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moorealexa's review against another edition
4.0
"If only this world loved living girls as much as it loves dead ones."
"There's an enormous hole in the gun lobby's logic and it's the question of who is protected by a gun. If we have the right to a gun, don't we have the right to be kept safe from a gun, too?"
This was a really good, and necessary, Young Adult book. I love the idea of YA books tackling big topics such as domestic violence, and gun control. This reminded me of one of my favorite books of all time, A Heart in a Body in a World, just a little less hard-hitting for me. At times this was a little simple for me but I highly recommend to younger readers!
"There's an enormous hole in the gun lobby's logic and it's the question of who is protected by a gun. If we have the right to a gun, don't we have the right to be kept safe from a gun, too?"
This was a really good, and necessary, Young Adult book. I love the idea of YA books tackling big topics such as domestic violence, and gun control. This reminded me of one of my favorite books of all time, A Heart in a Body in a World, just a little less hard-hitting for me. At times this was a little simple for me but I highly recommend to younger readers!
neglet's review against another edition
Swept me along—compelling story, engaging protagonists, and beautiful use of mythological references. It has a point to make, yes, but it’s an important one and it’s done movingly and effectively.
emmm_'s review against another edition
4.0
A moving and powerful read. McCauley tackles difficult conversations and topics in a delicate manner, especially gun and domestic violence. The podcast chapters kept it interesting and fresh, playing into the popularity of the true crime genre. While difficult to read at times, the book's overall messages of growing from grief and fighting for change are very well done.
zbrarian's review against another edition
5.0
This was an incredible sophomore YA novel. A story of three friends and the aftermath of a school shooting, two survived, one died at the hands of the shooter. This is the story of a friendship that is able to cross the boundaries of earth and heaven. Cassie is shot and killed by her abusive boyfriend, Vivian is hit in the crossfire. Beck was not there that day and blames herself for Cassie’s death and Vivian’s injury. When Cassie appears to them in Beck’s VW bus, the two friends begin a quest of vengeance and justice for Cassie. Told from multiple perspectives (Beck & Vivian, Cassie in novel in verse format & the We Can Be Heroes Podcast), this is a heart wrenching & uplifting story about justice and the bond of friendship.
TW: domestic abuse, gun violence, neglect
TW: domestic abuse, gun violence, neglect
sadathena's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence and Domestic abuse
bookscatstacos's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
A beautiful, heartbreaking story about gun violence, domestic abuse, and the power found in the grief and stories of young women. Told from the perspective of three friends, interspersed with podcast episodes, the story of Cassie Queen, her friends, and the powerful gun manufacturer who runs their town unfolds. When the town moves on too quickly from Cassie’s murder at the hands of her well connected boyfriend, the girls use stories from Greek mythology depicted in clandestine murals to highlight the loss of their friend and the culpability of the firearms industry.
I absolutely adored this book. The story is vivid and powerful, and the use of art and myth to both process grief and speak truth to power is very well done. I loved that there are so many different formats and perspectives to this book, creating a broad appeal to many types of readers.
Absolutely thrilled to have started the new year with such a strong read, and one I will be thinking about for a long time.
I absolutely adored this book. The story is vivid and powerful, and the use of art and myth to both process grief and speak truth to power is very well done. I loved that there are so many different formats and perspectives to this book, creating a broad appeal to many types of readers.
Absolutely thrilled to have started the new year with such a strong read, and one I will be thinking about for a long time.
torithelibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
I have never read a work of fiction that so thoughtfully and completely tackles issues of domestic violence (particularly in young relationships) and the manifestations of trauma, both shared and individual. There is not an ounce of tragedy being romanticized for which I think Kyrie McCauley indefinitely. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.