Scan barcode
abbyjme's review
4.0
I saw the review VE Schwab left for this book and I could agree more “ Clever,dark, and hopeful—a love letter to reading, and the power that childhood stories have over as long after we’ve grown up”
I’m not gonna spoil anything but let’s just say I was happy scream crying while reading the last few chapters.
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, and Abortion
boop123's review
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, and Grief
Minor: Miscarriage and Pedophilia
piperclover's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
I loved every single main character With my whole heart. Christopher is a very well written, realistic 8 year old. Lucy is such a good character because she feels so real. It feels like the author took a person she knows in real life and just wrote her into the story because she has these fully fleshed out thoughts and feelings and reactions and everything she does feels so well suited to the character.
I loved Hugo's povs and would've actually enjoyed more of them. I appreciate that there are so many povs and they work so well together to give an overall, well-rounded perspective of the whole story. Jack feels like a good balance of meddling rich old man and genuinely loving and sweet grandfather. I adore the ending so so much it makes all the anxiety worth it.
I usually deeply dislike any chapters or povs that are not integral to the plot but the chapters where we heard directly from the Clock Island Books were actually enjoyable and useful to the plot and character development.
There are so many good discussions of what makes a family, helping others, love, what it means to be a parent or guardian. There are some terrible things talked about that I was jumpscared by but I thought they were done as well as those topics could be. I also like that Jack is gay and its openly stated and discussed. The narrator was very good.
Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual violence
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Death of parent
olma's review
- 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
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Death
notbrhymes's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
What a beautiful, beautiful story brimming with love and whimsy and so much humanity. My heart was broken and repaired multiple times throughout this novel and I think it is such a feat when an author can accomplish that while also having an otherwise interesting story.
I read this in one sitting and I couldn’t be happier that I decided to ignore the other books that I had due back to the library much sooner & I picked this one up instead.
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, and Death of parent
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Minor: Cancer
karapillar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Eating disorder
readingwithmeredith's review
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Minor: Miscarriage and Medical content
Super minor language, child neglect/wounds from parents for multiple charactersjangeliquereads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, and Miscarriage
gildedspines's review
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Miscarriage, and Terminal illness
kedalrymple's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Medical content
Minor: Miscarriage and Pedophilia