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rickjones 's review for:

Violet Ghosts by Leah Thomas
4.0
challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This was a difficult book to read because of the subject matter, but it was written very smoothly. I really appreciated the messages about victimization and recovery that are weaved throughout the narrative. I was also relieved that the story ended on a note of acceptance, with Danny now knowing that life will always be ambiguous, and not all people are evil, and he doesn't have to sacrifice himself to play savior to people who aren't yet willing to put distance between themselves and their trauma. Those are troublesome but important lessons for all people to learn, especially when you have been victimized in the past. 

I recommend this book to other readers, but please take note of the content warnings. The story does not shy away from descriptions of physical, sexual, and incestuous assault, though thankfully these events are described on the survivor's own terms.

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