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mahtzahgay'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? No
3.0
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Ableism
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Death of parent
deanrossss'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
3.5
Graphic: Racial slurs, Incest, Xenophobia, and Racism
maceydowns's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Rape, Racism, Religious bigotry, Incest, Grief, Forced institutionalization, and Death
Moderate: Racial slurs, Animal death, Classism, Eating disorder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Pregnancy, Slavery, and Colonisation
emjbarnes'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Deportation, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Racism, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Police brutality, Death, Incest, Murder, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Rape, Animal death, and Child death
risemini's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Animal death, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Death of parent, Grief, Child death, Incest, Murder, Pregnancy, Death, Deportation, and Racism
loiscarlisle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Racism, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Suicide attempt, Murder, Child death, Sexual violence, Incest, Pregnancy, Forced institutionalization, and Adult/minor relationship
lottie1803'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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Grief, Incest, Racial slurs, Alcoholism, Deportation, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, Ableism, Murder, Racism, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Rape, Child death, Death, and Death of parent
deedireads'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? No
4.0
The book is a fully fictional story featuring fictional characters from a real place with a real history: Malaga Island off the coast of Maine, home of a mixed-race community that was evicted and partially institutionalized by the government. There are a lot of characters for a book, but not very many to serve as the sum total of all the island’s inhabitants; still, it’s easy to keep track of them (a testament to Harding’s skill) and even easier to love them.
My main complaint about this book was that it isn’t very researched at all; in an interview, Harding said that he heard about Malaga Island, got inspired, and then essentially stopped researching it (not even visiting), because he didn’t feel like those real people’s story was his to tell. That feels like a cop out to me.
Still, Harding succeeds in much of what he set out to do, at least: paint a devastating picture of eugenics, raise questions about the concept of paradise, and make his readers feel something deeply.
Graphic: Racism, Ableism, Incest, and Animal death
Moderate: Racial slurs, Rape, Pedophilia, and Forced institutionalization
taylormargaret's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Racial slurs, Animal death, Blood, Ableism, Incest, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Death, Forced institutionalization, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts
kirstym25'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? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Incest, Racism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Ableism and Animal cruelty