I loved Crown! It was quietly written but I appreciated the varying points of view, the twins' bond, and the showing not telling of themes. It gave insight into poverty and how some have to make very difficult decisions.

Thank you to the author, Grove Atlantic | Grove Press and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My apologies for the delay in posting, I have had continuing familial health challenges to contend with in the past months.

This debut novel, told in three POVs - a heavily pregnant single mother living on the edge of economic desperation - and her twin children, is at times difficult to read. The non-linear structure and the at times puzzling perspective shifts and coded language made it hard to connect with the characters. Nevertheless, it's an emotional read that exposes the raw need and lack of good choices that many living on the edge of society experience. This is not something I would normally pick to read, so I do not want to judge harshly. If you enjoy experimental narratives, this is the book for you.

I had a bit of a hard time reading this book as the chapters were so short and the switch between perspectives and narrators somewhat confusing. While I truly appreciated the distinct voices of the different characters, it was a tricky switch for me between the somewhat more stern and slangy Jude and the twins with their unique perspectives and voices. There was a dreamlike quality about Evan’s chapters and a somber, more mature one when it came to Virginia. Although the book did not captivate me entirely, I think it is nevertheless a successful debut filled with hardship, longing and hope.

This novel was challenging to engage with due to its disjointed structure and lack of narrative clarity. Told through multiple voices—presumably the mother, her children, and possibly the father—the perspective shifts were often unclear and difficult to follow. The story begins with a pregnant mother and her children being evicted, then abruptly shifts to the past, including explicit scenes that felt unnecessary and uncomfortable.

The nonlinear timeline, paired with a lyrical, poetic writing style, may appeal to some, but for me, it lacked cohesion and emotional resonance. The absence of quotation marks further blurred the dialogue, disrupting the reading experience and making it harder to connect with the characters.

Though the book aims to explore an important subject, its fragmented delivery and confusing structure ultimately hinder its impact.

A. Emotional Resonance & Inner Life
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Lyrical, raw, and soul-stirring—delivers a visceral emotional experience.

B. Exploration of Womanhood & Identity
⭐⭐: Touches on gendered themes, but lacks nuance.

C. Prose & Narrative Voice
⭐: Dull, disjointed, or clumsy writing.

D. Character Depth & Personal Growth
⭐⭐⭐: Realistic development and internal conflict.

E. Themes: Relationships, Loss, Growth, Belonging
⭐⭐: Familiar territory, lacking freshness or impact

F. Representation & Inclusivity
⭐⭐: Attempts inclusion, but lacks authenticity or depth.

G. Overall Impact & Lasting Impression
⭐⭐: Some value, but not memorable.

Recommended only for readers who enjoy experimental, poetic narratives and are prepared for a challenging, nonlinear read. Otherwise, it may prove too difficult to follow.

Crown is a very real, honest, heartbreaking, and relentless novel that explores poverty and all the traumas that come with it. It can happen to any of us in any part of the world at any given time. Someone right now is experiencing this hardship.

Jude is pregnant, due at any given time, and has just been evicted. She must find somewhere to hide her 9 year old twins, Evan and Virginia, while she gives birth. The novel gives us each character's POV and all in 3 days' time.

Congratulations to the author Evanthia Bromiley. This is a beautiful debut novel that I can't stop thinking about, and that will be relatable to many readers.

Thank you, Netgalley and Grove Atlantic/Grove Press, for this ARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

A short heartbreaking read - reminiscent of Claire Keegan’s work. A pregnant and about-to-be-homeless mother and her 9 year old twins interweave their POV to share a snapshot of life that can’t help but kindle compassion.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

4.5 Stars

I like this book a lot more than most. Jude has nine-year-old twins Evan and Virginia, and she is very pregnant with her third child. After being evicted from her trailer park home, she only has three days to move. Before she’s finished packing, she has to go to the hospital because she’s in labour. She leaves the nine-year-old twins alone in her car to hide out in a field. I love that we got three distinct points of view in this one, from Jude, Evan and Virginia; this provided the much-needed window into each of their worlds.

This is an amazing debut that was well written and very emotional, it captured my heart from the first page. It was a suspenseful read that takes place over three days. The author brilliantly weaves a story that is both gripping and touching in equal measure. The author writes about single motherhood, poverty and homelessness with compassion, but she also shows its brutality. We see the characters deal with hopes, fears, and love for each other, and it made me connect with them immediately. And as tense and suspenseful as this story was, it never left me feeling hopeless for the characters.

Overall, Crown is a wonderfully written story that is filled with suspense and heart. This story wasn’t just entertaining, it was educational, and I won’t soon forget it. It reminded me that in the face of adversity, never let go of the power of hope. This story spoke to my heart and my soul.

This would have been a five-star read for me except for the ending, but I’m rounding up anyway. I’m wondering if there’s going to be a sequel. I also like the title and the cover, as you know, crown can relate to being a royal, or it can mean the head crowns during birth. This was a very, very interesting and wonderful debut, and I look forward to what this author has coming up next.

Jude and her nine year old twins Evan and Virginia tell this painful tale of the three days before they are evicted from their home. Jude is almost ready to give birth to a third child, she lost her waitress job due to the pandemic, and she's doing everything she can to keep the family together. Her despair is palpable. She lost the kids for three weeks once and she's trying to figure out how to make sure that doesn't happen again when she goes into labor. She might not always make the best choices but you'll feel her and her love for all three children. There's a scene at the social services office that will linger in your mind as will Evan and Virginia's trek. As will the power of community, This became a real page turner for me. It's beautifully written. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. An urgent work of literary fiction.

Extremely difficult to read. It is written in he voices of the mother and children and I guess the father? I couldn't figure out what was going in after the first few pages when you meet the kids, A pregnant mother and them being evicted. Then it seems to go back into the past with some explicit scenes that were totally distasteful. After a few more pages of trying to figure out who was saying what, I gave up. I was invited to read this book as an advanced copy reader and was under no obligation to write a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Could be since tis was a pre print copy he printed book may be easier to follow. Names are at the top of paragraphs but we are never formally introduced to who they are or what time line they are speaking. I was unable to finish the book because of God and found the explicit scenes distasteful. Others may get more out if it. Not the book for me.

A poetic, sometimes heartbreaking book with three characters who all feel distinct - which is especially hard as two are children. There's a fair bit of ambiguity but I suspect that's deliberate. An author to watch.

Poetic, heartbreaking, beautiful! This was such a good little read. So much unresolved trauma, I am left wanting to know more but I think that's the point. This worked very well.

This is a strong debut with bolder characters, I'm really impressed. This book won't be for everyone, but I'll be waiting for the next book by this author.

I so wanted to like this book but it just wasn’t one for me. The book lacked flow and I found it difficult to get into the story. I appreciate it was meant to be a poetic book, but in my view it missed an opportunity to relay a very important topic. Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for giving me the opportunity to read and review it.

Crown is not an easy read and it portraits life of so many people around the world, a single mother of 9 year old twins is at the end of a pregnancy and they are being evicted of their home. The story is told from different perspectives, those of the mother and the children, and how they deal with the difficulties they face, with people they interact with, poverty, resilience. It makes the reader think about life, community, and how things can be improved and people helped. Lots of food for thought. It's a sad story but one of our time.
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

This one gave me some vibes of Room and other isolated/survival stories. A slow burn, to be sure but one with some powerful messages.

This was a miss for me. The synopsis made me think it would be a deep character-driven novel.
It is somewhat short and bounces between characters and the writing style is very different from what I'm used to (1-sentence chapters).
It is certainly a portrayal of a difficult life and difficult decisions.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

I enjoyed this debut. While it took me a minute to get used to the writing style, I was interested in the premise and enjoyed the story overall. I would read more from this author.

The synopsis is intriguing however the book itself is disappointing in every way possible. Save your time and money.

I really enjoyed this story, told from the perspectives of a mother, Jude, and her twins, Virginia and Evan.

Given the blurb, I was expecting a desolate narrative. And while it had that, it was also very lyrical and poignant. Jude displays both a sense of optimism and desperation. Virginia is being forced to grow up quickly. Evan still has that whimsical childlike wonder.

Over the course of the three days, various additional characters are introduced. Everything builds towards a tragic outcome, but goodness and hope also shine through the interactions with the three Woods.

A beautiful story of family and community that I would recommend, especially now, when morale and spirits are down.

Crown, which walks the border between novel and novel-in-verse, is a deeply emotional portrayal of the people that live on the outskirts of society – unhoused, food insecure, and unable to qualify for assistance. It’s easy to pass judgment on someone such as Jude, who at 25 is pregnant with her third fatherless child – the first two being 10-year old twins. But her deep love and emotional connection with her children will resonate with every parent as she desperately tries to find them help and security. The peak (or, to put it better, the deepest valley) comes from a small, thoughtless comment by a random passerby – and at that moment the reader realizes how deeply they have become connected to this family. Their love, their creativity, their resilience, their kindness.

Deeply emotional and exhausting, this exploration of community and the unhoused is a beautiful ode to the goodness that lives inside people.