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marthadude's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Cute but almost to the point of cringe in places.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia
Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Fatphobia, Hate crime, and Death of parent
abbiechron's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- 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
Seriously cannot recommend this book enough. The audiobook added lots of quirky character building with different voices. There were many smiles, heartaches, and times where I just sat laughing literally out loud. Fantastic comfort book with an undertone of mystery.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Animal death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
sammirosewater's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- 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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Minor: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
m0usey's review
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A really cute and fun read. There are some darker themes but it’s not tragic, and it feels good to read. Also, the world building is so good!! The picture the author paints of the world and of the characters jumps off the page and is totally immersive.
Overall it’s a lovely little love story about found family, finding happiness, and just a little bit of magic.
Overall it’s a lovely little love story about found family, finding happiness, and just a little bit of magic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Alcohol
martapsalvado's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
(4,25 ⭐️)
well maybe I like fantasy after all but only wholesome fantasy
well maybe I like fantasy after all but only wholesome fantasy
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, and Abandonment
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Death of parent
infinitefandomstrash's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Xenophobia
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Fatphobia, and Abandonment
Minor: Death
zoecjohnson's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Cannibalism, and Death of parent
planetshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
This book is so sweet and makes me want to forget about my huge TBR to reread it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, and Forced institutionalization
nav26's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- 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
5.0
Linus is an employee for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY). He's a case worker who inspects the orphanages for magical children to ensure the children are treated well, and makes recommendations on whether the orphanages should stay open or not. Linus has his routines and is content with his life in the gray, rainy city with his cat, Calliope. When Linus is assigned to a mysterious orphanage on Marsyas Island that supposedly houses the most dangerous of magical children, his whole life changes.
I adored this book. It felt like a children's book written for adults, in the best way: whimsical, magical, fun, tender, and so so heartwarming. I genuinely felt happy after finishing this one. It started a little bit slow for me when things were being set up, and even once Linus arrived on the island. But soon I was excited to see the children's antics and to learn more about who they were. It was wonderful to see how Linus's views changed and his heart opened as he spent more time on the island. The children stole my heart in the exact way they stole Linus's - slowly and without me even realizing. All of a sudden I was like "of COURSE Lucy would say that" or "typical Talia". The connections made between Linus and the children make you genuinely care for all of the characters deeply. TJ Klune invites you into this special world and warms your heart so easily, and it's amazing to watch as Linus realizes the life he's always led is not nearly enough anymore. Will definitely be reading TJ Klune's other novel, Under the Whispering Door, when I get a chance!
I adored this book. It felt like a children's book written for adults, in the best way: whimsical, magical, fun, tender, and so so heartwarming. I genuinely felt happy after finishing this one. It started a little bit slow for me when things were being set up, and even once Linus arrived on the island. But soon I was excited to see the children's antics and to learn more about who they were. It was wonderful to see how Linus's views changed and his heart opened as he spent more time on the island. The children stole my heart in the exact way they stole Linus's - slowly and without me even realizing. All of a sudden I was like "of COURSE Lucy would say that" or "typical Talia". The connections made between Linus and the children make you genuinely care for all of the characters deeply. TJ Klune invites you into this special world and warms your heart so easily, and it's amazing to watch as Linus realizes the life he's always led is not nearly enough anymore. Will definitely be reading TJ Klune's other novel, Under the Whispering Door, when I get a chance!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Classism
Minor: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Abandonment
malaikawrites's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I want to start off this review by mentioning that there are tragic events that inspired this novel which are the main reason why I will not be giving this novel an official star rating. The Sixties Scoop was a traumatic, unbelievably painful reality for many Indigenous families and children that suffered at the hands of the Canadian government. A fantasy book where Indigenous children are equated to "monsters" from the start to allow space for the author to prove their humanity within the text is questionable at the very best and does a major disservice to the real people that suffered unimaginable trauma from the original events. Equating what was essentially genocide to a feel-good fantasy novel with a heartwarming "love conquers all" message is just so... wrong.
The book, and the controversy around it, has managed to push important conversations into the spotlight. The inspirations for the book paired with the story the book told allowed for many conversations within the bookish community around white saviourism, the historical and current mistreatment of Indigenous people as well as a vast amount of other linked topics. Though I find myself disappointed in Klune, I do think that it's long overdue for the conversations his book brought to the spotlight to be taken as seriously as it recently has been.
While writing this review I would also like to make it clear that my moral compass is anything but perfect. The controversy around this book only further sparked my interest to read the book myself. I have seen many opinions on the book and the less than savoury inspirations for it, having read up on the topic on multiple occasions, and I have wanted to read the source material for myself to gain a more solidified understanding of how not just the concept, but the book itself, managed to spark major conversation in a book world where both authors and books can be truly diabolical at times with little effect to a books overall image. What made public reactions so different this time around? I know it's not right, but curiosity got the better of me by far with this one and the book quickly became a "must read" in my lifetime BECAUSE of the messed up origins and the conversations surrounding it.
I won't sit here and lie to you all, I really did love this book. Klune's writing style is lovely and easy to work through (if not a bit repetitive), the characters and their dynamics and interactions were thoroughly enjoyable and the story itself is sweet and totally worth the read despite being a tad bit cliche. What so many people have said is right: the book is fantastic. I could easily see myself rating this book 4-5 stars in a different world where Klune wrote a sweet fantasy novel about monsters deserving love too inspired by a cute children's book or movie... and but that's not reality. In the real world Indigenous people who went through horrendous physical, emotional and psychological abuse were used to make a cute little fantasy about how monsters, specifically the literal devil's child, have feelings too... it's easy to see why the reality of the situation is unsavoury, exploitative and inexcusable. Though this book is wonderful, the harsh realities of the story behind it cannot simply disappear due to it being a great body of literature. Every positive thing I have to say about the novel should forever be taken with a grain of salt because of the truly disgusting connotations the author's inspiration implies about Indigenous people, the author and the story itself.
The idea of separating the art from the artist is an idea that allows us to consume content guilt free. This time it's different. You cannot separate this book from the events that the author said inspired it. Despite how great this book may be, there's no clear divide here that allows for readers to put enough distance between their morality and the books shortcomings. The major issues with this book cannot easily be put in the backseat. No matter how in love I am with this story, I could never in good conscious take this book seriously enough to give it a legitimate rating. The realities behind this novel weren't the authors story to tell and the author shouldn't be given any legitimacy for telling it.
The book, and the controversy around it, has managed to push important conversations into the spotlight. The inspirations for the book paired with the story the book told allowed for many conversations within the bookish community around white saviourism, the historical and current mistreatment of Indigenous people as well as a vast amount of other linked topics. Though I find myself disappointed in Klune, I do think that it's long overdue for the conversations his book brought to the spotlight to be taken as seriously as it recently has been.
While writing this review I would also like to make it clear that my moral compass is anything but perfect. The controversy around this book only further sparked my interest to read the book myself. I have seen many opinions on the book and the less than savoury inspirations for it, having read up on the topic on multiple occasions, and I have wanted to read the source material for myself to gain a more solidified understanding of how not just the concept, but the book itself, managed to spark major conversation in a book world where both authors and books can be truly diabolical at times with little effect to a books overall image. What made public reactions so different this time around? I know it's not right, but curiosity got the better of me by far with this one and the book quickly became a "must read" in my lifetime BECAUSE of the messed up origins and the conversations surrounding it.
I won't sit here and lie to you all, I really did love this book. Klune's writing style is lovely and easy to work through (if not a bit repetitive), the characters and their dynamics and interactions were thoroughly enjoyable and the story itself is sweet and totally worth the read despite being a tad bit cliche. What so many people have said is right: the book is fantastic. I could easily see myself rating this book 4-5 stars in a different world where Klune wrote a sweet fantasy novel about monsters deserving love too inspired by a cute children's book or movie... and but that's not reality. In the real world Indigenous people who went through horrendous physical, emotional and psychological abuse were used to make a cute little fantasy about how monsters, specifically the literal devil's child, have feelings too... it's easy to see why the reality of the situation is unsavoury, exploitative and inexcusable. Though this book is wonderful, the harsh realities of the story behind it cannot simply disappear due to it being a great body of literature. Every positive thing I have to say about the novel should forever be taken with a grain of salt because of the truly disgusting connotations the author's inspiration implies about Indigenous people, the author and the story itself.
The idea of separating the art from the artist is an idea that allows us to consume content guilt free. This time it's different. You cannot separate this book from the events that the author said inspired it. Despite how great this book may be, there's no clear divide here that allows for readers to put enough distance between their morality and the books shortcomings. The major issues with this book cannot easily be put in the backseat. No matter how in love I am with this story, I could never in good conscious take this book seriously enough to give it a legitimate rating. The realities behind this novel weren't the authors story to tell and the author shouldn't be given any legitimacy for telling it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Xenophobia
Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Death, and Fatphobia