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chuckyinspace's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Incest, Child abuse, Rape, Pandemic/Epidemic, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Sexism, Terminal illness, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Suicide, Animal death, Blood, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Excrement, Confinement, Body horror, Grief, Death of parent, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Emotional abuse, Death, Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, Miscarriage, Medical content, and Infertility
whatzoreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Eating disorder, Incest, Child abuse, and Pedophilia
potsnpots's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Abandonment, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Eating disorder, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts
ifoundcallie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Rape, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Incest, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Miscarriage, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Vomit, Sexual assault, Infertility, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Body horror, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Confinement, Child death, Infidelity, and Alcohol
Minor: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
nottoolate's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
Beyond that-I can only imagine the author is inspired by the many insular fundamentalist Christian groups in America. It is a multiple pov story, with each character giving away small pieces that paint a horrifying picture of the society these poor girls live in. A dark but compelling story I couldn't stop reading.
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Animal cruelty, Pedophilia, Rape, Child death, Murder, and Incest
twistykris's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
Some might call the writing "flowery," but I found it to be beautiful and engrossing. The descriptions of the children running freely during the summers left me feeling nostalgic and entranced. The descriptions of the horrors made me sick to my stomach.
I appreciate that all of the perspectives are told from 4 girls, ranging from 13-17. This is their story, their journey, their sorrows and trauma, their love and triumphs.
There are very disturbing references to normalized, societal incest in this book. I struggled reading certain sections depicting overt abuse (physical, emotional, and sexual) of girls, young teens, and women. When reading disturbing content like this, I often wonder how the author could possibly get such imagery, and I wonder if it's for "shock value" more than anything. But after reading about Jennie's experience working with traumatized and sexually abused children, it made me understand that this was not "shock value" content, but a deep understanding. Jennie is knowledgeable of what she is portraying and does it well.
An uncomfortable read that will stick with me for a long time. Rating may be updated in the future.
Graphic: Child death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual assault, Suicide, Ableism, Alcoholism, Death, Blood, Child abuse, Rape, Sexism, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, and Misogyny
Moderate: Infertility, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Grief, and Excrement
Minor: Body shaming and Bullying
This book has references to child abuse and incest between fathers and daughters. While it isn't overly graphic and a lot of the abuse is implied, it is an integral part of the story and can be very difficult to read. The author, Jennie Melamed, "is a psychiatric nurse practitioner who specializes in working with traumatized children. During her doctoral work at the University of Washington, she investigated anthropological, biological, and cultural aspects of child sexual abuse."whatvictoriaread's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Child death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Incest, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Blood, Body shaming, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, and Suicide
lovefromhannah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Death, Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Rape, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Infertility, Incest, and Grief
rebyreadsandwrites's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
Graphic: Child death, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Grief, Infertility, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Blood, Confinement, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Violence, Medical content, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Ableism
jewelia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Incest, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Grief, Infertility, Medical content, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault