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sillygoose925's review
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Transphobia, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Outing, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Classism
kerianne0's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, and Gaslighting
Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, and Deadnaming
cleo_wylde's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Gore, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Transphobia
Minor: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, and Emotional abuse
myhomextheroad's review
- 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
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Grief, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Transphobia, and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Blood
cheye13's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"The truth is, loving myself is not a given. It's hard work sometimes."
15yo Verdad is struggling with her best friend's death, navigating a complicated family life, and exploring who she is. This journey leads her to a group of queer teens, and through helping her new friends heal, she begins her own healing process.
The first thing that caught me was the realism; how genuinely young the narrator sounds, how tumultous and intense high school is, how nebulous questioning one's identity gets. I've never read a more authentic depiction of intersectionality in action.
The second thing that caught my attention, buried a little behind Verdad's abrasively honest youth, was the beauty of the writing. There is poetry on every page and a thread of magical realism throughout and the stream of consciousness style seamlessly immerses readers in Verdad's mind.
This book was a hidden gem that I would've been too scared to pick up had I known what heavy subject matter it addresses. For those afraid for the same reasons, I think it's important to know that the end
Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Transphobia, Grief, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Animal death, Cursing, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Blood
The story focuses mostly on healing in the aftermath of the characters' traumas, so a lot of these topics are discussed as past events rather than directly depicted.