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fieldfarmer 's review for:
Bruised
by Tanya Boteju
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My main issue with Bruised is that I felt like I was promised sad roller derby gals, and I did not receive enough of the roller derby itself because honestly my favorite part of sports books is the sport. However, I loved Daya's development so much. Grieving your parents is such a difficult task, especially when you're as young as she is, and I loved seeing her be able to open up both to her family and her new and old friends. Boteju's portrayal of grief was so real and raw that it took me longer to go through this book than I normally would've. I thought the love interest was kind of giving off "manic pixie dream girl who has a spine" vibes, but I still loved her and their relationship. Also, I'm a sucker for anything with queer grandmas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Car accident