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megpro7's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Gore, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Violence
ricksilva's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Ruth's story is one of small-town isolation and the dysfunction of families stuck together through claustrophobic winters. The main character, abandoned by her father, left behind by her brother when he finds prospects beyond their tiny Illinois farm, is left trapped between her overbearing mother and the drug-addled man she eventually marries. The birth of the narrator's baby boy brings the hope for a new chance for all of them, but the oppressive circumstances they exist in moved inevitably toward tragedy.
The characters in this story are deeply nuanced, and the narrator's voice is powerful through all of her quirkiness. I like the development of multiple layers of complexity in even the minor characters who at first appear very one-dimensional. The author also does a great job of bringing the setting to life.
The climactic scene is extremely violent, much more so than the rest of the story up to that point, although it is certainly foreshadowed. The ending is left very open, and perhaps a bit intentionally unsatisfying, taking the approach that there will never be true closure to the events that have unfolded. Definitely not a happy story, but an engaging one.
The characters in this story are deeply nuanced, and the narrator's voice is powerful through all of her quirkiness. I like the development of multiple layers of complexity in even the minor characters who at first appear very one-dimensional. The author also does a great job of bringing the setting to life.
The climactic scene is extremely violent, much more so than the rest of the story up to that point, although it is certainly foreshadowed. The ending is left very open, and perhaps a bit intentionally unsatisfying, taking the approach that there will never be true closure to the events that have unfolded. Definitely not a happy story, but an engaging one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Abandonment, and Bullying
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