You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
this book wrecked me. i have to preface this review by saying that i listened to it on audio, which i think made a huge difference because Alex McKenna did an amazing job. the raspiness of her voice really lent itself to this fucked up story.
i give this five stars because i could not stop listening, could not stop thinking about it when i wasn't listening, because i was on the edge of my seat the whole time. i have read some critical reviews and think there's legitimacy in questions of whether some parts are realistic or if it makes sense for a man like Tallent to write this girl's story, but the fact remains that i was gripped.
so ya. i don't know if some of the graphic depictions of sexual violence were necessary to the story and maybe some of the descriptive language was overwrought, but i loved it. i loved the descriptions of Turtle's physicality, the arrogant and circular language the boys used, and the picture that was painted in my head of landscape at the coast on which they lived.
i give this five stars because i could not stop listening, could not stop thinking about it when i wasn't listening, because i was on the edge of my seat the whole time. i have read some critical reviews and think there's legitimacy in questions of whether some parts are realistic or if it makes sense for a man like Tallent to write this girl's story, but the fact remains that i was gripped.
so ya. i don't know if some of the graphic depictions of sexual violence were necessary to the story and maybe some of the descriptive language was overwrought, but i loved it. i loved the descriptions of Turtle's physicality, the arrogant and circular language the boys used, and the picture that was painted in my head of landscape at the coast on which they lived.
Physical, verbal and sexual abuse- this book is gut-wrenching! Had I not been warned, I’m not sure if I would have continued, but the story of Turtle and her father was worth reading.
Wow! It's so hard to find the words to describe this haunting, deeply moving book. It is beautifully written and stirs every possible emotion. And that is what also makes it so painful and difficult to read. It tackles some very tough subject matter and in my opinion should not be classified as a young adult book. But perhaps it could be helpful for a troubled teenager to relate to the main character, Turtle and her struggles. I would highly recommend this brilliant book for someone that I know well with the caution that the subject matter is disturbing and it is not going to be for everyone. I definitely understand the mixed reviews, but I predict that it will win many awards. It's a stunning debut by a very talented new writer and his future looks bright!
i seem to be reading a lot of books that are a real struggle to rate, but i nudged this up to 3* because i did really enjoy the writing style, even though the content is... another story.
my issues:
1. why was turtle's rape so romanticised? like, seriously. it was grim.
2. please... can we tone it down with the guns. i have an honorary degree in gun ownership after reading this, congratulations to me.
3. why... the fuck... didn't anna/any of turtle's teacher/any significant adult in turtle's life call the police or cps?
4. if, as is implied, turtle's mother committed suicide after she discovered martin was raping her daughter, shouldn't there have been some police investigation? scrutiny of the living arrangements of martin and turtle afterwards? some questioning of whether he was a fit caregiver? at least some presence of a social worker? it's suggested he was physically abusive since before turtle was born, so surely red flags would have been raised at some point? the man doesn't exactly hide the fact that he's not a good person. tbh, this book seems to read like an accidental indictment of child protection services failing to protect a child, and i say accidental because it's pretty clear that anna/brett's mother/jacob's parents are so tepid and glacier-slow to react because it's convenient for tallent's plot, not because it's a legitimate issue raised by the narrative.
5. i'll admit it's been a while since i was 14/15 years old, but i genuinely do not believe young teens talk like they do in this book. i didn't even know what postmodernism was at that age, let alone have enough of a grasp of it to make intellectual comments about it off the cuff.
6. the gun fight at the end just felt silly, and really pushed the boundaries of what is actually believable. how was turtle still able to handle a gun with the kind of injuries she had? why did a paramedic take the time to snap a photo of her staggering up the beach, literally holding in her guts, and then plaster said photo all over the town?
...
7. why is her nickname turtle? as far as i recall, this is never addressed and i... don't get it.
basically, i see why fans of a little life would enjoy this book.
my issues:
1. why was turtle's rape so romanticised? like, seriously. it was grim.
2. please... can we tone it down with the guns. i have an honorary degree in gun ownership after reading this, congratulations to me.
3. why... the fuck... didn't anna/any of turtle's teacher/any significant adult in turtle's life call the police or cps?
4. if, as is implied, turtle's mother committed suicide after she discovered martin was raping her daughter, shouldn't there have been some police investigation? scrutiny of the living arrangements of martin and turtle afterwards? some questioning of whether he was a fit caregiver? at least some presence of a social worker? it's suggested he was physically abusive since before turtle was born, so surely red flags would have been raised at some point? the man doesn't exactly hide the fact that he's not a good person. tbh, this book seems to read like an accidental indictment of child protection services failing to protect a child, and i say accidental because it's pretty clear that anna/brett's mother/jacob's parents are so tepid and glacier-slow to react because it's convenient for tallent's plot, not because it's a legitimate issue raised by the narrative.
5. i'll admit it's been a while since i was 14/15 years old, but i genuinely do not believe young teens talk like they do in this book. i didn't even know what postmodernism was at that age, let alone have enough of a grasp of it to make intellectual comments about it off the cuff.
6. the gun fight at the end just felt silly, and really pushed the boundaries of what is actually believable. how was turtle still able to handle a gun with the kind of injuries she had? why did a paramedic take the time to snap a photo of her staggering up the beach, literally holding in her guts, and then plaster said photo all over the town?
...
7. why is her nickname turtle? as far as i recall, this is never addressed and i... don't get it.
basically, i see why fans of a little life would enjoy this book.
It was a compelling story, but I had to keep putting it down because the abuse described was a bit too graphic and also disgusting. I mean I’ve read real life accounts of child abuse that were less scaring. With that said, should you read it? Probably. And then you should look into how you can help foster children. Because this is real life for some kids.
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated