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brookebatesratesbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Minor: Child death, Ableism, and Cursing
kibbles15's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, and Drug use
augustar14's review against another edition
- 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
Marcellus has been captive for the majority of his short life (about 4 years is the lifespan of his species). He misses the ocean, the dark, good food (though he goes in search of some here, when he really feels his menu needs changing up). Then Tova begins talking to him, and brings up a memory he has from long ago. But how can he communicate with her?
Cameron never knew his dad, and his mom left when he was nine. His life sucks. He was dealt a shit hand, and everything is someone else's fault. But when he gets the chance to go looking for family he might reconnect with, he jumps on it without hesitation, and ends up on an adventure he never would have predicted. But it just might be the best thing that ever happened to him.
Graphic: Grief, Abandonment, and Cursing
Moderate: Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Child death, Cancer, Classism, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Addiction
Minor: Alcohol and Death of parent
chelseylb1988's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Alcohol, Animal death, Addiction, Death, and Cursing
katelynprice's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Suicide attempt and Abandonment
Minor: Cancer, Grief, Addiction, Death, Animal death, and Cursing
thecriticalreader's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
2.0
Moderate: Alcohol, Confinement, Cursing, and Grief
Minor: Terminal illness, Drug use, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Death, Animal death, Blood, Cancer, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, and Injury/Injury detail
midnightverde's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Minor: Cursing, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Death, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Suicide, Cancer, Child death, and Drug abuse
nicoley3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Death, and Drug abuse
thebakerbookworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
We get three points of views: Tova, a young man named Cameron, and then Marcellus the octopus. Obviously having an octopus narrate part of the story was a little odd at first; but there's nothing else "fantastical" to this story, so once I just accepted Marcellus, I looked forward to his chapters—he's such a unique, funny, and endearing character! You can tell the author did her research on octopuses too. He's definitely the stand-out character from this book, but I enjoyed the human characters too. Both Tova and Cameron get nice development over the course of the plot, and we even get development and complexity from side characters. No one felt like they were in the book just to serve the plot and I loved that.
The plot itself was fairly predictable. There were no surprises as the familiar storyline played out; and yet it was still really enjoyable. Maybe Marcellus gave it that special something, but I think it was just a good story too, despite its predictability. You could tell the author cared about her characters, which in turn makes me care about them.
Overall, a heartwarming story to read, especially at this time of year, especially after the craziness of the past two years. Sometimes you need a book that won't surprise you or make you cry—but it makes you feel something regardless.
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, and Death
Minor: Suicide and Suicide attempt