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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
If you or someone you know doesn’t understand the concept of systemic racism and why it is so incredibly damaging to BIPOC people even today, I would highly recommend this book. It’s is an incredible example of what it’s like to live as a minority, constantly feeling as though you much pay debts from a past that you weren’t apart of.
3.5 stars. Loved the writing. Jael Richardson did an excellent job telling a very important story.
“When it comes to beauty, don’t go looking for your reflection in someone else’s mirror. You hear me? You are lovely as you are.”
Gutter Child is a story of resilience and navigating an oppressive system that is guarantees your failure if you’re from the Gutter. The story follows Elimina, one of the 100 babies who were taken from the Gutter to the Mainland to be raised as a Mainlander as an experiment sponsored by the Mainland government. However, when her mother dies Elimina is sent to an academy with new rules and life of servitude that she is unfamiliar with. Being confronted by the life as Gutter child and unexpected turns in her Elimina must find a way to navigate a system that is built for her and others like her to fail.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, particularly the intricacies of the world that Richardson has built that has many parallels to reality that is chilling and awakening. It’s a timely novel and insightful in the way institutions are often built for failure for minorities in order to maintain a status quo.
Jael Richardson has written a heartbreaking and well-written book that pulls on colonial and racial histories into a fictional world with not so fictional policies. I completely recommend this to anyone looking for a dystopian novel with Canadian roots.
Gutter Child is a story of resilience and navigating an oppressive system that is guarantees your failure if you’re from the Gutter. The story follows Elimina, one of the 100 babies who were taken from the Gutter to the Mainland to be raised as a Mainlander as an experiment sponsored by the Mainland government. However, when her mother dies Elimina is sent to an academy with new rules and life of servitude that she is unfamiliar with. Being confronted by the life as Gutter child and unexpected turns in her Elimina must find a way to navigate a system that is built for her and others like her to fail.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, particularly the intricacies of the world that Richardson has built that has many parallels to reality that is chilling and awakening. It’s a timely novel and insightful in the way institutions are often built for failure for minorities in order to maintain a status quo.
Jael Richardson has written a heartbreaking and well-written book that pulls on colonial and racial histories into a fictional world with not so fictional policies. I completely recommend this to anyone looking for a dystopian novel with Canadian roots.
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Suicide
Minor: Sexual violence
I could see Gutter Child being taught as part of a Canadian high school English lit curriculum. It's that powerful in terms of its cultural significance, its social commentary on institutionalized racism, and of how much there truly is to unpack.
I don't want to say much about Gutter Child, especially because so much of what affected me reading it was uncovering the 'history' of this dystopian class system that doesn't feel so dystopian as compared to our history now.
This book does beat you down, though, which is entirely intentional, and why Jael Richardson opens this book with an author's note of making sure to "take care with your heart and your mind as you read." So while the storytelling was brilliant, it was a hard book to 'enjoy'. I also wanted more from the ending--I know what Richardson was going for, but without spoiling it, I personally struggle with those kinds of endings.
This could be a really interesting read for young adults or for a book club to really dig into and explore the effects of injustices against BIPOC.
I don't want to say much about Gutter Child, especially because so much of what affected me reading it was uncovering the 'history' of this dystopian class system that doesn't feel so dystopian as compared to our history now.
This book does beat you down, though, which is entirely intentional, and why Jael Richardson opens this book with an author's note of making sure to "take care with your heart and your mind as you read." So while the storytelling was brilliant, it was a hard book to 'enjoy'. I also wanted more from the ending--I know what Richardson was going for, but without spoiling it, I personally struggle with those kinds of endings.
This could be a really interesting read for young adults or for a book club to really dig into and explore the effects of injustices against BIPOC.
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Title: Gutter Child
Author: Jael Richardson
Genre: Dystopian Fiction
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: January 26 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Haunting • Raw • Original
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Set in the dystopian world of a nation divided into the privileged Mainland and the policed Gutter, Jael Richardson's debut tells the story of Elimina, one of 100 Gutter children taken to be raised in the Mainland as part of a social experiment. Following the death of her Mainland mother, her life is completely upended when she finds herself living a life of servitude. Gutter Child explores a fractured world of disadvantage and injustice that is all too real, and is a timely story of both perseverance and bravery, and of strength and survival.
💭 T H O U G H T S
My expectations going into this one were sky high given its popularity, and that certainly could have impacted my experience with it. I absolutely see its merits, and commend Jael Richardson on such a fierce debut. However, I didn't love it.
The parallels to the real world cannot be ignored. It is very well written, and heavy novel with strong themes and an in depth exploration of race, class, privilege, identity and colonization guaranteed to spark discussion. Where I couldn't get on board is in the structure. The dialogue at times seemed repetitive, and outside of Elimina, I felt the character development was lacking. It felt more to me like a YA dystopian than anything else. Finally, the ending felt so rushed, which I now understand may be due to the fact there's talk of a sequel. With all this being said, this is a timely, heart-breaking and important book, that will have me thinking long after I've finished it.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Book clubs
• fans of YA dystopian
• readers who enjoy a good coming of cage story
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
" 'Purpose gets you through whatever comes.' "
" 'We didn't plan this or ask for this. But we ended up here anyway. And all we can do it try to survive.' "
"When I drew pictures of mother and me, I used Peach for her and Chestnut for myself. 'Why is your skin named after something soft and sweet and mine is something hard and bitter?' 'Because you are so much tougher,' she said. I thought that was a very good answer. And maybe it's true. But I am forced to be tough. It takes a particular kind of strength to exist in a world where you are not wanted that doesn't feel like strength at all. Like giving up or giving in would be easier, smarter even. Maybe that is my chestnut, my toughness. The fact that I am still here."
Author: Jael Richardson
Genre: Dystopian Fiction
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: January 26 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Haunting • Raw • Original
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Set in the dystopian world of a nation divided into the privileged Mainland and the policed Gutter, Jael Richardson's debut tells the story of Elimina, one of 100 Gutter children taken to be raised in the Mainland as part of a social experiment. Following the death of her Mainland mother, her life is completely upended when she finds herself living a life of servitude. Gutter Child explores a fractured world of disadvantage and injustice that is all too real, and is a timely story of both perseverance and bravery, and of strength and survival.
💭 T H O U G H T S
My expectations going into this one were sky high given its popularity, and that certainly could have impacted my experience with it. I absolutely see its merits, and commend Jael Richardson on such a fierce debut. However, I didn't love it.
The parallels to the real world cannot be ignored. It is very well written, and heavy novel with strong themes and an in depth exploration of race, class, privilege, identity and colonization guaranteed to spark discussion. Where I couldn't get on board is in the structure. The dialogue at times seemed repetitive, and outside of Elimina, I felt the character development was lacking. It felt more to me like a YA dystopian than anything else. Finally, the ending felt so rushed, which I now understand may be due to the fact there's talk of a sequel. With all this being said, this is a timely, heart-breaking and important book, that will have me thinking long after I've finished it.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Book clubs
• fans of YA dystopian
• readers who enjoy a good coming of cage story
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
" 'Purpose gets you through whatever comes.' "
" 'We didn't plan this or ask for this. But we ended up here anyway. And all we can do it try to survive.' "
"When I drew pictures of mother and me, I used Peach for her and Chestnut for myself. 'Why is your skin named after something soft and sweet and mine is something hard and bitter?' 'Because you are so much tougher,' she said. I thought that was a very good answer. And maybe it's true. But I am forced to be tough. It takes a particular kind of strength to exist in a world where you are not wanted that doesn't feel like strength at all. Like giving up or giving in would be easier, smarter even. Maybe that is my chestnut, my toughness. The fact that I am still here."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicide
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping
Minor: Mental illness, Death of parent
classism, colourism
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-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:
No
What can I say about Gutter Child that hasn't already been said. This book doesn't just touch on things that need to be mentioned, it shows you how much the race vs society status situation is prevalent, not just in this "dystopian" novel, but in our world too. Elimina, a Gutter Child by birth, grows up on the mainland only to be put into an academy when her adoptive mother passes away. It is there in this academy, that she learns that all Gutter Children have a debt that needs to be paid off and that she'll probably work her whole life doing so, without even given a chance to live a normal life. From then she learns the the cruelness of the world and how her life has been pretty much been arranged for her, and how it will be set in the future. When Elimina makes some decisions to try to live her life her way, well you'll have to read the book to find out what happens! I'm very excited that there's going to be a sequel because I need more of Elimina and her strong sense of worth!
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Full disclosure - I had no intentions of reading this book. It didn't seem right for me, I usually struggle with dystopian type novels and felt like the synopsis of this one was a little to 'close to home' to our current state of life. However, with a little pushing from a few friends and then it becoming a pick for my book club, I figured I couldn't miss out on the book everyone was talking about.
I am SO glad I did. This book really lived up to the hype for me. This book was deep, dark, depressing, raw, and terrifying. Gutter Child discusses races, classes, privilege identity and stolen land. It covers topics that are real life issues, big time real life issues, into a dystopian novel. You'll think "this is awful, this would never be real", until you think for a moment and think about how aligned this book is to some of the things that are happening in our real life world right now.
Elimina was an incredible character. She is the female character we all need, especially in our real life. She battled and fought not only for herself, but for everyone else around her as well. She is a character that I will no doubt use as an example for a long time when asked for strong female characters.
If you think you can handle this book, please read it. I highly suggest it be a must read, possibly even in schools (even though it covers a lot of heavy matter). This book really makes you think, in a way that everyone should be thinking.
I am SO glad I did. This book really lived up to the hype for me. This book was deep, dark, depressing, raw, and terrifying. Gutter Child discusses races, classes, privilege identity and stolen land. It covers topics that are real life issues, big time real life issues, into a dystopian novel. You'll think "this is awful, this would never be real", until you think for a moment and think about how aligned this book is to some of the things that are happening in our real life world right now.
Elimina was an incredible character. She is the female character we all need, especially in our real life. She battled and fought not only for herself, but for everyone else around her as well. She is a character that I will no doubt use as an example for a long time when asked for strong female characters.
If you think you can handle this book, please read it. I highly suggest it be a must read, possibly even in schools (even though it covers a lot of heavy matter). This book really makes you think, in a way that everyone should be thinking.