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kamrynharned's review
- 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? Yes
3.0
Pretty explicit domestic / sexual abuse - not fun.
Pretty cute premise - fun.
Pretty questionable banter (“dad”) - not fun.
Pretty sweet moments of a blind girl experiencing the world for the first time - fun
Pretty annoying main character archetype + terrible ending + racism + totally spoiled plot twist by the cover and the synopsis - not fun
So overall - more not fun than fun, but it actually did hold my attention.
Pretty cute premise - fun.
Pretty questionable banter (“dad”) - not fun.
Pretty sweet moments of a blind girl experiencing the world for the first time - fun
Pretty annoying main character archetype + terrible ending + racism + totally spoiled plot twist by the cover and the synopsis - not fun
So overall - more not fun than fun, but it actually did hold my attention.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Domestic abuse
elhenderson's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.5
ealkotob's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
adelaidemetzger_robotprophet's review
4.0
Holy God! This almost--ALMOST got 5 stars and beyond from me!!! Why? Why the HELL did it end that way?! I am so effing mad right now!
Okay. Regular stuff out of the way first.
I was so into this book. This was an excellent book. Every time I opened it I was completely immersed into the character of Selina. This is my first time looking through the eyes of a blind character and I was just enveloped by how she saw the world and how I, as the reader, could identify what was really happening even when Selina didn’t understand.
My first thoughts on the character of Gordon was, “Aw, that’s so sweet that he wants to help the blind girl.” And then he spontaneously started buying her gifts and it felt kind of creepy how suddenly attracted he was. And then more was revealed later on in his character and how he’d been trying to help people in unfortunate circumstances and that uneasiness went away.
What really, REALLY makes me mad is how this ended.
I went into this not really expecting too much of a difference from the movie since I had first seen the film roughly a year before reading this book. And I wasn’t too surprised because the movie followed this almost exactly along the lines of character, sequence of plot, and even dialogue. I loved it. I had a grand ole time and was really digging the drama and light at the end of the tunnel.
And then I reached the last three pages.
Oh, my god. I...I can’t even think about how terrible and sad this was. Because I was so set on the similarities the book and movie shared, I thought it was going to end the same. Right?
So EFFING WRONG!!! It was 1:30am, I was screaming at what unfolded in those last three pages and was just crushed. All that “beautiful and compassionate” love story crap was destroyed in an explosion of heartbreaking, emotional C4 leaving the hopes and tender warmth of this “love story” in smoldering flames.
There has only been one other book that has made me want to throw it against the wall and into the fire because of how infuriatingly frustrating it left me (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11939219-501st?ac=1&from_search=true). That made me MAD mad. The only reason I didn’t tear this book in two was because it left me sad mad.
I ended up flipping through the book from front to back to front again searching for an answer at what had just happened and then slumping over my bed and wallowing in the black pit of despair.
I am so divided on this book. After sleeping on it, I decided that, though my wound is still tender, I love everything that this book is and love everything about it--but me and the end...we are not on speaking terms.
I need some time.
Okay. Regular stuff out of the way first.
I was so into this book. This was an excellent book. Every time I opened it I was completely immersed into the character of Selina. This is my first time looking through the eyes of a blind character and I was just enveloped by how she saw the world and how I, as the reader, could identify what was really happening even when Selina didn’t understand.
My first thoughts on the character of Gordon was, “Aw, that’s so sweet that he wants to help the blind girl.” And then he spontaneously started buying her gifts and it felt kind of creepy how suddenly attracted he was. And then more was revealed later on in his character and how he’d been trying to help people in unfortunate circumstances and that uneasiness went away.
What really, REALLY makes me mad is how this ended.
I went into this not really expecting too much of a difference from the movie since I had first seen the film roughly a year before reading this book. And I wasn’t too surprised because the movie followed this almost exactly along the lines of character, sequence of plot, and even dialogue. I loved it. I had a grand ole time and was really digging the drama and light at the end of the tunnel.
And then I reached the last three pages.
Oh, my god. I...I can’t even think about how terrible and sad this was. Because I was so set on the similarities the book and movie shared, I thought it was going to end the same. Right?
So EFFING WRONG!!! It was 1:30am, I was screaming at what unfolded in those last three pages and was just crushed. All that “beautiful and compassionate” love story crap was destroyed in an explosion of heartbreaking, emotional C4 leaving the hopes and tender warmth of this “love story” in smoldering flames.
There has only been one other book that has made me want to throw it against the wall and into the fire because of how infuriatingly frustrating it left me (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11939219-501st?ac=1&from_search=true). That made me MAD mad. The only reason I didn’t tear this book in two was because it left me sad mad.
I ended up flipping through the book from front to back to front again searching for an answer at what had just happened and then slumping over my bed and wallowing in the black pit of despair.
I am so divided on this book. After sleeping on it, I decided that, though my wound is still tender, I love everything that this book is and love everything about it--but me and the end...we are not on speaking terms.
I need some time.
gkonkler's review
5.0
This seemed darker than the movie if I recall correctly. I will have to watch it today and compair.
Very good read!
Very good read!
howifeelaboutbooks's review
3.0
If any book should be sold without a cover image and blurb, it's this one. I initially read it back in high school, ignored the blurb on the advice of the teacher, and was surprised by the twist ending. The twist ending is the best part of the book, I feel like it's crucial to the story if the reader is as blind as Selina, the main character. Without being surprised by the end, the book is still interesting, but very depressing. That's all I'll say about it, in hopes you haven't yet read the book but will now pick it up without seeking out any other reviews.
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