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A review by jhscng
Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
dawg i should’ve read the tws before diving into this book 😭 such heavy topics in a ya book….
the writing was very sub-par and simplistic to me and i couldn’t get into it. i know it totally makes sense for the age range but the moral messages and teachings of the book were very explicit whereas i prefer more nuance and subtlety
overall this was a very conflicting read for me bc the topics of negative parental influences on mental health and self-image r hard hitting, also the biracial and social anxiety representations were beautifully (take it with a grain of salt) done, but i couldn’t connect with it personally. i know it may become an important read to some but not for me
the writing was very sub-par and simplistic to me and i couldn’t get into it. i know it totally makes sense for the age range but the moral messages and teachings of the book were very explicit whereas i prefer more nuance and subtlety
overall this was a very conflicting read for me bc the topics of negative parental influences on mental health and self-image r hard hitting, also the biracial and social anxiety representations were beautifully (take it with a grain of salt) done, but i couldn’t connect with it personally. i know it may become an important read to some but not for me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Racism, and Suicide attempt