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447 reviews by:
librarymouse
This book feels like home. These characters and their struggles with identity and a sense of purpose exemplify a near universal want, felt far beyond the reaches of this fantastical science fictional world.
I yearn for their world, and the love inherent to it to be real.
Minor: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
I find it very unsettling that so many pastors used the tragedy is an excuse to recruit people. Whilr I understand the idea that church can be comforting, the ways that they went about it feels predatory.
The actions of the police in terms of not following up on the repeated warnings about Eric Harris, and the willful destruction of evidence and dragging their feet in releasing their report is reprehensible.
While incredibly informative, and thoughtfully written I don't know that I would recommend this book.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Rape
Minor: Bullying, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Trafficking, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Cancer
Minor: Abortion
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Dementia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Car accident
Edwin Rist, and his peers in fly making are heinous in their disregard for the sanctity of the scientific and historical record. Their lack of remorse deserves far more punishment than any have received.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Trafficking, Colonisation
I think I may have read this book before, but I had got concussion the summer I read it, so I had a deep sense of deja vu the entire time I was reading.
Kelbold's work with organizations working to prevent suicide and murder suicides/mass shootings like Columbine is both soothing for her, and does good for the world. I hope she finds peace, but I also hope her son and his friend are never forgiven for the atrocity they committed.
Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use
Copious references to and depictions of bodily fluid didn't necessarily add to the horror, but made reading this a bit disgusting.
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Cannibalism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Abandonment
In the prequel novella Kill Joy, Jackson plants the seeds for Ant to show his true colors. He's an asshole, poking fun at the murder of Andie Bell multiple times throughout the murder mystery birthday party they're attending and prank scaring his friends, disregarding his friends' feelings when they ask him to stop. In this novel, he is so wrapped up in his relationship with Lauren and he believes online comments, that he disregards Connor's pain, as does Lauren. He mocks Pip the day Max Hastings is pronounced not guilty, provoking her into attacking him by joking that she's hidden Jamie for more internet clout, calling his disappearance "convenient". I hope they're dropped from the friend group in the next novel.
This sets the stage really well for Ant's dad to be one of the people who protest the funeral. Jackson does a fantastic job depicting the negatives of small towns - the bigotry, and the closing of ranks. Ravi is the blueprint boyfriend, and his willingness to be there for Pip, supporting her through everything, is really beautiful. He understands what she's going through more than most. I'm also glad Pip was able to repair her relationship with Nat DeSilva.
I guessed the killer was Pip's neighbor, about 3/4 of the way through the book, but it was a feature of the clues peppered through the writing, and I'm not disappointed that I was able to guess it. The twist was still satisfying to read. Pip's suffering because of Charlie's actions, killing a man in cold blood, in front of her, is thoughtfully written. Her tenderness for a man she barely knew, and who most would say didn't deserve it, whether it be for his past and apologized for racism, or his part in his father's crimes as a child, juxtapose greatly with the reactions of the townsfolk who new and loved Stanley before his identity was revealed. Pip cares about the truth and the preservation of life, and her coming to terms with her new perception of right and wrong, and who she is as a person make for a very compelling subplot to this novel.
I'm excited for the next book, but I'm sad I have so little time left with these characters.
Great story if you love to read about feminine rage.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Confinement
Minor: Drug use
Red and her lack of trust in her own memory makes for very interesting narration.
Holly Jackson has a wonderfully immersion way of telling a story. I didn't want to put the book down.
Red's healing moment as she's on the brink of death ending with "...but mom stayed with her, right here in her hand. At the end of all things, mom stayed and so did the stars." had tears rolling down my cheeks.
Having the woman who stood in to be a mom to Red be the person who killed her mom is somewhat expected, but the twist was very well done in this book.
Overall, this is a fantastic book with terrifyingly round characters, fun tropes, and fun twists on tropes.
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
I had never heard of the Lebensborn project before coming across this book. The web of atrocities spun by Hitler, the SS, and complicit soldiers, civilians, and more general members of the Nazi party is horrifying to look at. It's inconceivable in it's breath, but looking closely at the millions of lives broken and fundamentally changed through the combination of ethnic cleansing and kidnapping, through the lens of just one woman's struggle to find belonging, the history is brought into sharp focus.
Ingrid tells her story very personably, mixing together her memories with that of her foster mother, the historical record, and the stories of others, to create an unsettlingly immersive experience.
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry
Minor: Abortion