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paracosim's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
3.25
Well, this is probably one of the more grim books I’ve ever read. What a bleak setting and even more bleak ending . The characters really shine in this book, along with the island itself and the history behind it all. I had no way of predicting the entirety of the plot—and I say that as a good thing. This is more of a thriller novel than a story about sisters finding each other. This is a sad story in general. Geez. I feel like I need a drink after reading it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Vomit, Suicide, Grief, and Classism
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, and Sexual content
Minor: Deportation
rachel17's review
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book is objectively good. It gets very real about the future of our climate, exploring themes of power, blame, and responsibility. And I love a good sci-fi twist. I think the main drawback for me was understanding some of the characters’ motivations. I wasn’t fully convinced by Celia’s ultimate choices, or by Actinium’s.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore and Vomit
biblioghoul's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Violence, and Suicide
Moderate: Death and Classism
Minor: Death of parent and Vomit
talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Blood, Cancer, Suicide, Medical content, Gore, Ableism, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Violence, and Classism
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Death of parent, Vomit, Child death, Sexual content, and Excrement
Climate crisis, pollution, natural disasters. Missing person, disappearance at sea. Strangulation/suffocation. Near drowning. Internalized ableism (neurodivergent-coded character experiences emotions in a way she views as "wrong" and "inhuman"). Needles (tattooing).augustar14's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- 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
3.25
I did find this book quite engaging. It has an air of mystery that has you wondering if what's happening is quite what it seems. The shifting point of view enhances this well. However, there were points I found underdeveloped or under explained which ultimately left me wanting at the end. <Spoiler> I didn't exactly understand the ending, whether it meant the reader was supposed to interpret what happened (and there was supposedly enough there to deduce a conclusion) or if it suggests that endings are ultimately unknown. Either way I felt confused and dissatisfied, wanting more information, to understand and know what did happen. </Spoiler>
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Terminal illness, Classism, and Grief
Moderate: Death, Abandonment, Violence, Vomit, War, Cancer, Bullying, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide
Minor: Racism, Sexual content, Blood, Cursing, Addiction, Mental illness, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
shoni's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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
5.0
You know think by now I have learned to not go in blind in a book. I knew nothing. It came highly recommended and Joan He's writing is amazing so of course I didn't even question it and picked it up. This did cause me to be a bit confused in the first 100 pages for a bit because the world-building just threw me off and I wasn't sure what the story itself was supposed to be. But that's around the time it started to make sense and I could see where we were, where the story was going.
Shortly after the story started I knew Cee and Kasey were somehow connected and I just couldn't figure it out. idk if it is a spoiler but I did think they were sisters for like the first few pages until I acutally thought about it. But the way Joan wrote both parts so seemlessly making it clear they connect somehow. Like i'm still not over how it was right when Cee lost Hubert, you see Kasey discover Hubert, like it's clear from the beginning that they take place at different times but at the same time you want to believe it and thing its happening at the same time and time just moves differently in Kasey's world than Cee's. Joan just managed to write about critizisim of the envormental and issues in such a way that can seem ridiculous but at the same time so real. You can see how people are slowly ignoring such important issues because it doesn't matter, it isn't an inconvenience to them at the moment, it will be an issue for the future generation. Which is the whole point of this book, stop making it other peoples problem who will suffer because of you.
I also love how each character you mean did play an important part in the story. No one was insignificant. They all either come back or you see why they showed up int first place.
CAN WE ALSO APPCICIATE THE TWIST! Oh my god those were justs so well done and both foreshadowed but also in such a way that you still were shocked and not ready for it. I also spend the last few chapters of the book just sitting in my sorrow and tears out of shock, sadness, hurt, aweness. Like everything. I think i went through all emotions a human can possible posses plus more at the end. Joan He really knows how to get the readers to feel and question. Her writing is truly something everyone must read. This book might have made me feel all of things but in all good ways.
Shortly after the story started I knew Cee and Kasey were somehow connected and I just couldn't figure it out.
I also love how each character you mean did play an important part in the story. No one was insignificant. They all either come back or you see why they showed up int first place.
CAN WE ALSO APPCICIATE THE TWIST! Oh my god those were justs so well done and both foreshadowed but also in such a way that you still were shocked and not ready for it. I also spend the last few chapters of the book just sitting in my sorrow and tears out of shock, sadness, hurt, aweness. Like everything. I think i went through all emotions a human can possible posses plus more at the end. Joan He really knows how to get the readers to feel and question. Her writing is truly something everyone must read. This book might have made me feel all of things but in all good ways.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Vomit
rhm04's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Drug use, Cancer, Terminal illness, Violence, Death of parent, Medical content, Murder, Self harm, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Abandonment, and Cursing
Minor: Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Vomit
booksthatburn's review against another edition
I don't like the feeling of being poised in suspense to find out whether the twist is obvious or strange. There are two main characters with two different understandings of what their reality is, and I got far enough to know I didn't care who was right, if one or both of them are actually dead, or if it's some additional permutation I didn't think of.
The island sequences were pretty cool, the world is an interesting dystopia, and I like the audiobook narrator. This just wasn't a story I like.
The island sequences were pretty cool, the world is an interesting dystopia, and I like the audiobook narrator. This just wasn't a story I like.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Terminal illness, Grief, Vomit, Child death, and Death
librarianlayla's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book hurts. It hurt me so much. I adored it.
Slow to start but it does pick up pace and I found myself unable to put it down, finally finishing it at 2am.
It's raw and heartfelt and sad and tragic.
If you love stories based on familial bonds, on tackling environmental issues and discovering one's purpose in life - this book is for you. But prepare your heart to break.
Slow to start but it does pick up pace and I found myself unable to put it down, finally finishing it at 2am.
It's raw and heartfelt and sad and tragic.
If you love stories based on familial bonds, on tackling environmental issues and discovering one's purpose in life - this book is for you. But prepare your heart to break.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Vomit, Blood, and Cancer
awxiee's review
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I was confused most of the time. It is kinda boring at some parts, tho it became better during the revelation part.
the ending is open for interpretation. After finishing the book, I pondered for an hour about whether Cee went back to Kay or she just swam in the ocean for herself
the world-building is okay, although I would prefer it if it's more descriptive, because it was so confusing, especially at first.
I actually like the storyline, I will deffo think about this book in the future bc this type of story will stay in me,,, and the cover is so stunning! Absolutely one of my fav book cover ever <3
the world-building is okay, although I would prefer it if it's more descriptive, because it was so confusing, especially at first.
I actually like the storyline, I will deffo think about this book in the future bc this type of story will stay in me,,, and the cover is so stunning! Absolutely one of my fav book cover ever <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Vomit