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fkshg8465's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Confinement, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Cancer, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Gun violence, Addiction, Drug use, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Mental illness, War, Bullying, and Pandemic/Epidemic
m_egg_o's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Drug abuse and War
cheazcakeguy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I like that this book focused in on fewer characters - the Red Feather family specifically, some of my favorite characters from the first book. It spends more time with each character, and as a result their struggles and triumphs are more impactful. This book has similar themes to There There, but focuses a lot more on family dynamics in the face of adversity (without getting too spoilery, it deals a lot with addiction and violence, as well as illness). There were so many moments in this book that I resonated with emotionally - highs and lows. The internal monologues of the characters were often so forthright and confessional, like they are pouring their hearts out to the reader, with run-on sentences as they struggle to find the words to articulate their feelings, like someone might do when trying to confide in a therapist, journal, or friend. Yet Orange always finds the right words, and when they hit you they hit hard and deep. And the characters are so relatable in their struggles and feelings and insecurities, you can't help but love and root for them all.
My only real gripe about the book is with the pace. While I liked learning about the Red Feather family history, the pace felt a little uneven in roughly the middle third of the book. This is also a really heavy and emotionally devastating book (as is There There), so make sure you're in the right headspace before diving in.
I just discovered this author, but I can't wait to see what he does next. I think his books are for everyone and should be read by everyone.
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Cancer, Drug abuse, and Addiction
Minor: Alcoholism, Genocide, and War
yourbookishbff's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
This read was ultimately not for me. It didn't stand alone easily, and I felt I was missing too much of There, There to really understand these big character jumps (requesting this ARC when I hadn't read There, There is ENTIRELY on me - I truly thought this would stand alone). I also don't love overwrought prose - sentences that are routinely paragraph-length run-ons remind me why I don't read as much lit fiction anymore. These are my own preferences, though, and I would still say this is an important and propulsive read that will likely be appreciated by those who loved There, There.
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Murder, Drug use, Death, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Grief, Colonisation, and Abandonment
Moderate: War, Sexual assault, and Cancer
pomoevareads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Slavery, Self harm, Addiction, and War
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Gun violence, Car accident, and Sexual assault
ecn's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Suicide, Medical content, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Racism, Mental illness, War, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Slavery, Murder, Cancer, Violence, Genocide, Drug use, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Torture, Drug abuse, Racial slurs, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Grief, Death, Colonisation, Blood, Self harm, Medical trauma, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Dementia, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Car accident, and Gun violence
readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Murder, Racism, Death, Addiction, Drug use, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Mental illness, Grief, Child abuse, Colonisation, Hate crime, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Medical content, Animal death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Ableism, Cancer, War, and Alcohol
Minor: Slavery, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Animal cruelty, Cultural appropriation, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Antisemitism, Car accident, Pandemic/Epidemic, Ableism, Sexual assault, Bullying, Transphobia, Vomit, Body shaming, Rape, Racial slurs, Child death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Dementia, Misogyny, Excrement, and Abandonment
womanwill's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
I most loved being back with the characters, particularly Opal Bearshield as she fiercely loves her family and 3 grandkids: Orvil, Lony, and Loother Redfeather. As well as their true grandma and Opal's sister, Jacque Redfeather as she worked through alcoholism. This book, also, at parts spans centuries in their family line of Cheyenne ancestors: a family that survives the Sand Creek Massacre, boarding schools, alcoholism and addiction.
This is not a light read but it is well worth its emotional depth and a must read for anyone who wants to read about the harsh survival of "Native Americans".
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC.
Graphic: Addiction, Colonisation, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Self harm
Moderate: Alcoholism, War, Cancer, and Gun violence
Minor: Racial slurs and Mass/school shootings
brewdy_reader's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
๐ฆ๐๐๐ โข ๐๐ถ๐ฃ ๐๐ข๐ต๐ฆ 27 ๐๐ฆ๐ฃ 2024
โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ
"๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐. ๐๐๐๐ข ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐."
At the end of There There, the story felt incomplete, raw, unfinished, unresolved, without closure. You could argue that that was the point.
However, for those who wanted more, you will find that here. Both going backwards in time multi generations and forward in time from the Big Oakland Powwow, blending historical and contemporary fiction into one book, we trace the families and lives of characters from There There from past into present day.
Wandering Stars highlights the impacts of addiction, grief, loneliness, & belonging. The writing style flows between poetic prose to stream of consciousness as we jump POVs between minds of characters numbing their pain via toxic coping mechanisms as one bad event leads to one bad decision to another and another to where there seems no way out but deeper into the abyss.
If I had a complaint, it would be the sheer volume of characters, which to effectively track requires family tree diagramming with arrows and cross references. There were many memorable moments. I must have highlighted over half of the book.
This one will stay with me for a long time, so I am rounding my rating up from 4.5 to 5.
โจ Releases Feb 27 โจ
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, and Vintage & Anchor for allowing me to review this book. All opinions are my own.
TW: Addiction, Drug Use/Abuse, Self Harm, Suicidal Thoughts, Alcoholism, Racism, Rape, Abuse, Genocide, Trauma.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Genocide, Violence, Torture, Addiction, Self harm, Drug use, Drug abuse, Racism, Pregnancy, War, Murder, Rape, Mental illness, and Kidnapping
Minor: Gun violence and Mass/school shootings