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lalaby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Bullying, Animal cruelty, Religious bigotry, Animal death, Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Gore
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Child abuse
remuslibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Animal death, and Abandonment
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual assault
joulesmargot's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Child death, and Blood
tonathonfurey's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
There are some younger who could grapple with the poetic language, alien setting and slow pace and who would really enjoy the dark atmosphere. Just one of these characteristics on its own would not put off many juvenile readers, and may even appeal, but in combination they're likely offputting; generally, I would recommend this book to adults who love a good craggy-rock, rough-ocean, witch-stoning, folksong-singing, amputation-describing slow burn without much pace or clear direction. The few children who would read and enjoy this would, I imagine, find it quite profound.
Other reviewers have rated this down for the treatment of women and particularly the writing of the character John. I think their reviews are apt but as a trans reader I didn't actually feel the same way. I think that this subplot is open to interpretation, and without giving away too many spoilers, it read as a very specific (and yes, contrived) circumstance that was not meant to represent or comment on trans experience. To me it felt like the misogyny was so extreme and so explicit that it served as part of the general showcase of the 'nasty, brutish and short' lifestyle lived by young people in this place and time; and that the workings out of the plot were not necessarily 'rewards' or condoning certain mindsets but rather showing the arbitrary nature of fate and the way people 'muddle through' brutal circumstances that offer limited choices. Given that I feel like most young people would benefit from some support in accessing this book anyway, I can imagine some very fruitful discussions about the misogynistic attitudes of the boys and men in the book.
Overall, worth a read but not necessarily an easy one, both for the slow pace and the disturbing content. I will keep an eye out for students who might find something in this book and will be interested to hear their views on a number of its elements.
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Grief, Confinement, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Misogyny
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Vomit
Minor: Sexism and Transphobia