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kirstenrose22's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this, but didn’t love it - it’s probably 3.5 stars for me. The pacing was slow, and I found it depressing, so I had to take frequent breaks.
segue's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
emungai's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
First of all, I appreciated this book for shedding some light on a topic that I’ve really never heard of or thought about: namely, the experience of “nonspeakers” (people with disabilities that prevent them from expressing their ideas out loud) having a rich inner world but being treated like they aren’t intelligent just because they can’t express their ideas. Even though this book is a work of fiction, the author clearly based the nonspeaker character, Eugene, a fourteen-year old with autism and Angelman’s syndrome, on real-life research and data, and the result was an informative look into a world I’d never really encountered before. At the very least, this book is a valuable read simply due to its unique representation. I also found the novel a fast and compelling read, with the overarching mystery driving me to keep reading, and the philosophical bits pleasant (although fairly intuitive). The characters were endearing and unraveling the mystery was pretty satisfying. The reason why this didn’t get four stars from me, though, (which is my notation for a really good book - five stars are reserved for my very very very top picks) is because the ending felt like a let-down after the tension and suspense built up throughout the whole novel. Thematically, it was clearly appropriate - having some uncertainty about whether or not Eugene’s version of events was fully true, and then having Mia decide to believe him, choosing to lay aside her habitual skepticism for the sake of the relationship, was a great choice for her character development, especially given her rocky relationship with Eugene and self-reportedly hating “ambiguous endings” - but the problem was that, after so much build-up, even the moment of “truth” was undercut by doubts. I would have preferred it if Kim had refrained from injecting doubt until immediately after the “moment of truth” - that way, the reader could experience catharsis, and THEN Mia could step in with her characteristic cynicism, sparking fresh interest.
ash_slay_reads's review against another edition
emotional
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
rhodas's review against another edition
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
zogg's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
autumnj's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
kelsis_book_nook's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
tessrc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
FIVE STARS. WOW. This is easily the best book I’ve read so far this year. Rich, engrossing mystery, intriguing family drama, compelling character voice, believable conclusion. There were little critiques here and there - sometimes it felt like she was shoving things down the reader’s throat, a tad - but I literally couldn’t put it down and read it all in a single sitting. LOVE!
vic_dip's review against another edition
4.0
Love love loved this book. A though provoking mystery but also so much insight. I would actually love a version of this book from Eugene’s point of view