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literarycherub's reviews
80 reviews
Gild by Raven Kennedy
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Marilou is Everywhere by Sarah Elaine Smith
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The synopsis is what first intrigued me, but I had no idea the brilliance I was about to experience. I quickly fell into a trance as I watched the story unfold. What first gripped me was the writing style and how quickly the story began. We are reading in Cindy’s POV about her brother’s girlfriend who goes missing, a mixed race (half black/half white) teenager named Jude. Jude’s mother, Bernadette, doesn’t really seem to grasp that her daughter is missing and the town doesn’t really feel any urgency to find her. They tend to just gossip about it instead.
“I think we just weren’t looking that hard. The year before, a sixteen-year-old white girl disappeared from a sleepover in Star City, West Virginia, and you could almost feel the hum of panic in the search party. The school district canceled classes for a week so students could aid in searching on foot. In Jude’s case, nobody knew where to search and it was summer vacation anyway—but that wasn’t the reason nobody looked for her.”
Jude had a very glamorous lifestyle compared to the neglected and poor life Cindy has. Cindy currently doesn’t have a mother and never had a father. Since Bernadette is missing her daughter, Cindy takes the opportunity to fall into Jude’s place. Things get intense from there..
Overall, this was a beautiful slow-burn coming of age story and I got some Twin Peaks vibes at times. The writing style felt vivid while also leaving you in a daze. I highly recommend picking this up!
Disclaimer: This story deals with heavy themes such as racism, addiction, poverty, neglect, abuse, and mental illness.
Special thanks to Penguin Random House UK for my gifted copy.
“I think we just weren’t looking that hard. The year before, a sixteen-year-old white girl disappeared from a sleepover in Star City, West Virginia, and you could almost feel the hum of panic in the search party. The school district canceled classes for a week so students could aid in searching on foot. In Jude’s case, nobody knew where to search and it was summer vacation anyway—but that wasn’t the reason nobody looked for her.”
Jude had a very glamorous lifestyle compared to the neglected and poor life Cindy has. Cindy currently doesn’t have a mother and never had a father. Since Bernadette is missing her daughter, Cindy takes the opportunity to fall into Jude’s place. Things get intense from there..
Overall, this was a beautiful slow-burn coming of age story and I got some Twin Peaks vibes at times. The writing style felt vivid while also leaving you in a daze. I highly recommend picking this up!
Disclaimer: This story deals with heavy themes such as racism, addiction, poverty, neglect, abuse, and mental illness.
Special thanks to Penguin Random House UK for my gifted copy.