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afroheaux's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
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
3.0
This book was incredibly well written and that's the only reason why the rating is as high as it is. The descriptions of all the locations were amazing. I could feel the wind and rain of Drogheda against my skin. I could see the fires ripping through the plains. The mountains of sheep could've made their own country. Thick hordes of mosquitos pestering the occupants of the house during the summer months. I love how grounded the setting I felt throughout the book and I felt a strange sense of longing once I finished it. I've seen some say that they didn't like Justine when, even though she had her problems, she was the most normal one of the bunch and ended up having the only healthy relationship out of anyone in her entire family. When she and Herr got together, I was genuinely happy for them. However, that does not make up for the content.
I know some people will say that this book was a product of its time and I'm sure there's some argument to be made there, but Meggie and Ralph's relationship was disturbing.The author set Meggie up to be the perfect victim for grooming and throughout the story, used the plot to isolate Meggie more and more. Meggie is barely 10 when they first meet. He is 28. She is emotionally neglected by both of her parents and is made to hold an enormous amount of responsibility at a young age. She is made to care for her siblings, even having to give up her own education when she is pre-pubescent. Her time in Catholic school under the abusive hands of the nuns beat he into awe of Catholicism. Although sometimes throughout the book she seems to question that, she holds her beliefs close to her heart. I'm sure some will claim that they didn't do anything until she was older (she was a breath away from 17 when they first kiss), but Ralph makes it clear throughout the book that he is hyper-focused on her for reasons he claims to not understand, but it's more the fact that he doesn't want to acknowledge them. Even Mary Carson, who dies before Meggie turns 17, chides Ralph on several occasions for his liking of Meggie. Nobody ever explicitly says that it's wrong for him to be liking a child. Mary dislikes his attention for Meggie because she wants him to herself. But every person who disapproves of the relationship, including Paddy, ends up dying before things start getting hot and heavy.
Meggie goes through so much tragedy that she clings to Ralph because he's the only consistently good thing in her life. Her parents see her infatuation with him and his with her and neither of them says anything until much later in the book. Fee doesn't comment until Meggie gave birth to Ralph's child almost a decade after their first kiss. Specialists in predators often say you should be wary of someone who wants to spend more time with your kids than you do and Ralph spent the majority of his time with Meggie. Even as he cheats the family out of their inheritance, he is hailed throughout the book as a noble man who sacrificed so much. He's a career-driven, power-hungry weirdo. When the time came in WWII to stand up against the Nazis, Ralph much preferred to stay with the status quo to maintain the status that SOLELY the money he stole from Clearys got him than to stand up for what was right.
If the book's purpose was to display how generational trauma spreads, it does a marvelous job at that. I also appreciated the realistic experiences in war. The excitement of young boys at the prospect of being the hero and getting on the battlefield and realizing you hadn't stepped onto a movie set. You can see parents' and grandparents' decisions trickle down throughout the children, having different effects. It's a testament to the failings of a traditional, conservative family structure because barely anyone is happy throughout this book at any time.
Meggie's relationship with Luke was especially disturbing. There are several detailed scenes of marital rape that are uncomfortable to read and the book does not acknowledge it as assault because Meggie doesn't know that it is. Her naivete and ignorance are frequently used against her throughout the book and it makes a woman who only knows how to love one man and that clouds all else.
If you want to see how grooming and manipulation work in slow motion and how people ignorant of the truths of life make horrible decisions, this book is an excellent case study.
I know some people will say that this book was a product of its time and I'm sure there's some argument to be made there, but Meggie and Ralph's relationship was disturbing.
Meggie goes through so much tragedy that she clings to Ralph because he's the only consistently good thing in her life. Her parents see her infatuation with him and his with her and neither of them says anything until much later in the book. Fee doesn't comment until Meggie gave birth to Ralph's child almost a decade after their first kiss. Specialists in predators often say you should be wary of someone who wants to spend more time with your kids than you do and Ralph spent the majority of his time with Meggie. Even as he cheats the family out of their inheritance, he is hailed throughout the book as a noble man who sacrificed so much. He's a career-driven, power-hungry weirdo. When the time came in WWII to stand up against the Nazis, Ralph much preferred to stay with the status quo to maintain the status that SOLELY the money he stole from Clearys got him than to stand up for what was right.
If the book's purpose was to display how generational trauma spreads, it does a marvelous job at that. I also appreciated the realistic experiences in war. The excitement of young boys at the prospect of being the hero and getting on the battlefield and realizing you hadn't stepped onto a movie set. You can see parents' and grandparents' decisions trickle down throughout the children, having different effects. It's a testament to the failings of a traditional, conservative family structure because barely anyone is happy throughout this book at any time.
Meggie's relationship with Luke was especially disturbing. There are several detailed scenes of marital rape that are uncomfortable to read and the book does not acknowledge it as assault because Meggie doesn't know that it is. Her naivete and ignorance are frequently used against her throughout the book and it makes a woman who only knows how to love one man and that clouds all else.
If you want to see how grooming and manipulation work in slow motion and how people ignorant of the truths of life make horrible decisions, this book is an excellent case study.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, War, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Violence, and Misogyny
Moderate: Death of parent and Child death
masha__me's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and War
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
Minor: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Homophobia, Infertility, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Murder, Racism, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Vomit, and Xenophobia
foreverinastory's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I did not like this. I did not care about the characters one bit. I am going to forget everything I read and continue like I never read this
CWs: Adult/minor relationship, alcohol consumption, blood, child abuse (by a teacher), death, death of parent, emotional abuse, fire/fire injury, gun violence, homophobia, infidelity, injury/injury detail, misogyny, pedophilia/grooming, pregnacy, rape specifically marital rape, religious bigotry, sexism, sexual content, toxic relationship. Moderate: war, violence, mental illness (PTSD).
CWs: Adult/minor relationship, alcohol consumption, blood, child abuse (by a teacher), death, death of parent, emotional abuse, fire/fire injury, gun violence, homophobia, infidelity, injury/injury detail, misogyny, pedophilia/grooming, pregnacy, rape specifically marital rape, religious bigotry, sexism, sexual content, toxic relationship. Moderate: war, violence, mental illness (PTSD).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: War, Violence, and Mental illness
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