Scan barcode
maddamn's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Another installment in the Cash Blackbear series. Just as heartbreaking as the first, if not a bit more so. Cash shows such strength and resilience. The author creates such a powerful story in a world exactly like ours, flaws and all. Pay attention to TWs with this one.
Graphic: Addiction, Grief, Kidnapping, Xenophobia, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Physical abuse, Body horror, Trafficking, War, Abandonment, Racism, Sexual violence, and Rape
roq's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.75
Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Physical abuse
annemaries_shelves's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Unfortunately this was a disappointment for me.
Now granted, I don't often read from the mystery genre but I do enjoy it - I'm just impatient to get to the mystery resolution.
However - this was barely a mystery. We find out the first girl goes missing in the first 25-30 pages, and the second girl in 50-60 pages in. And then NOTHING HAPPENS for 150 more pages - until the final third. And even then, it's quick, predictable, and not all that gritty despite what other reviews say.
I thought - erroneously - Cash was an amateur detective type character based on the back of the book. No, she's just a traumatized young adult going to college and working, barely dealing with her past and just stumbles into whatever the (barely there) plot is. She's also really predictable as a character - nothing about her was unique or interesting. I was bored by her.
If - like me - you haven't read the first book because you got it in the Raven Reads box (which is an amazing subscription box service fyi), you definitely don't need to have read that one. It's summarized throughout this second book (as many serialized mysteries are) and I highly doubt there was any character development between the first and second novels as there was none in this one.
I appreciated the author's note as she explains the importance and tragedy of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (and Two-Spirit) movement that the Canadian and American governments ignore and in many ways perpetrate. However, that note couldn't save this book.
It was a quick read and not the series for me.
CW: attempted sexual assault, drugging, off-page branding, human trafficking, PTSD from Vietnam war, previous abuse from foster homes, racist language
Now granted, I don't often read from the mystery genre but I do enjoy it - I'm just impatient to get to the mystery resolution.
However - this was barely a mystery. We find out the first girl goes missing in the first 25-30 pages, and the second girl in 50-60 pages in. And then NOTHING HAPPENS for 150 more pages - until the final third. And even then, it's quick, predictable, and not all that gritty despite what other reviews say.
I thought - erroneously - Cash was an amateur detective type character based on the back of the book. No, she's just a traumatized young adult going to college and working, barely dealing with her past and just stumbles into whatever the (barely there) plot is. She's also really predictable as a character - nothing about her was unique or interesting. I was bored by her.
If - like me - you haven't read the first book because you got it in the Raven Reads box (which is an amazing subscription box service fyi), you definitely don't need to have read that one. It's summarized throughout this second book (as many serialized mysteries are) and I highly doubt there was any character development between the first and second novels as there was none in this one.
I appreciated the author's note as she explains the importance and tragedy of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (and Two-Spirit) movement that the Canadian and American governments ignore and in many ways perpetrate. However, that note couldn't save this book.
It was a quick read and not the series for me.
CW: attempted sexual assault, drugging, off-page branding, human trafficking, PTSD from Vietnam war, previous abuse from foster homes, racist language
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, and Colonisation
More...