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deezy's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Rape, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
kponturo's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Abandonment
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Out June 28, 2022 [Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!]
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Vera has lived her entire life in a small town with a unique affliction—mothers spontaneously vanish without warning, and without a trace. But when she becomes a mother herself, she finally begins to question the affliction—and whether she will have to lose her daughter to save herself.
Frankly, this is a bit of a weird book. It’s beautifully written, but it also has incredibly long chapters and a plot where not a ton happens. I’m a big fan of what I consider “creeping dystopia” novels, where the horror of the world slowly builds until you realize its true colors, and although this has some of those vibes, I think I wanted a bit more of it. I also didn’t love the characters, which meant I didn’t really sympathize with anyone as much as I wanted to.
All of that said, there is a lot to redeem this book—it is short but packs an emotional punch, it is decidedly original, and it is definitely thought-provoking, especially for the current moment in time where questions about motherhood and our treatment of mothers are more relevant than ever. While it didn’t fully land with me, I definitely didn’t dislike it—so if the premise sounds interesting to you I’d recommend giving it a chance.
Recommended if you like: unique feminist dystopia; questions about motherhood; short and emotional reads.
CW: Sexual assault; loss of parent; loss of child.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Vera has lived her entire life in a small town with a unique affliction—mothers spontaneously vanish without warning, and without a trace. But when she becomes a mother herself, she finally begins to question the affliction—and whether she will have to lose her daughter to save herself.
Frankly, this is a bit of a weird book. It’s beautifully written, but it also has incredibly long chapters and a plot where not a ton happens. I’m a big fan of what I consider “creeping dystopia” novels, where the horror of the world slowly builds until you realize its true colors, and although this has some of those vibes, I think I wanted a bit more of it. I also didn’t love the characters, which meant I didn’t really sympathize with anyone as much as I wanted to.
All of that said, there is a lot to redeem this book—it is short but packs an emotional punch, it is decidedly original, and it is definitely thought-provoking, especially for the current moment in time where questions about motherhood and our treatment of mothers are more relevant than ever. While it didn’t fully land with me, I definitely didn’t dislike it—so if the premise sounds interesting to you I’d recommend giving it a chance.
Recommended if you like: unique feminist dystopia; questions about motherhood; short and emotional reads.
CW: Sexual assault; loss of parent; loss of child.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Child death
julesleigh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
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