Sarah
This was the first Cassandra Clare book I read, and I was not sure what to expect. I ended up finding it very enjoyable. Some of the plot twists I guessed early, others surprised me. I'm excited to get the next book from the library.
This was a short and easy read. The syntax and story feels rough and disjointed, but the editor explains it in the introduction, so it is important to read it first.
It is an important piece to read in country that is struggling with racism against First Nations, and with what contributes to the social issues in First Nations communities.
Such a fun and exciting book! There are definitely lots of older racial language that opens the door for lots of discussions on racism in our society both past and present.
This book started strong, but by the end struggled to hit for me. As an autistic woman I liked the representation of the main character, but...
By the end of book it felt like the author had a checklist of IDs, and every character had to represent someone or something, and I felt like it cheapened it, watering down the representation until it was just another drop in the bucket. Some of the other characters will have their own books in the series, and those details could have been teased, but then waited for their own books to actually get into the IDs of those characters.
Secondly - the break up was so random and not supported by the plot, and same with the reunion. The characters deserved better, and it cost my rating a whole star.
I wanted to like this book more than I did. I found the main character annoying. The conflicts seemed more random and contrived than others in this series, and I think this character could have had a hunch better story. In the end the conflicts were resolved by ignoring character traits and issues instead of actual development and solutions.
I started this a long time ago with my 12 yr old daughter, set it aside, and just finished it. Wow. Such an important read for North Americans. I am still digesting all of the information, but it was so informative. Some things discussed I learned alternate versions of in school, and some things, such as the Meech Lake, Ipperwash, and Oka were happening when I was younger, and I wasn't fully aware of the issues at stake.
Thank you to Mr King for compiling this, and educating those that want to learn.
I really enjoyed this fun read, and loved the references to various literature. Don't skip the Appendix.
This was a great read, and I think a must read for North Americans. In it Viola lays bare the experience of being black in America as a black woman. I learned a lot about her life, and motivations. I appreciate her sharing this with the world. Now I want to watch more of the things she has been in, especially those mentioned in the book.
I really enjoyed the story in this book, and found the characters relatable and interesting. I hated the voice though. The syntax was jolted with lots of short sentences and weird internal conversations inserted randomly. I'm glad I read it, but would definitely not reread, or necessarily recommend...
For most of the book I thought I was going to love this - 4-5 stars. Then, SPLAT! The ending just fell flat. I think it was supposed to feel more “literary”, but it turned into a long, winding, trip to nowhere. I was annoyed that Ned tells Julia that her mom wanted the restaurant for her, which a lot of the book did agree with, Florence (a character who just liked to ruin everything) said she didn't, Julia dumps the restaurant (what Florence always wanted to do), and then the ghost of Julia is “cool beans, you did the right thing even though the plot was pointing the other way the whole time.” It was not a surprise that neither Florence or Ned were able to actually give Julia a sense of her mother, but it was not clear why walking in the woods with no real plan or motivation for her life did. I would understand if she found a path for herself that aligned with her passion, but she was just walking in the woods with no idea of what she wanted to do with her life, while her friends, family and community all did have goals. It felt unfinished.
