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mlykins's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Suicide, Grief, Racism, Emotional abuse, and Death
rebeckareads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Physical abuse and Racism
rubberrosebooks'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Classism, Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Racism
saltnvinnies'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Suicide, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Death of parent, Mental illness, Police brutality, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Abandonment and Bullying
midnightmarauder'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? Yes
4.5
The story follows Lily Owens, a fourteen-year-old girl living in South Carolina in 1964. She lives with her abusive father, T. Ray, who is a constant ticking time bomb, and Rosaleen, a black woman who works as a maid in the Owens household and has been a motherly figure to Lily for as long as she can remember.
Lily's mother died when she was four, the specifics of which are hazy in her memory. She holds on to the few belongings that her mother left behind, and, after a difficult night with T. Ray, she flees her house, eventually ending up in the care of the Boatwright sisters.
What I liked about this book was the fact that Lily got a happy ending. One of my favorite tropes is the found family trope, and both the book and movie fulfilled it. Lily knew she would never truly be happy if she stayed with T. Ray, so even though her running away could've ended badly, I'm glad she decided to leave. She always had a family waiting for her in the pink house and it just took her some time to find them.
I watched the movie way before I read the book, so I have a softer spot for the film adaptation. The characters really come to life on screen, and each actress that played the Boatwright sisters (Queen Latifah as August, Alicia Keys as June, and Sophie Okonedo as May) did an amazing job in their roles.
Graphic: Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Abandonment, Grief, Racism, Death of parent, Hate crime, Physical abuse, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Bullying
sauvageloup's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
pacing felt a little slow in a couple of places but that was part of the charm.
loved the mix of depicting the time periods racism, lily dealing with the loss of her mother, the goings on with August, may and June, and the beautiful descriptions of them and the surroundings and the bees.
Graphic: Grief, Hate crime, Child abuse, Blood, Violence, Vomit, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Racism, Emotional abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Abandonment
schorlett's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Gun violence
Moderate: Grief, Suicide, Death, and Mental illness
Minor: Blood, Bullying, and Pregnancy
laurajenkins'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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Child abuse, Hate crime, Death, Racial slurs, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Police brutality
itsy719's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Moderate: Abandonment, Gun violence, Slavery, Bullying, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Child abuse
Minor: Vomit
kristapeters'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
4.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Cursing, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse