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What seems like a straightforward mystery unfolds to become so much more. The story of two children, both missing, years apart, and both from the same family, is masterfully told from a variety of perspectives. Each chapter marks a specific moment in time for that specific person, and they get to weave the strands of their experience with all of the ones that follow.
The movement between the past and present is done so well. It's never confusing, and what can first appear to be a foray into one moment always returns dividends in later parts of the story. No detail is wasted, and everyone's perspective matters.
As the story unfurls, it becomes clear that this is more than a simple whodunit or family curse; this is a meticulous examination of privilege, class, gender, and expectation, as experienced by the characters who may not always realize which part they're playing.
Beyond all of that, this is beautiful language, a stunningly crafted world, and a story that I would recommend again and again.
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Violence, Classism
Minor: Sexual assault
Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Child death, Death
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Alcohol
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Vomit, Dementia, Lesbophobia
Moderate: Animal death, Body shaming, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Dementia, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Dysphoria, Classism
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Sexual assault
Graphic: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Blood, Vomit, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Blood, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol
Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Murder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Blood, Pregnancy, Classism