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fanboyriot's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
What the hell did I just read?
Graphic: Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Medical content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Violence
Minor: Domestic abuse, Car accident, and Miscarriage
wolfiegrrrl's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I'm pretty sure this book was assigned reading in middle school because of its message about environmentalism, which is what I loved so much about it as a kid, but there is so much more jam-packed into this story about bullying and broken homes and different forms of child abuse.
It would have been so easy to simply write a story about children who only have good intentions and are always right while all of the adult characters are jaded, selfish, and bad; but Carl Hiaasen does a decent job of showing that life is usually mixed up in more complications than what first appears on the surface. Due to the heaviness of the topics involved, they are presented in a way that mostly spells everything out for its intended middle grade audience, but there are nuances aplenty for older readers to analyze as well.
I also really appreciated Hiaasen's colorful descriptions of the geography and wildlife - perfect for nature-lovers who like to be pulled into the scenery of the story.
It would have been so easy to simply write a story about children who only have good intentions and are always right while all of the adult characters are jaded, selfish, and bad; but Carl Hiaasen does a decent job of showing that life is usually mixed up in more complications than what first appears on the surface. Due to the heaviness of the topics involved, they are presented in a way that mostly spells everything out for its intended middle grade audience, but there are nuances aplenty for older readers to analyze as well.
I also really appreciated Hiaasen's colorful descriptions of the geography and wildlife - perfect for nature-lovers who like to be pulled into the scenery of the story.
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Bullying
Minor: Child abuse, Car accident, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Miscarriage
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