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recreated's review against another edition
I didn't care for the narrator's accent but listened anyway. Got through about 40% of the book and it didn't really grip me. Also, it started getting into subjects that I wasn't interested in at the time. After several months (1/31/2024), I wasn't interested in revisiting it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse and Racism
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
megwilli's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Racism
corriejn's review against another edition
4.5
Story of two teen girls in 1920s rural Mississippi whose lives intersect. I feel like the end was slightly abrupt, and I may have missed it but I don't know what happened to one supporting character in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Racism, Animal death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Miscarriage
sparklycowboy's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Maybe it’s my fault for binge reading (listening to) this at work, but after the dog died I couldn’t take it anymore, and almost gave it up entirely!! They experienced tragedy and trauma, with no sense of emotional friendships forming between the two girls. I found myself not even engaged in the murder story because of the countless traumas that just piled on one after another. I just wanted it to end!
The redeeming quality of the book for me was the midwife character Gertie, with all of her medicinal, herbal and folklore knowledge. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the lives of the girls on a rural homestead on the 1920s, and hearing about the day to day of their lives.
Overall, it was an interesting read but just way too intense for my liking, and not like Where the Crawdads Sing at all, except for in the setting of a swamp. The authors interview at the end of the audiobook was helpful in explaining the story and the writing, so I hope that is included in the hard copy as well!
The redeeming quality of the book for me was the midwife character Gertie, with all of her medicinal, herbal and folklore knowledge. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the lives of the girls on a rural homestead on the 1920s, and hearing about the day to day of their lives.
Overall, it was an interesting read but just way too intense for my liking, and not like Where the Crawdads Sing at all, except for in the setting of a swamp. The authors interview at the end of the audiobook was helpful in explaining the story and the writing, so I hope that is included in the hard copy as well!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Child death, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Miscarriage, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, and Pregnancy
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Rape
betag1013's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Abandonment, Death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Alcohol, Grief, Murder, Misogyny, Classism, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Racism
thebookwormkatie's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Racism
Minor: Child death
stellarya's review
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Racism, and Child abuse
Moderate: Animal death and Alcoholism
amandasbookreview's review
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“But it always happens you get what you need, a little at a time. You get through a hour, then a day, then a week. Then you look back and it’s been a year, and then more years, and good things found a way in, too. And in time, you see that them you lost are holding you up and moving you on. Helping you see the good. You ain’t done with good things to come.”
THE GIRLS IN THE STILT HOUSE
The Girls in the Stilt House by Kelly Mustian was the December selection for the Bookstorians Book Club and for me it was definitely a winner! I heard that it is similar to Where the Crawdad’s Sing but I never got around to that one. I am actually kind of grateful for that because now I can review this book with a clean slate. I don’t have to worry about the comparison hype.
Trigger Warnings: Rape, Assault, Racism, Lynching, Pregnancy Loss, Death
This book tells the story of two women who find themselves together in a dangerous place. First is Ada, a white woman from Trace who vowed to never go back after she ran away with the man she loved and who she thought loved her in return. Now, she must return home to the cruel man she calls father. She wouldn’t normally go back, but she must for the sake of her unborn child. Then there is Matilda, a Black woman who comes from a family of sharecroppers in Trace. She has dreams of going North and writing for a newspaper. However, events lead them together and they must stick together in order to survive.
This book grabbed me from the very beginning. While I was completely immersed, it is a difficult read. There is a lot of trauma that these characters endure, this book is not for sensitive readers. However, a lot of the themes are meant to make us uncomfortable and heartbroken. These are experiences that really happened and we need to hear these stories whether fictional or not. Matilda is described as prickly and temperamental. I found her to be cautious because she had to survive. She knew who the monsters were and even worse, she knew they didn’t even have to hide. While Ada experiences her own trauma, she is very naive about the world and naive about the experiences of others.
I did appreciate how the author tried to find a balance between describing a beautiful setting and exposing the dangers that lurk there. I really enjoyed this book and also went through a box of tissues. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Trigger Warnings: Rape, Assault, Racism, Lynching, Pregnancy Loss, Death
This book tells the story of two women who find themselves together in a dangerous place. First is Ada, a white woman from Trace who vowed to never go back after she ran away with the man she loved and who she thought loved her in return. Now, she must return home to the cruel man she calls father. She wouldn’t normally go back, but she must for the sake of her unborn child. Then there is Matilda, a Black woman who comes from a family of sharecroppers in Trace. She has dreams of going North and writing for a newspaper. However, events lead them together and they must stick together in order to survive.
This book grabbed me from the very beginning. While I was completely immersed, it is a difficult read. There is a lot of trauma that these characters endure, this book is not for sensitive readers. However, a lot of the themes are meant to make us uncomfortable and heartbroken. These are experiences that really happened and we need to hear these stories whether fictional or not. Matilda is described as prickly and temperamental. I found her to be cautious because she had to survive. She knew who the monsters were and even worse, she knew they didn’t even have to hide. While Ada experiences her own trauma, she is very naive about the world and naive about the experiences of others.
I did appreciate how the author tried to find a balance between describing a beautiful setting and exposing the dangers that lurk there. I really enjoyed this book and also went through a box of tissues. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
bookmarkedbya's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Murder, Racism, Death, Child death, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
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