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leahhoulton's review against another edition
Listened to this as an audiobook and was really sad when it was over. Read the first book years ago and couldn’t remember it at all but that didn’t seem to matter too much.
readingwithgee_'s review against another edition
3.0
3.5
This book is the companion noven to Beautiful broken things but this time we follow Suzanne 2 years after the first book as she moves back to Brighton, just as Caddy and Rosie are about to head off to Uni.
I did enjoy this one more than the first one although I once again found myself growing extremely tired of the characters. There was no character development despite the fact 2 years had passed, they were still the same conceited girls as before.
My favourite character had to be matt, I loved the romance aspect of the book and I just think he was such a sensitive soul, hiding beneath all of the bravado. (typical ya guy I know)
Again, I did like this book, the actual story was good and I found myself smiling/giggling along many times I just couldn't deal with how the characters were portrayed.
This book is the companion noven to Beautiful broken things but this time we follow Suzanne 2 years after the first book as she moves back to Brighton, just as Caddy and Rosie are about to head off to Uni.
I did enjoy this one more than the first one although I once again found myself growing extremely tired of the characters. There was no character development despite the fact 2 years had passed, they were still the same conceited girls as before.
My favourite character had to be matt, I loved the romance aspect of the book and I just think he was such a sensitive soul, hiding beneath all of the bravado. (typical ya guy I know)
Again, I did like this book, the actual story was good and I found myself smiling/giggling along many times I just couldn't deal with how the characters were portrayed.
stephh's review against another edition
4.0
I read Beautiful Broken Things a few years ago and have been meaning to get around to reading this for a while. I think this is the third Sara Barnard book I've read, and all of them have been good YA reads. I particularly love the focus of female teen friendship in this, which still feels really rare for YA books.
Suzanne's moving back to Brighton, and this time she's determined to make things right. After her time in therapy, she's moved to semi-independent living, and is ready to show that she can look after herself. But when her best friends Caddy and Rosie move away for uni soon after she returns to the city they lived in together, Suzanne's forced to reckon with the loneliness of independence and the struggles that come with it.
I found this a bit of a slow read at the start - with the few years between reading the first and second book I really struggled to settle in and understand what was going on in this. However, as the book went on I got really into it and ended up loving it. The book was full of complex characters and complex relationships, with tricky subjects being handled with a great amount of care. I'll definitely be picking up another Sara Barnard book to read in the future.
Suzanne's moving back to Brighton, and this time she's determined to make things right. After her time in therapy, she's moved to semi-independent living, and is ready to show that she can look after herself. But when her best friends Caddy and Rosie move away for uni soon after she returns to the city they lived in together, Suzanne's forced to reckon with the loneliness of independence and the struggles that come with it.
I found this a bit of a slow read at the start - with the few years between reading the first and second book I really struggled to settle in and understand what was going on in this. However, as the book went on I got really into it and ended up loving it. The book was full of complex characters and complex relationships, with tricky subjects being handled with a great amount of care. I'll definitely be picking up another Sara Barnard book to read in the future.
readsbyross's review against another edition
5.0
Just an incredible book! Really enjoyed it! And Dilys's letter made me sob uncontrollably!
vlmollylv's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, and Suicide attempt
holsarmstrong's review against another edition
5.0
just leave me to sob pls
I bloody loved beautiful broken things and this book was beyond a rollercoaster of emotions. I adore!
I bloody loved beautiful broken things and this book was beyond a rollercoaster of emotions. I adore!
chrissireads's review against another edition
4.0
A beautifully written book. It completely captured my heart.
themaxdog's review against another edition
3.0
Full review now up on the blog: https://www.thewritinggreyhound.co.uk/2022/08/book-review-fierce-fragile-hearts-sara-barnard.html
How do you piece yourself back together when you've been broken?
Fierce Fragile Hearts is the second book in the Beautiful Broken Things duology. The first book focused mainly on Caddy, while this sequel picks up the narrative in order to tell Suzanne's story. I think you would struggle to understand a lot of what happens in this book if you haven't previously read Beautiful Broken Things. It's largely focused on Suzanne's recovery and what happens next to the trio of friends, much of which would have little meaning without the necessary context applied from book one.
Suzanne is a rich, complex character with plenty of hidden depths. She is a walking contradiction - she loves to put on a mask and excels in company, yet she is also afraid of showing her true self to anyone new. She is fiercely protective of her two best friends, Caddy and Rosie, yet can't help but lapse back into her old destructive behaviours when they leave for university.
Suzanne is certainly an interesting character to read about, yet despite this, I still found the book somewhat lacking compared to Beautiful Broken Things. Maybe it was the naivety of Caddy's narration, or the coming-of-age storyline just bore more weight, but either way, I definitely preferred Beautiful Broken Things to Fierce Fragile Hearts. This book is great if you enjoyed the first book and want to find out what happens next, but I do think it would be a struggle for a new reader to make the most of the story.
That being said, it was a joy to read a book that focused on friendship above romance. So much YA lit is focused on love interests, and while there is an element of romance in this book, it certainly isn't the main plot. The friendship that Suzanne, Caddy, and Rosie share really is something special - they are simply each other's people. Another highlight is the unlikely friendship that develops between Suzanne and Dilys. It's endearing, heartwarming, and just so sweet.
Fierce Fragile Hearts has a strong sense of place running throughout the book. In this story, we return once again to Brighton, where the girls' story began. Brighton acts almost like an anchor for a character like Suzanne who drifts through life, never staying in one place long enough to settle down and grow roots. Brighton is the anomaly, the one place she feels like she truly belongs.
Fierce Fragile Hearts is an emotionally-charged story of friendship, heartache, and navigating the complexities of life.
How do you piece yourself back together when you've been broken?
Fierce Fragile Hearts is the second book in the Beautiful Broken Things duology. The first book focused mainly on Caddy, while this sequel picks up the narrative in order to tell Suzanne's story. I think you would struggle to understand a lot of what happens in this book if you haven't previously read Beautiful Broken Things. It's largely focused on Suzanne's recovery and what happens next to the trio of friends, much of which would have little meaning without the necessary context applied from book one.
Suzanne is a rich, complex character with plenty of hidden depths. She is a walking contradiction - she loves to put on a mask and excels in company, yet she is also afraid of showing her true self to anyone new. She is fiercely protective of her two best friends, Caddy and Rosie, yet can't help but lapse back into her old destructive behaviours when they leave for university.
Suzanne is certainly an interesting character to read about, yet despite this, I still found the book somewhat lacking compared to Beautiful Broken Things. Maybe it was the naivety of Caddy's narration, or the coming-of-age storyline just bore more weight, but either way, I definitely preferred Beautiful Broken Things to Fierce Fragile Hearts. This book is great if you enjoyed the first book and want to find out what happens next, but I do think it would be a struggle for a new reader to make the most of the story.
That being said, it was a joy to read a book that focused on friendship above romance. So much YA lit is focused on love interests, and while there is an element of romance in this book, it certainly isn't the main plot. The friendship that Suzanne, Caddy, and Rosie share really is something special - they are simply each other's people. Another highlight is the unlikely friendship that develops between Suzanne and Dilys. It's endearing, heartwarming, and just so sweet.
Fierce Fragile Hearts has a strong sense of place running throughout the book. In this story, we return once again to Brighton, where the girls' story began. Brighton acts almost like an anchor for a character like Suzanne who drifts through life, never staying in one place long enough to settle down and grow roots. Brighton is the anomaly, the one place she feels like she truly belongs.
Fierce Fragile Hearts is an emotionally-charged story of friendship, heartache, and navigating the complexities of life.
raccoon_1's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
blurrybug's review against another edition
3.0
3,5 stars
A nice follow up, not absolutely needed but for my curious self it was definitely a gift.
A nice follow up, not absolutely needed but for my curious self it was definitely a gift.