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milenanoelm's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.0
Moderate: Abandonment, Grief, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Cancer, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Gun violence, Blood, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual content, and Kidnapping
fizzieee's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Blood
imds's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Gun violence, Confinement, Grief, Blood, Abandonment, Cancer, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Medical trauma, Murder, and Pregnancy
heatherjchin's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Graphic: Violence, Suicide, Death of parent, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Self harm, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Animal death, Death, and Alcohol
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
Minor: Gun violence, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Cannibalism, and Child abuse
ravenwolf_waf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Gun violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, and Murder
Minor: Cancer, Domestic abuse, and Pregnancy
hownovelofher's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Adrienne Young has a gift for storytelling. I was pulled in by the magic of the island of Saiorse and gripped by the complexity of these characters living in a small town with big secrets.
If you've ever read or watched Practical Magic, the setting of this book feels a lot like that. A windy, moody, mostly quiet town with seasonal tourists and a sleepy, at times eerily quiet, off-season.
Young makes the island of Saiorse feel alive and wholly tangible. Each page is woven so tightly with magic that you don’t even realize what’s happening until it’s staring you in the face.
Four friends tied together by the blood of their ancestors on the island. August, Emery, Lily and Dutch. It was just them, blissfully young and naive, taking in all the island had to give and never truly giving back. Until one of them becomes the ultimate sacrifice.
With their lives forever altered, August and Emery take the hit hardest. Separated for 14 years with the tug of a bond tied between them pulling them closer and closer to one another until August finally returns.
While his plan is to tie up loose ends and leave Saiorse behind once and for all, he ends up with the creeping vines of the island clawing to root him into the ground.
With well-kept secrets in the heart of every islander, corruption, greed, abuse, and even death begin to take over. The island is home to more than sand and salt. Beneath the well-kept ground of the town’s beloved orchard lie ash and blood.
Thoughts:
I loved this book. It gave me chills and kept me on my toes, guessing and guessing at what the mystery behind the island may be. The use of magic, the realness of each character, the tenderness of love between certain characters…it was so much to take in.
The writing reminded me of something like folklore. Something from one of the oldest books still intact. Browning pages, crumbling spine, the smell of old parchment and cold tea. Herbs. Sea air. The vibes were absolutely immaculate.
This is an adult novel so the main characters are in their 30’s while the elders of the island are beginning to gray and wrinkle, if they aren’t already close to ancient.
What snuck up on me was how everything played out in the end. The sinister wind that hid so well between the trees, came to a head on the surface of the water as the waves of consequence came crashing down on those with secrets.
The ending was a bit rushed for me, and I would have loved a little more depth when it came to certain characters. But truthfully this was pretty close to a 4.5/5 star read for me. I’ll be thinking about this book for some time.
Graphic: Grief, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, and Cancer
Minor: Abandonment, Pregnancy, Death of parent, and Alcoholism