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A review by serendipitysbooks
Bruised by Tanya Boteju
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Bruised is a YA novel that follows Daya’s journey and grief following the sudden death of her parents. Unsurprisingly it is sometimes an uncomfortable emotional read, especially when Daya resorts to self-harm as a way to manage her feelings.
I loved the diversity in this book. Among the characters there is a range of ethnicities, genders, sexualities, abilities and ages. There are some unique quirky individuals and I love the warm, caring relationships that exist or develop among them. I thought the story was well paced and structured. The backstory that was interspersed provided some key details crucial to understanding Daya. I’ve long harboured a fascination with roller derby but have absolutely no interest in ever participating. I loved that this story let me learn more - from the safety of the page! Finally, I loved Daya’s story arc, the way she came to learn that one way to be strong is to be soft rather than hard.
I loved the diversity in this book. Among the characters there is a range of ethnicities, genders, sexualities, abilities and ages. There are some unique quirky individuals and I love the warm, caring relationships that exist or develop among them. I thought the story was well paced and structured. The backstory that was interspersed provided some key details crucial to understanding Daya. I’ve long harboured a fascination with roller derby but have absolutely no interest in ever participating. I loved that this story let me learn more - from the safety of the page! Finally, I loved Daya’s story arc, the way she came to learn that one way to be strong is to be soft rather than hard.
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Self harm, and Car accident