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ashleykhoffman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Everything was nice to read, but there was no pressure for me that was keeping me reading. There were LOTS of dramatic moments, but no ongoing pressure or singular thing I was rooting for or hoping for. It just felt like getting slapped in the face every other chapter for 50 chapters. This family was put through the wringer; Betty, too, was put through it, but she seemed to be the lone member of her family who persevered and rose above in the end.
I've come to realize that memoir-style stories are just not my favorite, but if you're looking for something full of emotions and lots of triggering scenes that will make you gasp and a wicked surprising ending dramatic climax... you'll love this.
Graphic: Incest, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
Minor: Drug abuse, Miscarriage, and Toxic relationship
andrearenee42's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy
syellico's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Alcohol
kridenour'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Abortion, and Death of parent
hnagarne's review against another edition
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Incest, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Abortion, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
mountainfawn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation
benchless's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
To be a woman in this novel was to suffer.
"You know what the heaviest thing in the world is, Betty? It's a man on top of you when you don't want him to be."
"By that time, I was at a point in my life where I had a very particular image of God in my head. I imagined God was a woman in a torn satin bed jacket with falling curlers in her messy hair. She sat in a bed of dirty sheets, surrounded by a canopy of sheer curtains spiders clung to. She ate chocolates from a box until her teeth were rotted and the box was empty, ready to be piled with the smashed boxes already on the floor. Blush was streaked across her cheeks like something trying to run away. Lipstick bled outside the lines of her lips as if they were melting. She was a woman used and left by humanity in ways only we know how to consume and leave."
With all this suffering, I was amazed by how much hope remained threaded throughout every chapter. Why? Betty had the most loving, imaginative father you could imagine. He was a Cherokee man married to a white woman in a time when nothing kind came from having brown skin. He struggled and failed to give his children what they needed at times, but he persevered and loved them all, even the bad ones. He filled their minds with the most beautiful stories that tried to make them feel special and worth something in a world that was constantly pushing them down.
"The first woman was given antlers on her head to branch her power out into the world," he said, digging the rake deeper. "Slugs are frightened of that power because they are spineless creatures, and all spineless creatures are frightened of a woman's power."
"He would stretch her hands out to either side of her. 'You're my centimeter, inch, and foot. The distance between your hands is the distance that measures everything between the sun and the moon. Only a woman can measure such things.' 'Why?' Fraya asked to remind herself. 'Because you're powerful.'"
"He kissed my forehead. 'I don't know if I've ever told you that I love you, Little Indian. I don't know if I've ever said those words.' 'You said them every time you told me a story.' I looked into his eyes...'Have I ever told you I loved you?' I asked because I really didn't know. 'Every time you listened to one of my stories.'"
The relationship between Betty and her father is built on these stories, and they get Betty past all the hurdles of "coming of age against the knife" to become a writer herself. I adored him and Betty, and I left this book with great respect for Tiffany McDaniel's family history.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Addiction, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
snowiceblackfruit77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
mariep97's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Incest, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Child death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation
mamasquare's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Drug use and Death of parent