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waytoomanybooks's reviews
140 reviews
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I took off one star because the ending is a bit confusing and a little ambiguous considering the amount of detail that went in the rest of the novel.
Be mindful of the trigger warnings!
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Incest, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
2.5
2.5
I can appreciate that she has had some difficult struggles in her life, and it take courage to speak about those events. No one should have to suffer at the hands of someone else. But why bring those subjects up and then not explore or expound? Isn't that the purpose of writing a book of poetry?
As I said in my other two reviews of the series, I think Lovelace would've been better off writing an affirmation-based memoir. I think a prose poem approach would've been perfect.
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
For one thing, it's overly long. It would've been a tighter story if it were 100 pages shorter. The plot gets stale because waiting around is a core component of the story, but not in an interesting way.
I also found Ellie's family really unsympathetic to her even though the whole family was grieving over a shared tragedy. A tragedy where Ellie shouldered all the blame for literally no reason. Her family essentially ostracizes her to a degree where she's sent to sleep in the barn without supper. This treatment of her continues through the whole book...until the mother and sister have a change of heart in the last few chapters. And Ellie instantly forgives them. Her family doesn't even apologize for their wrongdoing. It was really disappointing.
I also think the story suffers from having too many plotlines. We have the Stock Market Crash, a family tragedy, and Ellie's only friends suffer multiple tragedies (which Ellie gets roped into). And for some reason Ellie, who is only 12, is the only one making any attempts to put out all of these fires. I didn't find it inspiring; I found it incredibly depressing.
I think a kid would like this book because kids like stories where people their age have agency and intelligence, which Ellie definitely has. (Although Ellie sounds more like she's 24 than 12. I kept having to remind myself that she's a child because she doesn't sound like a child.) just wish we could've had a story where her family feels any sort of remorse for their actions and that Ellie found happiness in more than just the last 10 pages.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
3.0
But it was still good enough to read I'm one sitting, especially since poetry is a genre that I'm new to.
Minor: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Violence, and Murder
3.5
I did ding a few points off because I hate it when there is just one sentence on a page. I feel like those would be better off in a separate section titled something like "Affirmations" or "Reminders."
Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Spoilers:
And why didn't we then get to see Hannah grow and heal? Why didn't we get to see Lucy learn to love her birth mother?</spoilers>
I wouldn't recommend this book unless you're content with only 80% of a story.
Graphic: War
Moderate: Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Excrement, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy