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A review by readintowonderland
Number Thirty-Two by Cassie Steward
3.75
I love how Anna at first is such a crotchety old narrator. It was just the thing I was in the mood for at the time and kept the book from getting too heavy early on.
The complicated family dynamics are really the only set plot. It follows the lives of the residents and people relevant to number thirty-two but they are not quite in the form of a set narrative as you may expect. I would call it a slice-of-life book where all of the characters make questionable at best decisions that propel the plot. Absolutely every character is morally grey if not morally black.
There were definitely a few drama moments that made me distressed. So please keep in mind there is a part in the book with intimate acts between a 15-year-old and a young adult. There is also an unknown step-sibling romance plot so the trigger warnings are very important for this book.
The one part of this book that irked me was how inconsistently vulgar the author was. Characters would be cursing left and right, describing intimate moments with some detail, then not specify at all what a big bad drug was by name. It was frustrating how the author wouldn't just commit to being totally vulgar, but would then randomly be quite vulgar. At times the vulgarity would've helped so much in understanding the severity of various moments.
By the midpoint in the book, I was pretty invested in the lives of all of the characters. When one of them died (you'll have to read it to find out who), I was crying big ugly tears.
My favorite part of the book was how it gave a satisfying conclusion that didn't leave a ton of unanswered questions and left this book as a proper standalone.
There is a ton of British slang in the book, most of which went over my head. With that in mind, an American audience does not get as much from the book as a British audience would.
Overall, this book is good for those who want to experience a book that dives deep into the lives of a group of characters with deeply interconnected stories. The book has enough drama that a cup of tea isn't enough, you'd need the whole kettle. Seeing things from different perspectives added a lot of value to each of their stories. Please do look at trigger warnings in-depth before reading as there are a ton of intensely heavy topics.
I received this book as an arc through Book Babes PR. My review is honest and voluntary
The complicated family dynamics are really the only set plot. It follows the lives of the residents and people relevant to number thirty-two but they are not quite in the form of a set narrative as you may expect. I would call it a slice-of-life book where all of the characters make questionable at best decisions that propel the plot. Absolutely every character is morally grey if not morally black.
There were definitely a few drama moments that made me distressed. So please keep in mind there is a part in the book with intimate acts between a 15-year-old and a young adult. There is also an unknown step-sibling romance plot so the trigger warnings are very important for this book.
The one part of this book that irked me was how inconsistently vulgar the author was. Characters would be cursing left and right, describing intimate moments with some detail, then not specify at all what a big bad drug was by name. It was frustrating how the author wouldn't just commit to being totally vulgar, but would then randomly be quite vulgar. At times the vulgarity would've helped so much in understanding the severity of various moments.
By the midpoint in the book, I was pretty invested in the lives of all of the characters. When one of them died (you'll have to read it to find out who), I was crying big ugly tears.
My favorite part of the book was how it gave a satisfying conclusion that didn't leave a ton of unanswered questions and left this book as a proper standalone.
There is a ton of British slang in the book, most of which went over my head. With that in mind, an American audience does not get as much from the book as a British audience would.
Overall, this book is good for those who want to experience a book that dives deep into the lives of a group of characters with deeply interconnected stories. The book has enough drama that a cup of tea isn't enough, you'd need the whole kettle. Seeing things from different perspectives added a lot of value to each of their stories. Please do look at trigger warnings in-depth before reading as there are a ton of intensely heavy topics.
I received this book as an arc through Book Babes PR. My review is honest and voluntary
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Bullying and Abortion
Minor: Car accident