A review by oceanelle
The Five Wounds: A Novel by Kirstin Valdez Quade

emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Beautifully written and very tender in the way each character is given the space to be their fullest, most realistically flawed selves while they move through a huge period of transition together. Everyone is hurting and healing all at once, and I wanted to give Angel a hug the entire time. As for Amadeo, it’s beyond me how I can still have a soft spot for him despite wanting to rip him a new one, but maybe that’s the most realistic depiction of family there is. 

(It’s infuriating that Brianna
faces zero consequences for fucking up Angel’s life
, but that’s also par for the course with white saviors, so.)

I would’ve loved for
Amadeo’s last car accident
to have appeared a bit sooner so we could see more of a reckoning followed by some slow healing—I didn’t totally buy that Angel’s worst nightmare could come true and she wouldn’t finally tell Amadeo about himself—but I can also appreciate how tired she is. How over it they all are. 

Not the book for you if you want a strong plot, but definitely for you if you care about characters that are shown to be their best and worst selves and everything in between.  
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