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A review by percys_panda_pillow_pet
Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White
adventurous
dark
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
First of all, a great big thank you to Peachtree and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC! I loved Andrew Joseph White's previous books and was so excited when I heard this one announced.
I have to say, I just genuinely enjoy the way White crafts such strong characters, and yet they don't overpower the plot or the setting at all. In fact, all the elements just work together almost seamlessly. The main character, Miles, and his family are outcasts from the town they live in due to their intense family history, including a major blood feud, but Miles also feels the creeping doubt of being something else; something other. Miles is explicitly coded as Autistic, but even he isn't totally sure of why he feels so different from everyone around him. The way that this piece of Miles' character shined throughout the book via both his internal struggles as well as the external forces of the blood feud seemed masterfully done.
Something I really appreciated in this book as well was the underlying hope and the passion for rights overturning wrongs. That, even in the most bleak situations, when you think all is lost, there are still people out there willing to support you and make things right again. Especially when this book touched on many possibly triggering topics (see trigger warnings), including everything we tend to see on the news from the political to the gruesome; it would've been easy to sink into a sort of pessimistic view while reading or writing this. So hats off to White for giving a good look at reality while also allowing for optimism to shine through. This book could've been the most depressing I'd read in a while, but after finishing I felt hopeful that things could be different, that bad people can lose and good people can win.
The reason I'm giving this book a 4.5 star rating, and not a 5 star like White's other books is simply that I think I am just a little tired of his formula. While tried and true, I think I'm okay leaving off on this book if this is what the author will continue to put out. I think The Spirit Bares Its Teeth will remain my favorite of the three that are out, though that could change in the future. I don't think Compound Fracture is a bad book by any measure. It's very good, because White is very good at creating these interesting settings and characters and deeply weaving them together to create a plotline that will sink into your bones and haunt you for a bit. I just think I've had enough for now. However, I can guarantee, if you liked one or both of Andrew Joseph White's previous books, Hell Followed With Us and The Spirit Bares Its Teeth, and you really want more of his work and style, you will DEFINITELY like Compound Fracture.
I have to say, I just genuinely enjoy the way White crafts such strong characters, and yet they don't overpower the plot or the setting at all. In fact, all the elements just work together almost seamlessly. The main character, Miles, and his family are outcasts from the town they live in due to their intense family history, including a major blood feud, but Miles also feels the creeping doubt of being something else; something other. Miles is explicitly coded as Autistic, but even he isn't totally sure of why he feels so different from everyone around him. The way that this piece of Miles' character shined throughout the book via both his internal struggles as well as the external forces of the blood feud seemed masterfully done.
Something I really appreciated in this book as well was the underlying hope and the passion for rights overturning wrongs. That, even in the most bleak situations, when you think all is lost, there are still people out there willing to support you and make things right again. Especially when this book touched on many possibly triggering topics (see trigger warnings), including everything we tend to see on the news from the political to the gruesome; it would've been easy to sink into a sort of pessimistic view while reading or writing this. So hats off to White for giving a good look at reality while also allowing for optimism to shine through. This book could've been the most depressing I'd read in a while, but after finishing I felt hopeful that things could be different, that bad people can lose and good people can win.
The reason I'm giving this book a 4.5 star rating, and not a 5 star like White's other books is simply that I think I am just a little tired of his formula. While tried and true, I think I'm okay leaving off on this book if this is what the author will continue to put out. I think The Spirit Bares Its Teeth will remain my favorite of the three that are out, though that could change in the future. I don't think Compound Fracture is a bad book by any measure. It's very good, because White is very good at creating these interesting settings and characters and deeply weaving them together to create a plotline that will sink into your bones and haunt you for a bit. I just think I've had enough for now. However, I can guarantee, if you liked one or both of Andrew Joseph White's previous books, Hell Followed With Us and The Spirit Bares Its Teeth, and you really want more of his work and style, you will DEFINITELY like Compound Fracture.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Incest, Misogyny, Rape, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, and Abandonment
Minor: Child death, Eating disorder, Sexual violence, Suicide, Abortion, Death of parent, and Dysphoria