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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Death of parent
(full disclosure...I listened to this as an unabridged audio book so I can't comment on the formatting or design choices that seem to have put some people off this book).
Rory Hendrix has not had a very charmed life, she's by no means a "girl scout" with all the time she spends in bars looking for her mom. But she is a good kid in a bad situation. So she turns to her girl scout handbook to guide her through it.
What makes this book unique is that each chapter seems to be set out as a lesson (or more accurately those little badge requirement pages you find in the girlscout handbooks) and Rory finds herself going through various required tasks as she grows up (none of which actually get her a badge).
It's hard to like or dislike her mother and grandmother or the other nonexistent (for most of the book) family members. But more than anything else this is the story of how one girl has coped with growing up and made it through about as unscathed as she can.
The format is strange and takes some getting used to (I can only imagine the print book is even more difficult) but it is worth the push. Hassman has done something really unique here.
Rory Hendrix has not had a very charmed life, she's by no means a "girl scout" with all the time she spends in bars looking for her mom. But she is a good kid in a bad situation. So she turns to her girl scout handbook to guide her through it.
What makes this book unique is that each chapter seems to be set out as a lesson (or more accurately those little badge requirement pages you find in the girlscout handbooks) and Rory finds herself going through various required tasks as she grows up (none of which actually get her a badge).
It's hard to like or dislike her mother and grandmother or the other nonexistent (for most of the book) family members. But more than anything else this is the story of how one girl has coped with growing up and made it through about as unscathed as she can.
The format is strange and takes some getting used to (I can only imagine the print book is even more difficult) but it is worth the push. Hassman has done something really unique here.
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault
Wonderful. Brutal, painful, and sharp with a voice all its own. Our main heroine, Rory Dawn, is unforgettable, and the writing reads like poetry.
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Sexual assault
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Not for me. I didn't find the MC brash. She's missing a spark for me. And I could have done without the sexual abuse plotline. I feel it's a lazy literary fiction plot device at this point. And in the end it didn't even have much to do with the actual story.
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent
I wasn't going to finish this book because it was so sad but when I read reviews here on Goodreads, I was convinced to continue. It was still a sad read but with a glimmer of hope at the end.
4 and a 1/2 stars.
This is so beautifully written, you should savour every word. Some of the sentences I read aloud just so I could feel the words in my mouth. It gives some insight into the lives of the so-called trailertrash, and how difficult it is to escape this lifestyle.
"...and Mama may have been an easy lay, but I'm cool with that because any easy lay will tell you, making it look easy is a lot of work."
This is so beautifully written, you should savour every word. Some of the sentences I read aloud just so I could feel the words in my mouth. It gives some insight into the lives of the so-called trailertrash, and how difficult it is to escape this lifestyle.
"...and Mama may have been an easy lay, but I'm cool with that because any easy lay will tell you, making it look easy is a lot of work."