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sassyykassie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Child death, Miscarriage, Xenophobia, and Classism
annikamanika's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I was in tears within the first few chapters, and I found myself in spontaneous tears repeatedly. Some of it was the author’s intention, and some of it was how I perceived it through a sense of relating to my own life.
The book opens about 10 years before the Depression and the Dustbowl, and it centers around a young woman (Elsa) who is constantly made to feel and told outright that she is unlovable and even unlikable the way she is by her parents and her sisters. Their highest aspiration for her is to live a quiet life, alone in her parents' home. It centers around how Elsa learns to love herself, how she finds her voice, and how her childhood informs her adult choices.
I HAAATED the way it ended, but it makes sense. It is tragic and has many triggers, but it is beautiful.
I will also mention that I listened to this as an audio book which has commentary from the author as bonus material. I highly recommend it.
Graphic: Miscarriage, Classism, Death of parent, Child death, Violence, Gun violence, Grief, Sexism, Abandonment, Pregnancy, and Xenophobia
Minor: Police brutality and Sexual content
sophia_'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? No
3.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, and Classism
Moderate: Chronic illness, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Animal death, Grief, Religious bigotry, Violence, Xenophobia, and Death
faduma's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Bullying, Police brutality, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Child death, Classism, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
abbasaurusrex's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, Xenophobia, Classism, and Sexism
Moderate: Miscarriage, Police brutality, Violence, and Child death
Minor: Pregnancy and Deportation
lidia7's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
Graphic: Xenophobia, Death of parent, Child death, Classism, Miscarriage, and Death
Moderate: Abandonment, Animal death, Grief, and Police brutality
Minor: Emotional abuse, Deportation, Bullying, Religious bigotry, Blood, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Pandemic/Epidemic, Gun violence, Body shaming, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, and Animal cruelty
happyreads'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Xenophobia, Police brutality, Miscarriage, Death, Hate crime, Death of parent, Gun violence, Child death, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Bullying, and Abandonment
Moderate: Terminal illness, Medical trauma, and Grief
Minor: Alcohol
kels24'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, Abandonment, Bullying, and Gun violence
Moderate: Sexism, Racism, Xenophobia, Violence, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, Child death, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Animal death, and Death
Minor: Grief
marybsimp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Gun violence, Death of parent, Classism, Death, Racism, Grief, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, and Slavery
corriejn's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Graphic: Xenophobia, Abandonment, and Classism
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Gun violence, Death of parent, Alcohol, Grief, Terminal illness, Blood, Chronic illness, Medical content, Violence, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Sexual content, Child death, and Death
Minor: Vomit
The audiobook version includes a really lovely short interview with the author and the narrator, that sheds interesting light on the process of writing the book and creating the characters, as well as the process of bringing the story to life via the audiobook narration.