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blairfrank's review
5.0
Racial tensions run high in a twisted tale focused on a strong, diverse female lead. Taking place in East Texas during the late 1930s the author explains why she chose to write about the New London school explosion and how her imagination created a story full of hope, despair, betrayal, sacrifice, and memories through a unique lens of differing perspectives, age, gender, and race.
booked4joy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
This book took me through so many emotions and 2 months later, I'm still thinking about it. Prepare to have your heart broken.
iannec's review against another edition
This content is definitely not for a ya audience and while I understand the need to be real about history this story filled me with despair. I know not everything is sunshine and daises, history often isn't, but this seemed to be improperly handled.
It was also very graphic without warning. I've read other books that handled this topic in a way that does not make light of the situation or shy away from the realities of it, but they also did not provide crude play by plays. This seems as though it was done rather brash for the sake of making it "more real," but I don't think it actually did that.
Many an author have written very real, raw, honest, heart-wrenching stories about horrific things without it feeling like this.
It was also very graphic without warning. I've read other books that handled this topic in a way that does not make light of the situation or shy away from the realities of it, but they also did not provide crude play by plays. This seems as though it was done rather brash for the sake of making it "more real," but I don't think it actually did that.
Many an author have written very real, raw, honest, heart-wrenching stories about horrific things without it feeling like this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Gun violence, Child abuse, Racism, Death of parent, Hate crime, and Sexual content
hsteel's review
dark
emotional
sad
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Child death, and Violence
mstevens8123's review
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
maryquitecontrary_22's review
3.0
If it's possible for a book to be both so hard to put down but also so hard to continue, this is it. An excellent idea for a storyline, but damn, this was dark and depressing. Although all the professional reviews I read recommended this for grades 9-12, I think the author and publisher should've published this as an adult novel. Now I'm going to go cry myself to sleep...
gmamartha's review
3.0
Since this won the Printz honor award, it is classified as teen literature, and its main character is indeed a teen. But with the raw topics of violent sudden death of children, detailed romance, and in the end rape and murder, I cannot personally recommend it for teens. This story uses wonderful writing to bring back the historical setting of East Texas oil fields of 1937, bringing to light the cultural divide and segregation of New London, Tx.