Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

My Sweet Girl by Amanda Jayatissa

22 reviews

thenovelmaura's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This review is going to be all over the place because I have mixed feelings about this book. Earlier this year I was trying to rekindle my love for thrillers by reading ones that are written by diverse authors. Jayatissa is Sri Lankan, and the incorporation of a ghost from Sri Lankan folklore added another layer to Paloma's story (and her unreliable narration). While there wasn't a ton of time for nuance, I did like certain aspects of the adoption narrative, such as Paloma's rejection of her heritage, her adoptive parents' obvious white savior complex, and the microaggressions she faced while living in San Francisco.

I can't rate this super highly due to the many plot holes, and the pacing really dragged at points. You also have to have a high tolerance for rudeness to enjoy Paloma's thoughts on, well, everyone in her life. But if you like gory, dark, tense thrillers, you'll probably enjoy this unique spin on the "I discovered my roommate's dead body and the cops don't believe me" premise.
I do love the kind of thriller ending where the "bad guy" gets away with it.
I'm also giving Jayatissa some grace because it's a debut novel and putting her next book on my TBR!
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rachkoch's review

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4.0

talk about a THRILLER!!! holy moly. the first half i wasn't really getting into it i was like i don't really like paloma what is going on AND THEN MY GOODNESS!! THE TWIST OF IT ALL WOOOOOAHH. do check TW before reading bc some parts are lowkey graphic but the plot and the associated twists!!!
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allapaz's review against another edition

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2.0

by far the most unlikeable, unreliable main character I've ever read, and I can't figure out why she had to be so unlikeable. Usually the 'troubled, hot mess MC' trope is fine for me, but there's at least some redeeming quality but Paloma's out here dropping the f-bomb every 3 sentences and passing out once per chapter. Twists were twisty, sure, but the 'big one' was pretty clear from the get go. This clearly had a lot to say about international adoption and identity and abuse, poverty, xenophobia, etc., I just wish that weren't so overshadowed by all the other drama
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dfbballinger's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The plot of this book is compelling and finding out what happened in Sri Lanka that led Paloma to the life she has in California drove my desire to keep reading. That said, Paloma is very, very unlikeable. So detestable that had it not been for an intriguing plot, I probably wouldn’t have finished the book. She treats everyone like garbage and is only concerned about herself. There is no growth or change over the course of the novel. She’s just mean. The twists and turns of the novel do, in some ways, make up for the faults of the protagonist though. All in all, it was a fun read that kept me on my toes. 
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staceyface's review

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

One of the most satisfying yet internally confusing endings I've ever experienced. I feel wrong for feeling so pleased.
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halebugs's review

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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delphine_'s review against another edition

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funny mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

 
Much like in the other book I read from Amanda Jayatissa, it seems like she can't help but ruin a really good book by going too far into the horrifying. I don't mean horror as in spooky, or disturbing existential dread - there's plenty of that in this book and it worked really well and I was entirely into it.

What I mean is this book made me discover I needed some trigger warnings I didn't know I needed. Some things never, never ever, need be this graphic. Or maybe they do if you really want true, unadulterated, experience of things that do happen in real life and that are just as revolting. They, maybe successfully, made me feel ill and violated and absolutely not okay. The way I see it, alluding to them is plenty. Especially as a device to make us understand how horrible someone's situation was.

Much like in You're Invited, it just seems gratuitous and too much.

I'm starting with what will unfortunately stay my main takeaway for this book that I otherwise really liked and that offered a fascinating take on another one of Jayatissa's tricks, but a positive one: the unreliable narrator. We watch Paloma sink helplessly into her vices, unable to stop her as she makes bad decisions, unable to help her as things unravel. Supernatural forces or too much to drink? The characters around her are no less mysterious and you'll find yourself, too, in a haze of distrust for everybody. I really enjoyed the read and the end still had me invested again as Jayatissa arfully kept things ambiguous until she wanted us to know. I loved predicting practically nothing that happened. Only one plot point, and I thought I was so smart for it.

I'm really sad about this one part that truly left a sour, ugly taste in my mind for a book I had no reason not to love. After all, there's a reason I picked up this book after reading another one from the author. But before I pick up another one, I'll dutifully read the trigger warnings and know that when it comes to Jayatissa, graphic means GRAPHIC. 
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bookishcookiemonster's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Wow! Unreliable narrator, also very unlikeable but the plot gripped me. Could not hit pause ! 
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alexandratheroux's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A difficult read due to the genuinely horrible personality of the unreliable narrator but I'm super glad I stuck it out because the last 3rd of the book was twisty as hell and very worth it.
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