Scan barcode
eliya's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
slow-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
3.0
I spent 9h 47m reading this book.
The whole time I was reading I was trying to figure out what this book was going to be. There was so much backstory and set up, it seemed, that I wasn’t sure when the book, or “real” story, would begin. It caught me off guard when I realized the point of the book, and it was kind of relaxing. This isn’t a particularly exciting book or anything, this is a very healing book.
I just lost my father about two months ago and it’s been hard to let go. I’m glad I read this book when I did.
Now, the actual book was weird. The point was lovely— there was a very odd antihomelessness theme throughout the book. The island that they live on has heavy patrols for people sleeping anywhere but inside a house & none of the characters bay an eye about it. The author tries to do this like “I remember poverty… it was rough” thing with a couple of the characters and it doesn’t land, it just reads as empty, really. I think she could have dived deeper and given detail instead of vague “what was probably abuse” description.
I feel bad for Lizbeth honestly. I think she and Lucy should have had a larger part of the story. You have Lizbeth and her diaries and we’re waiting for this big ball to drop (no pun intended) at the end when someone finally reads her diaries, but it, again, falls flat on delivery.
I’m glad the loose ends were tied up, but the package was a lot smaller than it made itself out to be. Cute book, glad I read it, good for grief. Nice to fat people and not weird about weight lol.
The whole time I was reading I was trying to figure out what this book was going to be. There was so much backstory and set up, it seemed, that I wasn’t sure when the book, or “real” story, would begin. It caught me off guard when I realized the point of the book, and it was kind of relaxing. This isn’t a particularly exciting book or anything, this is a very healing book.
Now, the actual book was weird. The point was lovely— there was a very odd antihomelessness theme throughout the book. The island that they live on has heavy patrols for people sleeping anywhere but inside a house & none of the characters bay an eye about it. The author tries to do this like “I remember poverty… it was rough” thing with a couple of the characters and it doesn’t land, it just reads as empty, really. I think she could have dived deeper and given detail instead of vague “what was probably abuse” description.
I feel bad for Lizbeth honestly. I think she and Lucy should have had a larger part of the story. You have Lizbeth and her diaries and we’re waiting for this big ball to drop (no pun intended) at the end when someone finally reads her diaries, but it, again, falls flat on delivery.
I’m glad the loose ends were tied up, but the package was a lot smaller than it made itself out to be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Violence, Addiction, Death of parent, Stalking, Forced institutionalization, Death, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Racism, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Classism, Pregnancy, and Emotional abuse
bookishjesse's review
I just can't read a book that is written with the sensibilities of white people pretending to have any knowledge whatsoever of privilege. There are too many lines that bely an "I'm not racist, really!" attitude. I should have known given that the POC characters so far are described as a "pirate" or "dramatic" or "a prostitute." I just can't with this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
More...