Scan barcode
jennifer_bush_73's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Violence
alexhaydon's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Murder, Death, and Adult/minor relationship
osomo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I would prefer it if the author has explored some of the themes touched upon in the book at more depth.
For instance, there is a comment one character makes about police brutality to, as he puts it, people in general, and it seems almost like and afterthought and is not brought up again, the book focuses on crimes against a particular group of people and forgets to explore police brutality at large. In this sense the book does not give new insights to police brutality, thus, i am not happy with the way it was vaguely brought up in a conversation and brushed off.
Another thing I was unhappy about was the way the main character’s problematic relationship with her baby daddy was shown. A secondary character denounced it (way post-factum), but made it clear everyone around them knew this relationship and this person were problematic and did nothing. At the same time, the main character spends most of the time oblivious to the problem and then is simply extremely ashamed. Shame plays a significant role in her life (in situations in which she should not be ashamed, since she was not even at fault etc.), and she never deals that feeling and what causes it, she does not reconsider the situation, she does not learn that she has nothing to be ashamed of. And as a survivor of a similar scenario to what she went through, I do not appreciate how this reinforces the idea that women should be victimised and ashamed. Also, the fact that others could have stopped a gr**mer and didn’t is not addressed properly. The topic is brought up in the middle of the book and then forgotten. The main character does not address her feelings, does nothing about the situation, police does nothing, nobody acknowledges that this isn’t right. It seems that the line with the pr*dator was only introduced to give readers a “bad guy” to suspect in the crimes. But in real life trauma would affect the main character and stay with her, not just come and go at convenient for the plot times.
Thus, since the author is clearly trying to raise awareness about certain issues, which the acknowledgements show, the author should be attentive to the points they bring about and how the sentiments expressed in the book may contribute to problematic ideas and myths.
I liked the pacing of the book and the main story focusing on the relationships between two sisters. I liked that there were two timelines: contemporary events and the memories.
I will not comment on the plot-twists and the murder mystery reveal since those seem to be just a background to the main things the book is trying to do.
I was not too happy with the way the second sister’s current day story was revealed (in a bulk of text, bland retelling of the events), felt like pacing slowed down in that part, not matching with the rest of the more subtle narration, but it was not too long, so not a huge deal.
Mainly, the time I spent with this book was a good one.
It is not my place to tell whether the book discusses the main issues it focuses on (dr*g ab*se and how it affects people, families and communities) was explored with enough care and depth, but as a person who knows little about it these problems, I thought the author did a good job in exploring them. The characters (and the readers) learnt about different aspects of the issues, gained understanding and changed their perception by the end of the story.
I only wish the other important issues the author raised were concluded in a similar way.
For instance, there is a comment one character makes about police brutality to, as he puts it, people in general, and it seems almost like and afterthought and is not brought up again, the book focuses on crimes against a particular group of people and forgets to explore police brutality at large. In this sense the book does not give new insights to police brutality, thus, i am not happy with the way it was vaguely brought up in a conversation and brushed off.
Another thing I was unhappy about was the way the main character’s problematic relationship with her baby daddy was shown. A secondary character denounced it (way post-factum), but made it clear everyone around them knew this relationship and this person were problematic and did nothing. At the same time, the main character spends most of the time oblivious to the problem and then is simply extremely ashamed. Shame plays a significant role in her life (in situations in which she should not be ashamed, since she was not even at fault etc.), and she never deals that feeling and what causes it, she does not reconsider the situation, she does not learn that she has nothing to be ashamed of. And as a survivor of a similar scenario to what she went through, I do not appreciate how this reinforces the idea that women should be victimised and ashamed. Also, the fact that others could have stopped a gr**mer and didn’t is not addressed properly. The topic is brought up in the middle of the book and then forgotten. The main character does not address her feelings, does nothing about the situation, police does nothing, nobody acknowledges that this isn’t right. It seems that the line with the pr*dator was only introduced to give readers a “bad guy” to suspect in the crimes. But in real life trauma would affect the main character and stay with her, not just come and go at convenient for the plot times.
Thus, since the author is clearly trying to raise awareness about certain issues, which the acknowledgements show, the author should be attentive to the points they bring about and how the sentiments expressed in the book may contribute to problematic ideas and myths.
I liked the pacing of the book and the main story focusing on the relationships between two sisters. I liked that there were two timelines: contemporary events and the memories.
I will not comment on the plot-twists and the murder mystery reveal since those seem to be just a background to the main things the book is trying to do.
I was not too happy with the way the second sister’s current day story was revealed (in a bulk of text, bland retelling of the events), felt like pacing slowed down in that part, not matching with the rest of the more subtle narration, but it was not too long, so not a huge deal.
Mainly, the time I spent with this book was a good one.
It is not my place to tell whether the book discusses the main issues it focuses on (dr*g ab*se and how it affects people, families and communities) was explored with enough care and depth, but as a person who knows little about it these problems, I thought the author did a good job in exploring them. The characters (and the readers) learnt about different aspects of the issues, gained understanding and changed their perception by the end of the story.
I only wish the other important issues the author raised were concluded in a similar way.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
alwaysgottimeforbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction and Violence
Minor: Gun violence
bookmaddie's review against another edition
I got maybe 150 pages in.. something about the vibe of the book just didn't sit with me. I could understand the main character's motivations, but I found some of her decisions odd and troubling. The attempt at the ~troubled cop~ character wasn't for me, and I found some of her decision-making odd, considering how she grew up and what she has been through. I just wasn't excited to pick this up anymore, and figure it's time to move on!
Can't really comment on the author's representation of addiction as I didn't get too far, and admittedly, don't know much about the issue/how it should be written about. Nothing really stood out in a bad way to me, at least.
Can't really comment on the author's representation of addiction as I didn't get too far, and admittedly, don't know much about the issue/how it should be written about. Nothing really stood out in a bad way to me, at least.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Murder
Moderate: Violence
katiebarr's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Violence, Drug use, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
taylor_reese's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Gun violence, and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault
More...