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ang44's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Reading this book, as someone who has both personally experienced and works daily with a population that experiences extreme suicidal ideation, felt like reassurance. Barbery has a beautiful way of being able to describe how life is made up of the most beautiful small moments that make all the rest of them worth living through. The beauty of camellias, the warmth of connection with others, the joy from the enrichment of books and language and culture - all of these are feelings to chase, and reasons to choose to live. These little moments are "an always within never," and the people in our lives who show us this, and who move gracefully through this life, are as refined and elegant as the hedgehog!
It really is a beautiful and enjoyable story that genuinely reminded me why I choose to keep living every day. Some of the language is very complex, but it is written in a way where I was able to skim some paragraphs at times and still glean the deeper meaning without over-analyzing every single word. Very excited to re-read this and have the words be more familiar and to absorb even more of the story. I had mixed feelings about the ending for the main character, but overall the characters are lovable and the story is valuable.
It really is a beautiful and enjoyable story that genuinely reminded me why I choose to keep living every day. Some of the language is very complex, but it is written in a way where I was able to skim some paragraphs at times and still glean the deeper meaning without over-analyzing every single word. Very excited to re-read this and have the words be more familiar and to absorb even more of the story. I had mixed feelings about the ending for the main character, but overall the characters are lovable and the story is valuable.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
mxpringle's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book made me cry so much and it was so inspiring. It's such a beautiful look into what it means to try to change the way your life was meant to be carried out and whether it is possible to change the destinies placed on us by class structures.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, and Drug use
quills4days's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Suicide, and Terminal illness
merenguita's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I quite enjoyed this book, although it's a little slow in the beginning, the last third makes it worth it and the last few pages are very emotional. I'm a little bit frustrated with the ending, not what I would've liked to see but it is beautifully written nonetheless.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Fire/Fire injury
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