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hadeshotline's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Self harm, Child death, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Islamophobia, War, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Homophobia
chronicoverthinker's review
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Oskar is a nine year old boy who tries to find out stuff about his dad who died in the world trade center during 9/11.
I had many issues with this book:
There are three storylines: Oskars, his granddads (Thomas Sr.) and his grandmas (she doesn't even have a name). It was extremely confusing and maybe I'm just not artsy and smart enough to read this book but I wish there was an explaination for it (I get it now but it took some time).
In general this book really tried to be different and trendy, as example with it's pages being filled with only one sentence. I know it's the grandpa's book but why would he only write one sentence on a page? Make it make sense!!
The characters are my biggest issue: the grandma literally spend her whole life doing nothing and then kind of getting back together with the grandpa because she didn't even know if she loved him but she loved not being alone? Apart from this line and intention being extremely unhealthy amd toxic, why didn't she just marry another person instead of being sad and somehow always watching oskar?? I mean if it wasn't about loving Thomas, then why would it be him again?
Her way of working through her trauma was really upsetting because she pretended that her actions were normal (the nail thing) even though she had problems with leaving people the fuck alone and Oskar probably just assumef every Grandma is so controlling and focused on their grandson like wtf.
Even though the Mother knew where Oskar was all this time it's still upsetting that she never asked him or did something. I don't think letting a nine year old randomly walk three hours through new york to find some strangers and talk to them in their apartment is a good idea. Sure, there qas the 6A Black in the end but before that??
And then there was Oskar himself: described as being an intelligent nine year old boy who knew so many random things and always asked the right questions. He was so annoying, the way he just started assuming things about people he just met and really pressured them into doing things wtf. He knew since he first met her that Abby Black was hiding something and HE didn't ask. And didn't listen to the voice messages on his dad's phone. And he still blames her for the fact that she lied?? Lying isn't cool and everything but she has the right to not tell him her entire lifestory and keep her secrets HE LIED THE WHOLE FUCKING BOOK and he didnt use the phone so it really isn't her fault and I hate that he makes himself the victim because hEs jUsT a niNe yEaR oLd bOy.
Abby Black's and his relationship was generally weird. First, he tried to convince her to kiss him (she's in her 30's or 40's and he's 9), she said no several times, he didn't stop. And then SHE TELLS HIM TO KISS HER eight months later and that she is going to kiss him back wtf.
Additionally to living the double standard and randomly having the urge to kiss grown women Oskar's also racist.
He describes Chinese people in a really disgusting way and compared their eyes to how he squeezes them (he said something similar to "they look like you're really chinese"). There's a taiwanese guy with a I♡NY button. Oskar, who's supposed to be super smart, things, it means something related to his love to taiwan and asia, becaude the Y or N and the I have a similar sound. Why does he know that a language he doesn't speak and the N or Y of his native language have a similar sound but he doesn't know what I♡NY means, while living in New York City?? He could have seen the obvious but he chose to be racist.
In the end, this whole book is just disappointing, the whole story is pointless, everyone's sad, they proceed to ignore their problems and trauma, there's still no communication and it's just fucking boring.
I had many issues with this book:
In general this book really tried to be different and trendy, as example with it's pages being filled with only one sentence. I know it's the grandpa's book but why would he only write one sentence on a page? Make it make sense!!
The characters are my biggest issue: the grandma literally spend her whole life doing nothing and then kind of getting back together with the grandpa because she didn't even know if she loved him but she loved not being alone? Apart from this line and intention being extremely unhealthy amd toxic, why didn't she just marry another person instead of being sad and somehow always watching oskar?? I mean if it wasn't about loving Thomas, then why would it be him again?
Her way of working through her trauma was really upsetting because she pretended that her actions were normal (the nail thing) even though she had problems with leaving people the fuck alone and Oskar probably just assumef every Grandma is so controlling and focused on their grandson like wtf.
Even though the Mother knew where Oskar was all this time it's still upsetting that she never asked him or did something. I don't think letting a nine year old randomly walk three hours through new york to find some strangers and talk to them in their apartment is a good idea. Sure, there qas the 6A Black in the end but before that??
And then there was Oskar himself: described as being an intelligent nine year old boy who knew so many random things and always asked the right questions. He was so annoying, the way he just started assuming things about people he just met and really pressured them into doing things wtf. He knew since he first met her that Abby Black was hiding something and HE didn't ask. And didn't listen to the voice messages on his dad's phone. And he still blames her for the fact that she lied?? Lying isn't cool and everything but she has the right to not tell him her entire lifestory and keep her secrets HE LIED THE WHOLE FUCKING BOOK and he didnt use the phone so it really isn't her fault and I hate that he makes himself the victim because hEs jUsT a niNe yEaR oLd bOy.
Abby Black's and his relationship was generally weird. First, he tried to convince her to kiss him (she's in her 30's or 40's and he's 9), she said no several times, he didn't stop. And then SHE TELLS HIM TO KISS HER eight months later and that she is going to kiss him back wtf.
Additionally to living the double standard and randomly having the urge to kiss grown women Oskar's also racist.
He describes Chinese people in a really disgusting way and compared their eyes to how he squeezes them (he said something similar to "they look like you're really chinese"). There's a taiwanese guy with a I♡NY button. Oskar, who's supposed to be super smart, things, it means something related to his love to taiwan and asia, becaude the Y or N and the I have a similar sound. Why does he know that a language he doesn't speak and the N or Y of his native language have a similar sound but he doesn't know what I♡NY means, while living in New York City?? He could have seen the obvious but he chose to be racist.
In the end, this whole book is just disappointing, the whole story is pointless, everyone's sad, they proceed to ignore their problems and trauma, there's still no communication and it's just fucking boring.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
Minor: Self harm, Sexism, and Racism
blondeslater's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Death
Moderate: Racism and Abandonment
Minor: Self harm
aidrielle's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
3.0
there were parts i really hated and parts i really loved, so 3 stars is the only rating that makes sense, even though this book doesn't feel like a 3-star book if that makes sense :/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Ableism, Racism, Islamophobia, and Rape
skudiklier's review
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Grief, Self harm, Violence, Animal death, and Bullying
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Rape, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, and Cursing
Minor: Fatphobia, Homophobia, Incest, Islamophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Xenophobia
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