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lena_3103'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
Graphic: Homophobia
artemis_rose_reads'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? It's complicated
4.0
You are looking for something heartwarming about found family, celebrating bodily differences, with a gay romance between middle age men. It also shows that a mediocre person with privilege has the power and a responsibility to stand up for those harmed by institutions and racism.
You are looking for a story that completely and satisfactorily addresses the many ways that the Sixties Scoop harmed indigenous peoples, look elsewhere. It does put the responsibilities of fixing the problems onto the privileged, however they are made into a hero because their efforts are sadly rare.
With that it mind:
If you can understand that this book is unsatisfactory when it comes to properly addressing the many horrors of stealing and institutionalizing peoples because the people in power have decided that their birth families cannot care properly for their children. However it does a fairly decent job in showing the long term emotional and mental damage that this clauses in the children, but also the adults who have also had to live through this situation.
Does it solve everything and puts all the appropriate blame on the system and then fixes the problem? Nope, not even close. This is basically a love letter to the average person who does what is in their personal power to improve and protect the happiness of those who have been hurt by government and biases against the “other”.
Moderate: Bullying, Colonisation, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism
Minor: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Xenophobia
There is a lot of mentioning of potential triggers as it talks a lot about the traumas of foster care and a system purposely controlling underprivileged bodies and their rights. The current environment is safe, however all the children are battling the trauma from previous placements and this home is still under the control of the system. There is current bully and hate from the locals. Children also acting menacing/threatening death as a response to their previous traumas.kinsportch'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
3.0
Moderate: Homophobia
angstifies'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? Yes
0.25
read Kas’s review for more detailed information (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4032060130)
a few more points i would like to make:
- the representation was NOT great, TJ Kluge could have focused less on stereotypes and more on actual characterizations of the characters (the black woman as the angry caretaker role, the fat guy constantly shamed for how he looks and doesn’t have any friends, a black boy who literally turns into a dog when people make him nervous…)
- slow, VERY slow book, focuses more on describing little things rather than keeping things moving, especially at the beginning (i do not care about the color of the little blanket on your bed is TELL ME INTERESTING FACTS)
- so boring and i did anticipate everything before it happened, ugh
- i felt like this book lacked that kind of spark that makes u exited every time you continue to read it, i was just reading it to be done with this honestly
Graphic: Child abuse and Xenophobia
Moderate: Confinement, Fatphobia, and Body shaming
Minor: Homophobia
kyrstin_p1989'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: Abandonment, Body shaming, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Homophobia
trulydevious'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
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse and Xenophobia
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Homophobia
teacupsandfirereads'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
2.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Ableism, and Homophobia
sjanke2'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
Minor: Abandonment, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, and Physical abuse
bookishprincess'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
4.5
Moderate: Child abuse and Homophobia
ember_eyes_are_for_tigers'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
3.75
Moderate: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting
Minor: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, and Homophobia