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gainsandbrains's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Sexual assault
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Murder
allebasi80's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Really engaging and entertaining read. Dark, with well done exploration of protagonist's spiral into revenge craze. Sad because the friend group was so great but Magpie wasn't willing to stay. Interesting magical(?) system without much explanation, but it worked. Not my usual style of writing but it fit the story and vibe. Liked the theme of the magpie poem as chapter titles. There were some strange parts from side characters - didn't seem to understand why Magpie wanted to avoid Allison and Brandon.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Rape
jo_brekker's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Addiction, Abandonment, Grief, Murder, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Violence, Sexual harassment, Rape, and Bullying
emmaward55's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Oof.
This book, whilst worth it, took a lot out of me. The stark themes of trauma, neglect and mental illness are not to be underestimated in their severity. I do wish I'd gone into the book with an awareness of how intense the narrative was, but this is still a book I will probably go on to recommend to others, despite it being both darker and sadder than my usual recs.
The ending was a surprise to me and it somehow ended on a happier / more ambiguous note than I was expecting. I really like how it resolved and the way that the murders of her English teacher and father were undone made me think of the healing that comes after a trauma has been addressed and dealt with head on. This whole book is about one girl dealing with unresolved trauma and the fallout of it, so for her to get the ending that she did was something of a relief for me. Yes, she is often an awful person in the last act of the book, but again that felt consistent with the looming threat of the climax of the book.
Whilst Magpie was not always justified in her actions, I could understand why she so drastically and I didn't begrudge her that. For her to apparently then choose to release her father and the English teacher says to me that she realised her mistake and decided that they did not do anything worthy of such a fatal punishment. That they returned and her assaulter did not, tells me that they were returned because Magpie wished it to be so, apparently having spent the months alone reflecting and healing. It also makes me wonder if she left the doorway open for Alison on purpose, some part of her perhaps realising that her ex best friend needed the escape as much as Magpie had. If that is the case, and Magpie has forgiven her, I like to think that they'll sail the seas together. Just two weary girls, and an ocean before them.
This book, whilst worth it, took a lot out of me. The stark themes of trauma, neglect and mental illness are not to be underestimated in their severity. I do wish I'd gone into the book with an awareness of how intense the narrative was, but this is still a book I will probably go on to recommend to others, despite it being both darker and sadder than my usual recs.
The ending was a surprise to me and it somehow ended on a happier / more ambiguous note than I was expecting. I really like how it resolved and the way that the murders of her English teacher and father were undone made me think of the healing that comes after a trauma has been addressed and dealt with head on. This whole book is about one girl dealing with unresolved trauma and the fallout of it, so for her to get the ending that she did was something of a relief for me. Yes, she is often an awful person in the last act of the book, but again that felt consistent with the looming threat of the climax of the book.
Whilst Magpie was not always justified in her actions, I could understand why she so drastically and I didn't begrudge her that. For her to apparently then choose to release her father and the English teacher says to me that she realised her mistake and decided that they did not do anything worthy of such a fatal punishment. That they returned and her assaulter did not, tells me that they were returned because Magpie wished it to be so, apparently having spent the months alone reflecting and healing. It also makes me wonder if she left the doorway open for Alison on purpose, some part of her perhaps realising that her ex best friend needed the escape as much as Magpie had. If that is the case, and Magpie has forgiven her, I like to think that they'll sail the seas together. Just two weary girls, and an ocean before them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Violence, Murder, and Medical content
Moderate: Cursing, Vomit, Suicide, Bullying, and Child abuse
Minor: Drug abuse, Transphobia, and Gore
The child abuse is all about neglect, with the exception of one instant where a teenager is slapped by their parent during an argument. The sexual assault is written about in very graphic detail at the end of the book, although by that point the narration of it is a lot more numb and there's no real emotive language or reactions from the survivor, so whilst it's still difficult to read, it isn't anywhere near as distressing as it could be.kadesdoorway's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Murder
tis_bee_me's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual assault, Death, Murder, Medical trauma, and Bullying
Moderate: Suicide, Panic attacks/disorders, and Blood
Minor: Transphobia and Child abuse
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