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kamiellen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
And music! All kinds of music. There was a record player sitting on the counter, and the day the music died was bright and loud with Ritchie and Buddy and the Big Bopper singing from beyond. Lucy was in charge, and he never failed to disappoint.
They laughed on this day. Oh, how they laughed. Even though Linus thought his heart was breaking, he laughed until there were tears in his eyes, until he was sure his sides would split. As the sun began to set and the lanterns grew brighter, they laughed and laughed and laughed."
• • •
Moderate: Classism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Bullying, Colonisation, Abandonment, Child abuse, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Homophobia
talasterism'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? Yes
5.0
its also funny (e.g. "Linus did his best not to shriek, but unfortunately, his best wasn'T good enough"). and LUCY?? LUCY IS SUCH MY FAVOURITE the fucking unparalleled DRAMA he brought to every conversation?? just the slow build into the family and into being yourself and everything was so lovely. so adorably heart warming. i adore this book, with its healing house, and rolling waves, and those funky lovely people.
Graphic: Confinement and Fatphobia
Moderate: Child abuse, Xenophobia, and Homophobia
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
mariebrunelm'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? Yes
5.0
TW: residential schools
One thing has to be acknowledged when reading this book though, and that it the horrific events that have inspired it. The orphanages for magical children are directly inspired by Canadian residential schools in which Indigenous children were taken from their families and brought up, enduring unspeakable hardships there. You may have heard about the graves discovered in such locations. There has been an uproar in the First Nations communities of Northern America around this book which took a situation that still causes trauma for these people and turned it into a heart-warming story. Before picking this book, I listened to First Nation people's reactions. For many, it was another layer of trauma. For some, it was the opportunity to acknowledge the hurt but also sublimate it in a way, to imagine a world in which things hadn't gone so bad.
Further reading: Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq, This Accident of Being Lost by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson.
Rep: gay MC, queer secondary characters (they're not defined but it's pretty clear).
Moderate: Child abuse, Fatphobia, and Homophobia
julesadventurezone'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Fatphobia and Body shaming
Moderate: Colonisation
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Misogyny, Child abuse, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Animal death, Blood, and Homophobia
greyys_libraryy'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
Graphic: Child abuse and Xenophobia
Moderate: Fatphobia and Confinement
Minor: Homophobia
oscareads'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? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Child abuse, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Abandonment
Minor: Homophobia
haindfielda'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
Moderate: Xenophobia, Physical abuse, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Body shaming, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Homophobia
mypatronusisajedi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Homophobia, Bullying, Classism, Hate crime, and Emotional abuse
chloevienna'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
4.25
Moderate: Bullying, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Homophobia, and Physical abuse
Minor: Sexual content, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, and Cannibalism
sssssoup'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? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Child abuse, and Confinement
Minor: Cursing, Homophobia, Sexism, Grief, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship