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Moderate: Blood
Minor: Ableism
Beautiful, mysterious, and this book in particular strikes an ominous drumbeat very effectively. Like the rest of this series, some questions are never very clearly answered, but you're left with a mystical, un-articulatable understanding on a much deeper level.
There is so much meaning to mine out of this book, but (as an adult) I find it very accessible, in a Narnia sort of way. There's delight for what you're picking up but you don't feel like you're missing stuff because the story is so engaging.
Some will want it noted that the ending is
As a side note, I love the portrayal of disability as beautiful diversity, as well as the picture of community and loving kindness, whole and marred and healed.
Moderate: Death, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Cursing, Blood
Shakespeare is quoted - "out, d*mn'd spot!"
A boy stabs himself in the knee to demonstrate his
"It looked as if first the vines grabbed him by the neck and pulled tight. Poor Gatherer. He had grabbed at them to pull loose but then they curled around his hands as well. He was completely entangled. The look on his face was fearsome. His eyes were open but twigs and all had started to enter under the lids. And they were in his mouth, too. I could see something wrapped around his tongue."
"His arms, poisoned by the sap, had festered and were seeping, swollen, and hot. The path was almost entirely overgrown now, and the bushes clawed at him, scraping at the infected burns until he was close to sobbing with the pain." .... wounds fester later and other similar descriptions.
There were some interesting plot points that I felt deserved more time and exploration within the village.
I do feel like the story ended rather suddenly. More so than the first two.
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Child death, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Blood, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Child death
Minor: Child abuse
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child death, Death, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Child abuse, Self harm
Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Blood
Graphic: Ableism, Death
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Blood, Grief
I am not OK.
I can't describe the level of emotion I am currently feeling. I am anguished. The only book comparable in my recent reading history would be The Song of Achilles. This book has wrecked me. It's been thirty minutes since I finished it and I can't stop crying. How does a book so small contain so much love and pain? How did these characters capture my heart,
Moderate: Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism
I'm surprised ableism wasn't one of the CWs before I made this review.
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Death, Blood
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Death of parent