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gondorgirl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Animal death, Sexual content, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Death of parent
itsemmaofc's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Emotional abuse
count_of_carabas's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Terminal illness, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse
gafforama's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Animal death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Classism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Terminal illness, and Grief
emilyrandolph_epstein's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Moderate: Animal death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Cancer, and Domestic abuse
pagesofkenzie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Violence, and Physical abuse
mary_soon_lee's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
It's a beautifully-written but desolate story at the intersection of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. The tale is a reworking of a Japanese folk story, this version set in a near-future where farming can be entirely automated and corporate, but there are also magical creatures. The story is narrated by a fifteen-year-old girl who is in jeopardy and trying to safeguard her six-year-old brother. There's violence and harm, both physical and mental. The plot turns on abusive relationships and attempts to escape. The bleakness of the story's main events is rendered even sharper in contrast to the girl's memories of her tender father. The story speaks also of art, but the art of the story is a very harsh mistress.
It's haunting. I liked the writing very much. I was on edge and distressed as I read: I don't do well with sustained jeopardy to children.
Call it four out of five distraught stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Violence, and Domestic abuse
qarina's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Abandonment and Animal death
howlinglibraries's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
"Love is the path of least resistance, you see? It’s a lot more work to cause harm to someone who mistrusts you, or fears you. Or hates you. Love opens the city gates wide, and allows all manner of horrors right inside."
I don't read a lot of speculative fiction, so this took me a little bit to get into, and at first, I wasn't sure if I was enjoying it at all. Who was this crane, and why was the main character's mother taking him as a lover? Was this normal in this lightly dystopian setting? Did everyone take birds for mates, and why was this crane so particularly cruel?
As the story unraveled, though, I found myself drawn into it so intensely I couldn't stop thinking about it. I was interrupted at the 85% mark of the audiobook and couldn't get back to it soon enough because I had to know how it would end! And gradually, I realized that this wasn't a story that was supposed to make perfect sense, because it isn't a story about the crane. It's a story about generational trauma, and cycles of abuse, and the things that people — especially women — will tolerate in the name of love.
I enjoyed this so much. I can't wait to read more from this author.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, and Grief
kaiyakaiyo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Blood, Gun violence, and Abandonment
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Animal death
Minor: Terminal illness and Alcoholism