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theonering1999's review against another edition
3.5
I read this book for the teen book club I help run at the high school, and if I didn't have to finish it to help run the discussion, I probably wouldn't have finished it. However, I am glad I did! This book has great deaf representation, and I absolutely loved the New Hampshire rural mountain setting. I rarely get to read a book that is based in my home state. I also really enjoyed seeing how running a maple sugar farm works.
The book itself is quite slow, with major events only happening in the last third of the book. You have to earn the main character's backstory, with bits and pieces being given to you over the entire course of the book. I felt that the romance was very accurate for teens, especially the heartbreak that comes with it.Spoiler (I never trusted Cody. >:( Get that kid away from Owl NOW.) (If Goodreads allowed it, I would give this 3.5 stars.)
The book itself is quite slow, with major events only happening in the last third of the book. You have to earn the main character's backstory, with bits and pieces being given to you over the entire course of the book. I felt that the romance was very accurate for teens, especially the heartbreak that comes with it.Spoiler (I never trusted Cody. >:( Get that kid away from Owl NOW.) (If Goodreads allowed it, I would give this 3.5 stars.)
gh0st0fth0ught's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
4.25
kerasalwaysreading's review against another edition
5.0
Once I picked this us, opened it and started to read, I absolutely couldn’t stop. I read this in a matter of hours, fully immersed in this smaller than small town lifestyle, similar to one that I’ve known.
After a tragedy where she was hurt by her father, the person who was supposed to care for her most, Owl is left mostly deaf, and under the new care of her aunt and uncle. Now 17, she knows the ins and outs of the family sugar maple farm.
Her uncle hires a boy not much older than she is to help him tend to the whole of making the syrup and Owl is taken aback. She sees him as an outsider, but soon, he begins to see her for who she is. The bond they form is strong… until his past begins to encroach, leaving Owl shell shocked and reeling.
I LOVED everything about this book. I loved the deaf representation, something I haven’t seen much in the literature I have read. I loved Owl’s perseverance and her incredible strength (even when it sometimes borders on stubbornness). I really enjoyed the day in the life kind of situation we see of life on a maple farm. I also really enjoyed the Native American heritage that is spoken about. It gave this sense of strong bonds that have so much history.
Most of all I loved them way this book plays out. I loved the ending, which I won’t go into as to not spoil it. The choices Owl has to make… the path she takes is strong and wise and I loved her (and the author) for it.
After a tragedy where she was hurt by her father, the person who was supposed to care for her most, Owl is left mostly deaf, and under the new care of her aunt and uncle. Now 17, she knows the ins and outs of the family sugar maple farm.
Her uncle hires a boy not much older than she is to help him tend to the whole of making the syrup and Owl is taken aback. She sees him as an outsider, but soon, he begins to see her for who she is. The bond they form is strong… until his past begins to encroach, leaving Owl shell shocked and reeling.
I LOVED everything about this book. I loved the deaf representation, something I haven’t seen much in the literature I have read. I loved Owl’s perseverance and her incredible strength (even when it sometimes borders on stubbornness). I really enjoyed the day in the life kind of situation we see of life on a maple farm. I also really enjoyed the Native American heritage that is spoken about. It gave this sense of strong bonds that have so much history.
Most of all I loved them way this book plays out. I loved the ending, which I won’t go into as to not spoil it. The choices Owl has to make… the path she takes is strong and wise and I loved her (and the author) for it.
iheartya311's review against another edition
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
The writing was pretty good but there wasn't much to the story. Nothing exciting happened until the end, but I guess that's what it's like to be a teenager.
kitcatavo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
akacya's review against another edition
4.0
2023 reads: 178/350
content warnings (please note i may have missed some): past child abuse, incarcerated parent
after the tragedy that landed her father in prison and owl with her aunt and uncle, she now is a wildlife enthusiast living on her aunt and uncle’s maple sugar farm. when a boy named cody comes to help with the sugaring off, she finds herself drawn to him. soon enough, though, owl finds herself dealing with cody’s destructive tendencies and her father’s release from prison at the same time.
before this book, i knew nothing about the maple sugar farm life. however, i was still drawn to this book because of the premise, and i’m glad i decided to pick it up.
one thing i liked about this book was that owl’s deafness wasn’t just there to make her different, but was actually talked about many times. for example, she works with a teacher for the deaf to learn sign language. this also led to owl advocating for herself. it was so nice seeing this because i feel like many other books with deaf protagonists i’ve read start the book with the mc already knowing sign language, so i felt like this was a unique element.
content warnings (please note i may have missed some): past child abuse, incarcerated parent
after the tragedy that landed her father in prison and owl with her aunt and uncle, she now is a wildlife enthusiast living on her aunt and uncle’s maple sugar farm. when a boy named cody comes to help with the sugaring off, she finds herself drawn to him. soon enough, though, owl finds herself dealing with cody’s destructive tendencies and her father’s release from prison at the same time.
before this book, i knew nothing about the maple sugar farm life. however, i was still drawn to this book because of the premise, and i’m glad i decided to pick it up.
one thing i liked about this book was that owl’s deafness wasn’t just there to make her different, but was actually talked about many times. for example, she works with a teacher for the deaf to learn sign language. this also led to owl advocating for herself. it was so nice seeing this because i feel like many other books with deaf protagonists i’ve read start the book with the mc already knowing sign language, so i felt like this was a unique element.
_joy_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
czoltak's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0