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Morgan G

A must read

Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2023

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“In life, there is a savage side and a beautiful side.”

What can I even say to describe this book? It was haunting. Stunning. Eerie. Moving. Brutal. Atmospheric. Raw. Poetic. And an absolute must read.

Loosely based on the serial murders of six women in Ohio, this book follows a group of friends, including two twin sisters, as they grapple with the harsh reality and ravages of addiction and poverty. The story alternates between their past as children and the present as young women. During present day, women are going missing and being killed while police turn a blind eye as they deem the women unworthy of investigation.

Exceptionally well-written and captivating from start to finish, On The Savage Side is a heartbreaking narrative of generational trauma, violence against women, dependence and addiction. Reading this book was like being lost at sea and waiting for breaks in the waves to get air. Just as I felt I was catching my breath, another wave crashed and I was taken undertow. The ending and final twist had me in tears and broke me apart.

I listened to this on audio, but halfway through I changed to doing both the book with audio. Although the audio was phenomenal, I highly recommend the physical book (+/- audio) as there are drawings/diagrams in the book!

Lisa de Leon

Savage!! But SO GOOD!!

Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2023

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THIS BOOK! Holy Scott Moly!

I have delayed writing this review because this book is “Savage”!

Based on the Chillicothe Six that were murdered in Ohio. (I have not looked up information regarding these women, due to my book hangover.)

Arcade and Daffodil (Arc and Daffy) are twins, born to addict parents, living in poverty and hearing stories and tales from their Mamaw Milkweed. Life was hard and its no wonder that they ended up being ensnared by the heroin addictive lifestyle they shared with their aunt and mother.

This book is brutal. It’s haunting. It is very poetic and beautiful. Possibly, a bit over the top. However, in my opinion, the author took a ‘savage’ situation and wrote with a delicate and alluring pen. It was as addicting as the enslavement of the girl's drug habit.

When the first girl was found in the river, Arc knew that her and her sister would be victims as well…it was just a matter of time.

Told from Arc’s perspective, this was such a sad story. The story is not only about addiction, but emotional, physical and mental abuse. The twins just craved the love, support and security of a mother.

This was our March book club read. This one will sit with me for quite some time and there will be a lot to unpack and discuss at our meeting.

**IF YOU DECIDE TO READ THIS BOOK….be warned. It has a lot of triggers. It’s difficult and barbarous!

jdel

Will Make My Best of 2023 list

Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2023

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I know it is only February, but Tiffany McDaniel's On The Savage Side is certainly going to be on my best of the year list. This book blew me away. It is brutal, but so well-written with a main character that has such a voice she became real to me. It was not just her, it was every character Momma, Aunt Clover, Mamaw Milkweed, Sage Nell, Thursday, Violet. I heard them all and I cant stop thinking about them.

This book is about how heroin infests itself into a family unit and a community. Daffy and Arc are twins who live in poverty in Chillicothe, Ohio in a home plagued by addiction. From very early on, they are on their own and are forced to cope. They are all the kids who society has let down. The book tells their story and that of their friends in a poor community that offers little hope. It is so much easier to look the other way when these things don't impact you on your day-to-day life. This book forces you to look it straight on. It is not an easy read, but it is worth your time.

All the trigger warnings apply here. While it is a hard book to read, it was one that I read in a day and had trouble putting down.

Kami Campbell

Great Read!

Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2023

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As with her other two books, this one was a great read. Now I need to re-read it, because I did not see the twist coming and need to read it a second time with my revised point of view. If you are a fan like I am, highly recommend.

Ray Tonya Howard

Book arrived in great shape.

Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2023

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I haven't read yet so no review on book but it is of book quality. A topic I holdd true to my heart being from Chillicothe and family member to Shasta. I'm excited to read.

SoCal

Too long. Started speed reading to get through the mess

Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2023

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Native American Mythology with a small addition of a small town full of dysfunctional drug addicts.

Pam

Not for me

Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2023

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Truly beautiful prose ... Incredibly visual writing. Certainly unexpected end. But the writing was not congruent with the characters. There was an amazing dialog portion followed by poor grammar .... Thought processes with all the characters that did not tie into their experiences or the way they lived. I could have gotten through the depressing story better if the voices of the characters were better matched.

Chkyrkarma

Never ending it seemed

Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2023

Rave reviews, always leave me skeptical. This book was no different. Listened to it on audio and it was wayyy too long. By the end, I could care less about any of the characters, and just needed it to end so I could get on with my life.