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book_perk's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Joyce Carol Oats brilliantly addresses a controversial issue by exploring the extremes of the pro-life and pro-choice movements in America. Two families are linked through the murder of abortion doctor Augustus Voorhees by the extremely religious Luther Dunphy. The book is mostly character driven with an in depth analysis of the two men and follows their families after the tragic event. I preferred earlier potions of the book such as descriptions of the legal proceedings and the public's reaction to the case. However, I found the book to be much longer than necessary and got bored at a few points. Although I liked the idea at the end of the book, I thought it was extremely drawn out and wished the boxing scenes had been significantly cut.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Gun violence, Car accident, and Abortion
Minor: Child death and Violence