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emily_mcclanathan's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
completelynovel_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
frances_the_red's review against another edition
2.0
Während ich die Prämisse und das Setting mochte, kam ich leider nicht mit der Schreibe, respektive Übersetzung, klar. Die paar Seiten zogen sich für mich dahin wie Kaugummi. Vielleicht wäre das englische Original hier die klügere Wahl gewesen?
home_again's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
5.0
This book is all wrong. Mainly because it's true to life. It's not supposed to be this way. Parents are supposed to believe in their kids. Teachers are supposed to have amazing breakthroughs with struggling students. Victims are supposed to prevail.
The writing is superb. Flawless. The cadence is rhythmic. It feels a little drawn out in places, but I felt like that added to the story. It really gave a sense of everyday living. You feel like you're a part of the day-to-day life of these twin boys.
This is a really hard book to read. I almost want to say leave it alone. But at the same time I think everyone should read it.
The writing is superb. Flawless. The cadence is rhythmic. It feels a little drawn out in places, but I felt like that added to the story. It really gave a sense of everyday living. You feel like you're a part of the day-to-day life of these twin boys.
This is a really hard book to read. I almost want to say leave it alone. But at the same time I think everyone should read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence, and Child death
bahareads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Claire Adam is WICKED!! I read Golden Child on audiobook; the narrator was great!
The dichotomy between Peter and Paul was interesting. I liked the fact that we can see Paul's POV and not Peter's. Moving back and forth between Paul and, their father, Clyde's POV was great. I enjoyed them both. The dilemma was pulling me apart. I wanted to throw up in a few scenes. Reflexing back on them now makes me want to cry.
At first, I thought he just had dyslexia but by the end of the book, I was pretty sure he had some form of autism. Of course, he could be neither of those things, but the story around his birth and the 'difficulties' does not attribute to everything that happened or to his POV in which he had full mental capacity. Peter HAVING to live with that pressure and expectation was so upsetting to me. It was not just one life ruined, multiple lives were ruined because of the decisions made. What pissed ME off the most was the FUCKING uncle. I wanted to see more of the effects of the decision immediately post-making-it but seeing Peter after graduation was also impactful.
The dichotomy between Peter and Paul was interesting. I liked the fact that we can see Paul's POV and not Peter's. Moving back and forth between Paul and, their father, Clyde's POV was great. I enjoyed them both. The dilemma was pulling me apart. I wanted to throw up in a few scenes. Reflexing back on them now makes me want to cry.
At first, I thought he just had dyslexia but by the end of the book, I was pretty sure he had some form of autism. Of course, he could be neither of those things, but the story around his birth and the 'difficulties' does not attribute to everything that happened or to his POV in which he had full mental capacity. Peter HAVING to live with that pressure and expectation was so upsetting to me. It was not just one life ruined, multiple lives were ruined because of the decisions made. What pissed ME off the most was the FUCKING uncle. I wanted to see more of the effects of the decision immediately post-making-it but seeing Peter after graduation was also impactful.
emmavardy2's review
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia
tishywishy's review
4.0
I finally finished this book. Admittedly, having attended BookOfCinz's bookclub meeting and hearing all the juicy spoilers, I was delayed in finishing it. Also, the meetup was great! If you're in Trinidad, I highly recommend. But I pushed through because I wanted to come to my own conclusion and honestly, I enjoyed it immensely. I got emotional at the end, I felt it for the entire family but Clyde really tugged at me. Paul wedges his way into your heart and you can't help but root for him. The references to Dole Chadee's reign would stick out to many Trinbagonians who read this. The scenery, culture and food were detailed and I felt like a bystander next to the characters throughout the entire story (mainly due to me being Trinbagonian and able to capture all of the reference and details).
What I did not like was some of language and I wonder how much of it was Adam's editors suggesting that it needs to be more standardized for the masses. It was the only thing that disappointed me because how we speak is part of our culture and for it to be shaped into something else like "all you" instead of "allyuh" makes me feel like the book loses pieces of its identity. I wish they had done footnotes and kept the language as rooted as possible. Hence 4 stars instead of 5.
Happy to add this book to my read list and it hits two goals I'm working on this year:
Reading books by a Caribbean author (Claire is a Trinbagonian living in England)
Reading books based in the Caribbean (Set in Trinidad and Tobago)
What I did not like was some of language and I wonder how much of it was Adam's editors suggesting that it needs to be more standardized for the masses. It was the only thing that disappointed me because how we speak is part of our culture and for it to be shaped into something else like "all you" instead of "allyuh" makes me feel like the book loses pieces of its identity. I wish they had done footnotes and kept the language as rooted as possible. Hence 4 stars instead of 5.
Happy to add this book to my read list and it hits two goals I'm working on this year:
Reading books by a Caribbean author (Claire is a Trinbagonian living in England)
Reading books based in the Caribbean (Set in Trinidad and Tobago)
bobeetle's review against another edition
2.0
It started well but ended poorly. The narration is too long and you easily get bored. Plus the decision by the father and the ending sucks terribly. Why? Because there are a lot of questions that are unanswered.