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greatexpectations77's review
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I have about 4K words of thoughts about this that are more appropriate for elsewhere, but I am absolutely baffled that other reviews didn't mention the fact that this book uses violence against a Native person to prompt personal growth from a white woman. Wil shows up, gets called slurs, has no characterization,gets Tori pregnant, is vaguely magical, and then dies in less than 100 pages. He only exists to be pined for as like an ethereal being. He is written as essentially something other than human who also provided a baby. it made me REALLY uncomfortable. Also, I felt like the end was a whole different story that got tacked on. I just cannot believe Read talked to Native folks before writing this book, as she states in her acknowledgements. Because I really feel like she just went and checked off all the tropes of writing about Native people in the kind of "magical Negro" trope. The character is there to further the story, but they're not really a full person. I'm just really mad about this. First time I've been burned by a blind date with a book. Sigh. The action kind of trickles out too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Abandonment, Bullying, and Child death
Moderate: Pregnancy, Racism, Toxic relationship, Classism, Murder, Blood, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Minor: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Sexual content, War, and Death of parent
alexisgarcia's review
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
this was so so disappointing. the characters are incredibly one dimensional and stereotypical, the plot is incredibly unbelievable and boring, and the author used the singular Indigenous American character is barely featured and simply used to further the main characters story and then thrown away.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Colonisation, Murder, Grief, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Racism, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Abandonment, Blood, Pregnancy, War, Body horror, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, and Violence
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