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A review by allthatissim
Toffee by Sarah Crossan
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My first read by Sarah Crossan and how amazing it was!
TWs: domestic abuse and violence, homelessness, chronic illness
Two women from different generations end up being dependent and close to each other while sharing the common trauma of domestic abuse among other issues while trying to find their own identity in the chaos. Or while trying simply to survive.
One old, one young- generation apart, yet the common binding is that of pain and sorrow. One trying to remember who she is and the other trying to forget her past life.
Allison is a young girl who runs away from her abusive home. She wants to live with her father but canโt understand where to find the silver lining. She wants to forget her past life so she takes refuge in a lonely cottage at a beach. But to her surprise, there lives a 70-something woman Marla who is struggling to remember herself. She has Dementia and hence she mistakenly thinks Allison is her long-lost friend Toffee. And this misunderstanding forms a beautiful relationship between the two, which is the backbone of the story.
๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ง๐ฆ๐ญ๐ญ.
๐ ๐ฐ๐ถโ๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ.
๐๐ฉ, ๐บ๐ฆ๐ด. ๐ ๐ฅ๐ช๐ฅ
๐๐ถ๐ต ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฆโฆ
๐ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ข ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ช๐ฎ๐ฆ.
The story deals with some serious topics of domestic abuse, dementia, and homelessness among others and yet it was heartwarming! The relationship between the two women shows the importance of friendship no matter the age. It is intensely compelling and emotional. So much so that for the first time I couldnโt help myself but made some doodles along these lines.
This is a book written in verse so you can easily fly through it but the emotions hit you hard. Domestic abuse is always a hard topic to read about. It is the toxicity of it, that makes one believe that they deserve it, that it is their fault that no one loves them. And it is what Allison is struggling through, to get the love of her father.
I felt the ending was a bit rushed. But other than that, it was truly amazing. I connected to these characters, and I felt for them. The emotions are strong and the storytelling is perfect.
Definitely recommended ๐
TWs: domestic abuse and violence, homelessness, chronic illness
Two women from different generations end up being dependent and close to each other while sharing the common trauma of domestic abuse among other issues while trying to find their own identity in the chaos. Or while trying simply to survive.
One old, one young- generation apart, yet the common binding is that of pain and sorrow. One trying to remember who she is and the other trying to forget her past life.
Allison is a young girl who runs away from her abusive home. She wants to live with her father but canโt understand where to find the silver lining. She wants to forget her past life so she takes refuge in a lonely cottage at a beach. But to her surprise, there lives a 70-something woman Marla who is struggling to remember herself. She has Dementia and hence she mistakenly thinks Allison is her long-lost friend Toffee. And this misunderstanding forms a beautiful relationship between the two, which is the backbone of the story.
๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ง๐ฆ๐ญ๐ญ.
๐ ๐ฐ๐ถโ๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ.
๐๐ฉ, ๐บ๐ฆ๐ด. ๐ ๐ฅ๐ช๐ฅ
๐๐ถ๐ต ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฆโฆ
๐ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ข ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ช๐ฎ๐ฆ.
The story deals with some serious topics of domestic abuse, dementia, and homelessness among others and yet it was heartwarming! The relationship between the two women shows the importance of friendship no matter the age. It is intensely compelling and emotional. So much so that for the first time I couldnโt help myself but made some doodles along these lines.
This is a book written in verse so you can easily fly through it but the emotions hit you hard. Domestic abuse is always a hard topic to read about. It is the toxicity of it, that makes one believe that they deserve it, that it is their fault that no one loves them. And it is what Allison is struggling through, to get the love of her father.
I felt the ending was a bit rushed. But other than that, it was truly amazing. I connected to these characters, and I felt for them. The emotions are strong and the storytelling is perfect.
Definitely recommended ๐
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent