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A review by bandysbooks
The Cherished by Patricia Sarrafian Ward
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
The Cherished by Patricia Ward is a young adult horror novel about a young girl named Jo who inherits her grandmothers property. Once there, she realizes things are not what she expected and her father's old delusions might actually be reality. I've been on a gothic horror kick lately, so this sounded like something I would enjoy. The cover also really called my attention. Unfortunately, the cover was the best part of this book.
I rarely say anything quite so direct in my reviews as I really hate to leave blatantly negative feedback, but the writing in this book was bad. Like bad enough that I wanted to DNF it. In fact, had I not been participating in a readathon where points were given for each book completed, I would have DNF'd it. I'm not going to write a long review tearing this to shreds, but suffice it to say the characters were not likeable or compelling, the plot was dull, and the pacing was slow as molasses.
My biggest issue with this book is the problematic portrayals of mental health, race, and body size. I'm not going to list everything out as it's already been done in other reviews. Frankly, it's 2023. Do better.
Usually, I would close this review by saying "If you like x,y, and z, you may enjoy this book", but I honestly can't think of anyone that would enjoy this book and I refuse to recommend a book with problematic representation (at least one that doesn't seem to be making a critique or at all self aware of said issues).
Additionally, I received an Audio-ARC of this book and was extremely frustrated when I found out it was literally a robot reading me the book. This Audiobook is unfinished and is impossible to review without a proper narrator. So imagine a choppy robotic voice reading a choppy, all over the place book with problematic representation. Yeah, it was not a good time. In the future, if I open audio-ARCs and they are narrated by a robot, it will be an automatic DNF for me.
*Thank you to Netgalley, Particia Ward, and Harper for the Audio-ARC of this book. Reception of an ARC in no way affects the objectivity of my review.
I rarely say anything quite so direct in my reviews as I really hate to leave blatantly negative feedback, but the writing in this book was bad. Like bad enough that I wanted to DNF it. In fact, had I not been participating in a readathon where points were given for each book completed, I would have DNF'd it. I'm not going to write a long review tearing this to shreds, but suffice it to say the characters were not likeable or compelling, the plot was dull, and the pacing was slow as molasses.
My biggest issue with this book is the problematic portrayals of mental health, race, and body size. I'm not going to list everything out as it's already been done in other reviews. Frankly, it's 2023. Do better.
Usually, I would close this review by saying "If you like x,y, and z, you may enjoy this book", but I honestly can't think of anyone that would enjoy this book and I refuse to recommend a book with problematic representation (at least one that doesn't seem to be making a critique or at all self aware of said issues).
Additionally, I received an Audio-ARC of this book and was extremely frustrated when I found out it was literally a robot reading me the book. This Audiobook is unfinished and is impossible to review without a proper narrator. So imagine a choppy robotic voice reading a choppy, all over the place book with problematic representation. Yeah, it was not a good time. In the future, if I open audio-ARCs and they are narrated by a robot, it will be an automatic DNF for me.
*Thank you to Netgalley, Particia Ward, and Harper for the Audio-ARC of this book. Reception of an ARC in no way affects the objectivity of my review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, and Racism
Additional Trigger Warnings: Fatphobia