Reviews

The Life She Was Given by Ellen Marie Wiseman

crabbytaco's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

cicidean's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

dvallee's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

3.5

dch7's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Body shaming, Death, Grief, Confinement, Abandonment, Sexual content, and Animal death

Moderate: Alcohol

lostwithoutaplan's review

4.0

WHOA. A hard start, and a hard life. But I am glad the main character found love on her own. 

Both main character's had a family that sucked. Selfish - domineering - unkind. 
Then the other family Lily got stuck with - also a handful of jerks. 

The story shows that there are a few kind souls that want to do the right thing amidst the rubble of this world.

natalieyanka's review against another edition

challenging inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

tishywishy's review against another edition

3.0

I've been meaning to read this book for some time and I'm happy I got the chance. Lily is sold to the circus by her mother while Julia always found her mother distant and unloving. Julia and Lily's story come to a tumultuous peak towards the end with the author really setting the scene to be frustrating and emotional. That was well done. There are certainly some parts and reactions that made the characters seem too one dimensional and I was frustrated by the loss of a couple main characters with no definite explanations, but I enjoyed it.

chels4956's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad medium-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

graciesmom's review

3.0

DNF'd at 90% due to too much violence.

pam2375's review against another edition

5.0

This was my first Wiseman book and I will tell you that it will not be my last. This story was brutal, sad and beautiful all at the same time. The resilience of the human spirit absolutely amazes me and I will be remembering this story for a long long time.

My thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for this advanced readers copy!