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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
Beautiful, heartbreaking, Woodson's talent with language shines in this one.
a book hasn’t made me cry in a long time, and this one has. a beautiful yet heartbreaking story.
Rounded up from a 3.5
Overall, it was interesting enough. The ending was sudden and shocking, but it makes sense in the context of the story since no one gets a fair warning for tragedy and misfortune. Definitely on the sadder side, so beware.
Overall, it was interesting enough. The ending was sudden and shocking, but it makes sense in the context of the story since no one gets a fair warning for tragedy and misfortune. Definitely on the sadder side, so beware.
I didn't know what to expect when I picked this one up but boy did it wreck me. I was sobbing at the end, absolutely sobbing. I knew, but I didn't know. Really well done book.
Een mooi verhaal, nog steeds relevant. Als je wilt kan je het binnen een dagje uitlezen.
Short and powerful enough to stand the test of time.
One of the most honest, beautiful, and heart-wrenching tales. Beautifully written, and honestly one of the most touching stories I have ever read.
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It was not easy to rate If You Come Softly, to be honest. It is definitely a great book for teens about racism, and I would’ve loved it if I read it in school. Now I’m a bit older and the writing was a bit to simple for me, which is why I gave it 3.5 stars.
The book focusses on two teenagers, Ellia, a Jewish white girl, and Miah, a Black boy, falling in love with each other. Like I’ve said, the writing is quite simple, but I still liked the melancholic vibe I got from it. The ending where Miah gets shot was so sad and heartbreaking.
What I furthermore appreciate about the novel are the characters that just feel so real. Ellie and Miah are so cute, and it was cute as well how their moms found out that they have a crush. They get together a bit fast but it’s a short book so that’s okay. It’s also interesting to see that cultural appropriation was also a topic in the 1990s, and that we get some sapphic representation where it is shown that marginalized people can have prejudices as well.
So generally, I would recommend If You Come Softly just for the way it deals with issues of social justice and the sad/melancholic atmosphere Woodson creates.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Classism
Minor: Homophobia, Cultural appropriation
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Racism