Scan barcode
amberinpieces's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, and Blood
Moderate: Grief, Mental illness, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Homophobia, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Classism, Toxic friendship, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Hate crime, Slavery, Drug use, Stalking, Infidelity, Bullying, Medical content, Vomit, Domestic abuse, and Gun violence
enbyfinley'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I know there will be a second because there were not only questions unanswered but there is gonna be some mess and I love it.
Moderate: Homophobia, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Racism, and Mental illness
Minor: Vomit and Toxic friendship
booksthatburn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Clem and Cris are the two main narrators, but occasional sections follow other perspectives, such as the girl who used to be Cris's best friend. Echoing what played out between their grandmothers decades ago, she turned cruel and seems to have made it her mission to wreck Cris's life. Clem has his own problems, frustrated with how his sister has pulled away since their father died, he's trying to feel connected with her seemingly revolving cast of brief links. He doesn't understand Cris dating a white boy and she doesn't understand him dating so many boys. I love the way their dynamic is written, because it really feels like teenage siblings who want to connect to each other but don't have the experience to understand the way that their mutual teasing is alternately a barrier as much as it's a connection. They're also stressed out by their mother's illness, but almost as soon as the story begins they discover it was unnaturally caused and the only way to protect their family is to get all of their aunts to come home and help cast a protection. There's a wonderful mix of showing and specifically processing the way the ways that the discord and difficulty communicating between their mother and her sisters has then made it harder for Clem and Cris to navigate their relationship with each other.
Digging into the past unearths old wrongs and tangled threads, highlighting misery in the present. The twins are following their own paths of restitution, reconciliation, and resolution as they work, not quite at cross-purposes, but on parallel tracks of investigation as they each try to find out who was hurting their mother, and whether anyone is still trying to hurt them. Cris is navigating her relationship with her with her boyfriend, and Cris meets a new boy who sweeps him away.
I love the ending, things are wrapped up in a way that feels immensely satisfying for 95% of the story, and then rather dramatically unresolved for a plot point so tantalizing that I'm eager for the planned sequel. The dangling threads make it feel real and alive, but the way in which it's unresolved sets it firmly back in the realm of drama and fantasy in a way that I find very pleasing.
Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Forced institutionalization, and Confinement
Moderate: Sexual assault, Drug use, Death of parent, Rape, Alcohol, Bullying, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Car accident, Death, and Medical content
Minor: Pregnancy, War, Body shaming, Mental illness, Vomit, Fatphobia, Infertility, and Self harm
sarahsbookss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Death, Murder, Gore, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Body horror, Car accident, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Homophobia, Bullying, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Hate crime, and Cursing
mshiiken's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
- fascinating magic system
- political intrigue, both mundane and magical
- New Orleans
- LGBTQIA+ representation and love
- messy family ties
The only reason this gets 4 stars rather than 5 is because the writing at times was a little tough to get into. It was a little bit like getting a firehose of description to the face, and I found myself having to re-read sections to parse what was being said. Granted, the chapter titles helped a lot with perspective and the character changes were fascinating. Others have noted that the beginning is slow and I agree - that said, the latter half of the book had me on the edge of my seat for the few hours it took me to speedread. I think teens will really like this book (although a few scenes are a liiiiiittle more explicit than I like to recommend), and plenty of adults will too. I'm excited to see what comes next in the series!
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, Death of parent, Racism, Murder, Homophobia, Grief, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Death
Moderate: Sexual content, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Bullying, Infertility, Drug use, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Car accident, Sexism, Alcohol, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, and Infidelity
Minor: Vomit