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dark
emotional
sad
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
The first half of this book was so trauma heavy I could hardly get through it and I read a lot of dark and twisted books. I was crying every chapter for characters I didn’t even care of yet because it was written so ghastly.
By the first 100 pages we had touched on nearly every traumatic experience one could think of, and half of them felt unnecessary. I nearly stopped half way because it was becoming all a bit much but it was for book club and I saw a review that made it seem like it was worth finishing.
It did ease up on the second half although it was still really sad and I was still crying pretty much every chapter. Thankfully there was a light at the end of the tunnel for the main character.
Part of me though still feels uneasy with the author as it never quite felt like I was reading the story of this 14 year old exploring their gender identity but a straight middle aged man writing the story. I also don’t quite understand the desire of the author to write this protagonists story as it feels like a sacred space I’m not sure I feel the genuine nature of this story cause it’s so clear the author has not lived this experience. I searched up about 70 pages in if he were a straight cis man because it felt that way and he is so it kinda took me out.
By the first 100 pages we had touched on nearly every traumatic experience one could think of, and half of them felt unnecessary. I nearly stopped half way because it was becoming all a bit much but it was for book club and I saw a review that made it seem like it was worth finishing.
It did ease up on the second half although it was still really sad and I was still crying pretty much every chapter. Thankfully there was a light at the end of the tunnel for the main character.
Part of me though still feels uneasy with the author as it never quite felt like I was reading the story of this 14 year old exploring their gender identity but a straight middle aged man writing the story. I also don’t quite understand the desire of the author to write this protagonists story as it feels like a sacred space I’m not sure I feel the genuine nature of this story cause it’s so clear the author has not lived this experience. I searched up about 70 pages in if he were a straight cis man because it felt that way and he is so it kinda took me out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infertility, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail