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krytygr's review against another edition
3.0
This book was an excellent portrayal of being a Native American kid coming-of-age while dealing with an absent parent. His mother is an alcoholic, which is sadly very typical. A lot of Native parents lose their kids because they refuse to stop drinking or doing drugs. Sequoyah is not only emotionally scarred from his mothers’ actions, he is actually physically scarred. He has trouble opening up because he’s never felt supported enough to do so.
The Trout family are good people. That’s saying a lot compared to some foster families who see these children as checks rather than lives. I’m thankful they turned out the way they did.
I did feel it was a bit boring. Not a lot happens, and it’s slow paced. I kept waiting for something major to happen, and even when it did, it wasn’t that exciting.
The Trout family are good people. That’s saying a lot compared to some foster families who see these children as checks rather than lives. I’m thankful they turned out the way they did.
I did feel it was a bit boring. Not a lot happens, and it’s slow paced. I kept waiting for something major to happen, and even when it did, it wasn’t that exciting.
kkrato's review against another edition
dark
sad
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
bsmorris's review against another edition
4.0
This novel about a Cherokee boy living with a foster family shows the unflinching truth about the struggles many teens face. Sequoyah is struggling with the absence of his parents and his own identity, which leads to many dark and strange thoughts. The characters in the novel are well-developed and interesting, and the story is poignant and important.
claudclaud's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
jempz's review against another edition
3.0
A nice quick read. A bit unsettling in a good way. A bit rambling. The climax of the story was slightly unexpected and the lines of what precisely happened were blurred. The ending of the story felt kind of unresolved. Overall, I don’t regret reading it.
catsbreadbikes's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.5
Instantly caught and kept my attention, a book with highly relatable feelings and thoughts, even if i can't relate to the events and situations. Great writing and detail.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Grief, Death, Cultural appropriation, Gun violence, Racism, Self harm, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, and Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Blood, Mass/school shootings, and Pedophilia
lizaroo71's review against another edition
3.0
The entire feeling of this book is surreal. I wasn't sure if I was reading a fever dream, but I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Sequoyah is a Cherokee teenager that is placed in foster care with an elderly couple, the Troutts, that has two other teens: Rosemary and George. The book opens with Sequoyah telling the reader he watched someone die back in 1989. He then recounts the story.
If this were a movie, it would be directed by Gus Van Sant (his early films) or Larry Clark. I'm not sure I fully connected with the main character, but I am intrigued by the writing enough to try something else by this author.
If this were a movie, it would be directed by Gus Van Sant (his early films) or Larry Clark. I'm not sure I fully connected with the main character, but I am intrigued by the writing enough to try something else by this author.
breedlove's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This one is written with an eerie softness, edging on the side of a gothic. Hobson was slow and methodic throughout revealing just bits and pieces of the overshadowing darkness you feel. Even the climax has a softness to it that feels strange due to the subject. The subject matter is disturbing, the storytelling haphazard reflecting the narrator and if you’re looking for a clean resolute ending you won’t find it here but these are all things I personally felt were just right in this novel.
_eliza's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting bits and ending but too random throughout, really wanted to like it more
davidjordan's review against another edition
5.0
An intriguing and unsettling story of a fifteen-year-old Cherokee boy in the foster care system in Oklahoma, circa late 1980s. The challenges and tragedies experienced by our narrator, Sequoyah, are riveting and heart-wrenching. I found myself even more disturbed by the possible evil behind the scenes, to which Sequoyah alludes vaguely. Yet, even in the midst of so much disappointment and struggle, there is a surprising amount of tenderness and humanity displayed by those in the story who may be least accustomed to experiencing such virtues. This is an unusually good book.