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raethereviewer's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
4.5
This story was incredibly well crafted and I loved the way these poems were structured. A lot of the poems hold up really well on their own, outside of the story, but together they craft such a transformative narrative. It’s honestly one of the most creative novels-in-verse I’ve ever read. I think the author handles the portrayal of depression and mental illness so well. There were a few times I had to take a break but there weren’t any overly gruesome moments.
gellyreads's review
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- 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
Wow. I haven't read a novel that was written in verse in a while, and I found this one to be way easier to follow than others. The fact that their siblings died via accident? That felt so real and powerful. *This is magical realism at its finest*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Suicidal thoughts
taylersimon22's review
5.0
We Are All So Good At Smiling by Ambre McBride was such a short but powerful read. Content warning: suicide, mental health, grief.
Whimsy is a hoodoo witch coping with so much grief and sorrow in her life. She relies on her magic and fairy tales to get her through. We open the novel with her being taken from these things and put in a hospital. There she meets Fairy, a fae with wings like the moon and a garden tattooed across his body. They are drawn to each other.
After they are released, they find out that they go to the same school and share a connection outside of what either of them are aware of. And they are connected to the woods, which have been enchanted and cursed, but the only way out is through.
I listened to the audiobook version of this book, and it was amazing. I could tell this book was written in verse, and I don’t expect anything less from a book as magical as this one. I really liked the way music was incorporated throughout, and the narrator was great.
Fairy tales from around the world and mythical elements are a fresh and interesting way to talk about mental health struggles. We also get to see Black characters in this way, which I thought was really cool. We also get to see the intersections between race (and being the only one or one of few) and mental health. And the writing was just so beautiful all around. I appreciated a teen book about mental health that didn’t center the hospital experience and highlighted the internal journey of working through grief and sorrow.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book, but with caution. Although it mentions grief and suicide, I didn’t think the content was too graphic, and it was appropriate for teen readers. This was the first book that made me cry in a long time. Five stars for sure!
Whimsy is a hoodoo witch coping with so much grief and sorrow in her life. She relies on her magic and fairy tales to get her through. We open the novel with her being taken from these things and put in a hospital. There she meets Fairy, a fae with wings like the moon and a garden tattooed across his body. They are drawn to each other.
After they are released, they find out that they go to the same school and share a connection outside of what either of them are aware of. And they are connected to the woods, which have been enchanted and cursed, but the only way out is through.
I listened to the audiobook version of this book, and it was amazing. I could tell this book was written in verse, and I don’t expect anything less from a book as magical as this one. I really liked the way music was incorporated throughout, and the narrator was great.
Fairy tales from around the world and mythical elements are a fresh and interesting way to talk about mental health struggles. We also get to see Black characters in this way, which I thought was really cool. We also get to see the intersections between race (and being the only one or one of few) and mental health. And the writing was just so beautiful all around. I appreciated a teen book about mental health that didn’t center the hospital experience and highlighted the internal journey of working through grief and sorrow.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book, but with caution. Although it mentions grief and suicide, I didn’t think the content was too graphic, and it was appropriate for teen readers. This was the first book that made me cry in a long time. Five stars for sure!
aroseshaw's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- 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
lovelife1008's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sleepysharon's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
This book was fabulous to listen to! Epic storytelling.
lyss_reads's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
purplepenning's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Oof. I'm going to need a beat to process this one. My initial response is: 👏👏👏 I'm so glad this book exists and I can see how it might work especially well for teenagers. But it's doing just a few too many things at once for my tastes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Bullying, Grief, and Racism
Moderate: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Racial slurs