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A review by spicycronereads
Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This is the first Tiffany D. Jackson book that I didn’t love. It’s also the first time I found myself yelling at or talking back to an audiobook. Apologies to voice actress Joniece Abbott-Pratt for all the yelling I did at her. For better or worse, she made the story come alive.
The book opens with main character, Enchanted, waking up, covered in blood, with no memory of how she got that way. In the room with her is a man who is dead and it is someone whom she clearly fears. The narrative, then goes back in time and starts to relay the events that led to the situation. it was extremely stressful. Because you can see exactly how things were going to go. It may be because I’m an adult woman, but the manipulation tactics seemed so transparent. It was difficult to remind myself that the target audience is young women, who might be more likely to fall pray to these tactics. It was also infuriating to see how the victims of intimate partner violence were treated both by people in their lives, and by the system.
The author does a good job of addressing the nuances and social attitudes around these issues, from the over-sexualization of Black girls, to the systemic failures for survivors of intimate partner violence, to the differential treatment of perpetrators based on their race. Definitely check your trigger warnings though, this is a rough one!
Overall, the audio performance was really great. It is a story that needs to be told. It would probably less frustrating for the target demographic (it is a YA novel). I liked it but didn’t love it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The book opens with main character, Enchanted, waking up, covered in blood, with no memory of how she got that way. In the room with her is a man who is dead and it is someone whom she clearly fears. The narrative, then goes back in time and starts to relay the events that led to the situation. it was extremely stressful. Because you can see exactly how things were going to go. It may be because I’m an adult woman, but the manipulation tactics seemed so transparent. It was difficult to remind myself that the target audience is young women, who might be more likely to fall pray to these tactics. It was also infuriating to see how the victims of intimate partner violence were treated both by people in their lives, and by the system.
The author does a good job of addressing the nuances and social attitudes around these issues, from the over-sexualization of Black girls, to the systemic failures for survivors of intimate partner violence, to the differential treatment of perpetrators based on their race. Definitely check your trigger warnings though, this is a rough one!
Overall, the audio performance was really great. It is a story that needs to be told. It would probably less frustrating for the target demographic (it is a YA novel). I liked it but didn’t love it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Racism, Mental illness, and Stalking