the shed of an old woman named Marla. Marla has dementia, and Allison takes advantage of this by moving in and pretending to be Toffee, Marla's childhood friend. Allison would rather not scam an innocent lady, but she's out of options. Soon, she learns that Marla is always left to her own devices in spite of her condition. Both Marla's son and caregiver are unbelievably neglectful. So in a way, Allison becomes Marla's new guardian angel.
I understand that it's easy to judge Allison for tricking Marla. After all, people with dementia deserve our compassion and kindness. However, if you were in Allison's shoes, what would you do? Like Allison, I would do my best to survive. My parents are nothing like her father, so I can barely imagine what she went through in her hellish house. If anything, this novel made me grateful for the blessing of a loving family.
Allison's recollections of her dad were mostly terrible. He excelled at physical and verbal abuse, hurting Allison with his fists and degrading her with his insults. Every kind word and gesture felt like a miracle, a vague assurance that he really loved his daughter. And when the domestic abuse resumed, he made Allison think that it was her fault. This cycle might sound familiar if you've watched any film/TV show that features an abusive relationship. Now that you know the real score, can you still look at Allison with critical eyes? I certainly can't.
Ironically, Allison became a great "mother" to Marla. She consistently restocked the pantry, washed the dishes, did the laundry, and even tucked Marla into bed. Marla's own children treated her like a burden to be passed on from one sibling to another. When they visited, it was evident that they would rather be somewhere else. Without Allison, Marla would have no one to take her to the hospital when she fell and hit her head. Regardless of its foundation of deceit, Allison and Marla's relationship was mutually helpful. It didn't last forever, though. In real life, the truth will always find a way to reveal itself.
Ultimately, Being Toffee deepened my understanding of dementia and the repercussions of domestic violence. Whether good or bad, our memories are an integral part of who we are today. Perhaps if we made a million happy memories, we would forget only a thousand of them before we finally meet our Maker. Be thankful if you have a non-abusive family to help you achieve that goal.
kel_belle90's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
magda_the_reader's review
emotional
sad
fast-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
4.5
klara_wndl's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
Another heart-rending poetic novel from Crossan.
Each lyrical piece of writing from Crossan manages to be narrative and poetry. A complete story broken down into chapters that each become a poem in their own right. I don't know how she does it.
While Toffee tells a truly distressing tale of abuse, it never quite hit my heart the way 'One' or 'The Weight of Water' did.
Allison is our focus. Physically and psychologically abused at home for many years, her father's longest-term partner (and Allison's ally) gone, she also leaves. But the shed she hides in belongs to an old lady who sees her own old friend in the young girl, and the dementia-ridden woman and Allison form an unlikely alliance.
We watch Marla's dementia turn Allison from a friend called Toffee into someone she battles, the effects of her illness so painful, including for Marla's own son.
The conflict between the women and their torturers, and the relationships between the women, are the two prongs of this story. I found the chapters of Allison and her father quite frightening, the girl's perspective somehow detached but still brutal in their depiction of mistreatment and violence. You know exactly what is happening. I wanted to know more about her father, delve into his psyche.
It's a structure that melds itself well to the audio format, with short chapters and the verse structure in one voice a pattern that flows easily to the ear. The actor narrating has a young and vulnerable voice that suits the protagonist.
A very short book, combining two emotive and highly relevant subjects to young people and their families today.
With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy.
Each lyrical piece of writing from Crossan manages to be narrative and poetry. A complete story broken down into chapters that each become a poem in their own right. I don't know how she does it.
While Toffee tells a truly distressing tale of abuse, it never quite hit my heart the way 'One' or 'The Weight of Water' did.
Allison is our focus. Physically and psychologically abused at home for many years, her father's longest-term partner (and Allison's ally) gone, she also leaves. But the shed she hides in belongs to an old lady who sees her own old friend in the young girl, and the dementia-ridden woman and Allison form an unlikely alliance.
We watch Marla's dementia turn Allison from a friend called Toffee into someone she battles, the effects of her illness so painful, including for Marla's own son.
The conflict between the women and their torturers, and the relationships between the women, are the two prongs of this story. I found the chapters of Allison and her father quite frightening, the girl's perspective somehow detached but still brutal in their depiction of mistreatment and violence. You know exactly what is happening. I wanted to know more about her father, delve into his psyche.
It's a structure that melds itself well to the audio format, with short chapters and the verse structure in one voice a pattern that flows easily to the ear. The actor narrating has a young and vulnerable voice that suits the protagonist.
A very short book, combining two emotive and highly relevant subjects to young people and their families today.
With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy.
dyamonddd's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
soup_dogg's review
5.0
The writing is very captivating and very emotional, would def recommend for a quick read. I like how through most of the poems there’s little life lesson.