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emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Alternate timelines is a trope they could never make me hate and this book was no exception. While it’s marketed as how your name can change the course of your life, I don’t think that’s quite accurate. The book explores the naming choice of a mother living in an abusive relationship and I think it’s more accurate to say this book is about how the degrees of standing up to your abuser can change the course of your life. Nevertheless, I thought it was beautifully written and it grabbed my attention. The brief windows we see into Bear/Julian/Gordon’s lives is just enough at each time point, and I enjoyed having the story explore his mother and sister’s stories too. While I liked the message the ending had, I did feel it was a bit rushed, so points off for that, but overall a wonderful read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse