Language: R (67 swears, 22 ‘f’); Mature Content: R (severe neglect); Violence: R (physical child abuse and hunting child with a gun)
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Small Town, USA is where Didi attends school, but she lives with her father in a secluded area. He’s abusive and neglects to give Didi everything she needs. Didi is terrified and on edge always, even when she’s not around her father because she’s worried she’ll do something wrong and he’ll find out somehow. Her father makes her run laps around the property so she can become as quick as possible but she doesn’t know why he cares about that. He also forces her to learn and play chess and compete in tournaments and she has to be the best. Eventually, Didi understands the reason her father has made her do these things but it might be too late for her to save herself.
The story is disturbing because of the neglect and abuse. The effects on the child’s physical and mental well-being are portrayed through the coping skills the main character develops over time to deal with her life; they were heartbreaking at times. The timeline jumps around and that was difficult to follow. Didi has brown hair but ethnicity is never stated of others. The ending was the best part.
LynnDell Watson, Delta High School Librarian
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