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alliecrosson203'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
5.0
Graphic: Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Confinement, Infidelity, and Mental illness
Moderate: Abandonment and Addiction
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Fatphobia, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, and Drug use
laurenkimoto's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Think if the Handmaids Tale, 1984, and Klara and the Sun had a book child.
Moderate: Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Gaslighting, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Drug use, Infertility, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Pregnancy, Self harm, Alcoholism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, and Miscarriage
ynotlime's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Racial slurs, Infidelity, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Death, Confinement, Bullying, Body shaming, Stalking, Sexual content, Sexism, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Classism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Violence, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Misogyny
summerleighann7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Grief, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Torture, Mental illness, and Forced institutionalization
jlautry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It’s a bit of a dystopian novel and really highlights the pressures that mothers face in society. The author had an incredible way of making you feel sorry for the characters, but also very much disliking them. None of the characters are loveable, and most are not hateable either. This takes an Animal Farm approach to child protective services and other related government agencies. Even though this is a dystopian setting, much of what happened has already happened to mothers and it’s tragic to say the least.
Towards the end, I found myself skimming pages and skipping paragraphs. I felt like it went just a little too long before getting to the conclusion of the story. It could have been about 40 pages shorter.
Overall, this book was unexpectedly a win for me. It also happened to coincide with some events that caused this to hit close to home, so it was a little extra emotional for me. I think it is definitely worth the read.
A single lapse in judgement by a mom stretched impossibly thin lands her in a government reform program she must complete and pass in order to get her daughter back. Any mom that’s ever had a terrible day at her wits end will be able to relate and sympathize with Frida, while also judging her with a hard side eye.
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness
Moderate: Child abuse, Suicide attempt, and Suicide
Minor: Racism and Racial slurs
krissysbooked's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Physical abuse, Confinement, Child abuse, Abandonment, Misogyny, Bullying, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
Moderate: Classism, Drug use, Outing, Pregnancy, Addiction, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping
maevebm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Chan has the foresight to see where our culture, one of an over-consumption of media and lack of public resources, is leading. She also naturally included so many other themes and issues, like interracial relationships, racism, divorce, intergenerational trauma, poverty, and single-parenting, that added to the story’s progression and depth.
I found myself angry with the situation and hoping for compassion to prevail.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Abandonment
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual assault, Racism, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, and Mental illness
Minor: Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Miscarriage, and Infidelity
alisonvh'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
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Ableism, Blood, Eating disorder, Suicide, Classism, Death, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Self harm
Minor: Alcohol, Blood, Cancer, Chronic illness, Rape, and Vomit
misserinelizabeth's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Self harm, Abandonment, Child abuse, Suicide, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Racial slurs
shanno_h0's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Confinement, Child abuse, and Self harm
Moderate: Suicide and Toxic relationship