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brokensporty's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
This is Conroy at his best, but this book is not for the faint of heart or easily offended. It has some very powerful scenes (child abuse, rape, sodomy, murder, racism and integration of schools, mental illness, etc) that need to be taken in context.
The blatant racism is included because it was a part of the time period the Wingo kids grew up in. Tom's early wanting to just ignore it and go along with his peers is exactly how things go down every day. That's what teenagers do. They try to fit in. Savannah is also representative of some teens. She stands up for what she knows is right no matter the consequences.
The graphic portrayal of the rape ties in to the coping mechanisms of different people. While I believe that Savannah's mental illness is hereditary, I also believe the events in her early life led directly to her dissociation and suicide attempts. Tom's way of dealing with being forcibly sodomized is far different from his sister's.
This is a beautifully written Southern story about family connections, abuse, mental illness, the power of the past, the power of forgiveness, and moving on. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to read Conroy.
The blatant racism is included because it was a part of the time period the Wingo kids grew up in. Tom's early wanting to just ignore it and go along with his peers is exactly how things go down every day. That's what teenagers do. They try to fit in. Savannah is also representative of some teens. She stands up for what she knows is right no matter the consequences.
The graphic portrayal of the rape ties in to the coping mechanisms of different people. While I believe that Savannah's mental illness is hereditary, I also believe the events in her early life led directly to her dissociation and suicide attempts. Tom's way of dealing with being forcibly sodomized is far different from his sister's.
This is a beautifully written Southern story about family connections, abuse, mental illness, the power of the past, the power of forgiveness, and moving on. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to read Conroy.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Self harm, Racial slurs, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Racism, Suicide attempt, Rape, and Toxic relationship
misskeesa's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Violence
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