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nicetomitchya's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Pedophilia, Alcoholism, Rape, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Murder, and Blood
aprilyvonne's review
5.0
“Sadie” by Courtney Summers broke me. My eyes are still puffy and I’ve used more tissues in the last couple of hours than I normally do while reading. It’s always hard to review a book that tears your heart outside of its body, while recognizing that you also appreciated the story. I can’t even decide on which word to describe this reading experience. Either way, “Sadie” was well written, vivid, but also heart wrenching and horrid.
I didn’t know anything going into the novel, so the true crime podcast style was a welcomed touch. Yet, once more details about the crimes came to light, the more painful it was to read.
Sadie’s character will live on in my memory for a long time due to her tenacity, grit, and heart, which were enthralling and admirable qualities. Considering all what she had gone though, it was hard not to feel for her. The whole messy situation and family dynamics shed light on so many unspoken issues in the world. Unfortunately, some of those reminders hit too close to home at times.
West McCray, the journalist that goes on this journey with readers in search of what happened and the search for Sadie, was genuine and sincere. I listened to the audiobook while following along with my hardcopy (as I often do). The narrators were authentic and clearly made the the “podcast” feel real - too real. Overall, I’m glad I read this, but I’ll need some time to recuperate.
I would like to warn readers to check the triggers prior to reading just in case.
Please be kind and gentle with others, as you never know what someone’s going through.
QOTD: What was your last 5 ⭐️ read? Any great audiobook recommendations?
Graphic: Grief, Death, Violence, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Murder, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Child death, Child abuse, Addiction, Sexual violence, Rape, and Abandonment
lanaxfaiiry's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Child death, Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault
sarah_shelf's review against another edition
4.0
This book is described like a mystery, but it’s really not about that at all. At least not in the way I think of traditional mysteries. The narrative is told from the perspective of Sadie searching for her little sister Mattie’s killer and from Wes McCray a podcast journalist who has picked up Sadie’s story after she has gone missing. The general whodunit and why that I was expecting isn’t really a part of it. Sadie knows what happened (even if it takes a while for her to explain that to us) and Wes’ investigation is largely parallel and two steps behind Sadie’s journey. Rather, the focus is on the sisters’ relationship: how much Sadie loves Mattie as well as the things she is willing to do for that love because no one else will.
I was not prepared for the monster Keith/Darren/Jack was. (Seriously check the content warnings. I was caught off guard and even more unsettled because of it). So much of Sadie’s journey involves the effects and reactions to his abuse, which is never fully described on the page. Instead we get disturbing flashback scenes of creepy behavior, the emotional turmoil of the evidence he and Silas kept, as well as testimonies from a host of characters who thought they were great guys. All of that makes this so much more real because “girls go missing all the time” but rarely are we forced into the true aftermath of these stories.
There was no other way to end this book. Apparently the ending is contentious, and I get that because usually such an open-ending feels unfinished and unsatisfying, but it would have hurt the story to do things differently.
Moderate: Grief, Death, and Child death
Minor: Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Murder, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
amystainton's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Grief, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Death, Cursing, Car accident, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Eating disorder, Drug use, Abandonment, Rape, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Child death, Murder, Mental illness, Bullying, and Addiction
kbenavidez44's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Sexism, Self harm, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Violence, Drug use, Grief, Kidnapping, and Murder
sophiafaurs's review
- 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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Physical abuse, Blood, Child death, Violence, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Death, Rape, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Mental illness, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, and Addiction
Minor: Gore
ghostlyprince's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Grief, Rape, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Classism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Stalking
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Kidnapping
brazenbooch's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Rape, Pedophilia, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Grief
Minor: Murder and Kidnapping
majoch3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Child abuse, Alcoholism, Murder, Rape, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Child death, and Violence