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paolina's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-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
Enjoyed living in this world for a bit, though I did have trouble with the slow pacing and keeping track of the large cast of characters.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, and Sexual content
cheye13's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
"Eleven sticks bundled together can withstand anythinng. One stick out in the cold all on its own can't even withstand itself."
This was a fun and unique read, but I wanted more out of it. It's pitched as truly absurd, and I set my expectations too high. I wanted the story to push further – push the witchcraft, push teen angst & rage, even push field hockey further. Instead it precisely toes the line between fantasy – "magic is real" – and ambiguity – "is magic real?"; while both options could've worked, this story avoided the choice, building an ominous tone with no ultimate payoff. And while the end didn't pull the typical "married, suburbs, 1.5 kids," it still felt far too much like an epilogue to me.
On the other hand, the teen girls & their diverse personalities and experiences were stellar. The 80s east-coast suburb was nearly tangible, a great foundation for the story. I appreciated the nuanced contextualization of the 80s norms; serious topics like sexism, sexual assault, racism, etc. aren't simply swept away with "it was a different time," but addressed in-story, then further contextualized in relation to today. While it's not one of my favorite reads, I do think it's a good book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, and Vomit
joceraptor's review against another edition
challenging
funny
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Animal death
Minor: Infidelity and Blood
kelecoo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is easily one of the best books I've read this year. Truly incredible, and way more #EmpoweredWomenEmpowerWomen than I expected!!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Gun violence and Sexual assault
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