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pkc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The story vacillates between Marion’s and Patrick’s perspective: the former reflecting on the events of her tumultuous marriage from the relative safety of 1999, while the latter’s perspective is told in the form of extensive diaries. The perspectives are beautifully woven together as events start to derail. I loved how Tom’s story was never told from his own perspective. It gives him the same air of unknowability that each narrator would experience as he retreated into his respective “other life.” Bethan Roberts’ writing is so skilled though that he is no less formed or sympathetic by the omission of his direct perspective
I found myself throughout abhorring the decisions made by the characters and felt anger throughout but ultimately, pity. The bulk of the story takes place in the late 1950s in Brighton, and while Brighton now proudly owns its title as the queer capital of Britain, at the time, it was as backwards as the rest of the country in its attitudes towards queer people, or “inverts”. The characters are placed in impossible decisions and face untenable quandaries in their pursuit of a happy and authentic life, wrestling between the ideal and the expected path.
This was an easy 5⭐️ and I’d recommend it to anyone. Some caution though, by its very nature it’s super bleak and infuriating from a 2024 vantage point.
Graphic: Suicide, Homophobia, and Grief
Moderate: Medical trauma, Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Violence
islamaunder21's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Gaslighting, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Homophobia, Sexism, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
marthaalice's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Grief, Terminal illness, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Outing, and Toxic relationship
bookedbymadeline's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Violence, and Outing
Moderate: Suicide, Gaslighting, Confinement, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Sexual content
Minor: Lesbophobia and Infertility
aublyn105's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
i honestly loved this so much. i watched the film before reading the novel, and i really liked seeing each character in my head so vividly. absolutely loved tom and patrick's relationship, but not marion at all. i stand for all marion slander!!! L character fr.
the fact we got to see patrick's journal entries was so exciting. i only wish we got to see tom's point of view, as done with patrick and marion. that would've made the book so much better, tbh.
hated that marion never apologized to patrick nor attempted to get him out of prison, given he obviously did not deserve to be there. and tom not attempting to help either whatsoever. patrick needed him and tom abandoned him completely. L tom.
overall, loved this so much and the entire storyline. i am constantly thinking about it after seeing the movie months earlier. i'm so glad we have a book version too<3
Graphic: Outing, Hate crime, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Police brutality, Homophobia, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Sexual content
Minor: Cursing and Mental illness
slayharrie28's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Homophobia, Outing, Toxic relationship, and Hate crime
Moderate: Police brutality, Emotional abuse, and Grief
Minor: Police brutality, Death, and Alcohol
memoirsofabooklover's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Moderate: Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, and Gaslighting
Minor: Cursing and Lesbophobia
cat_astrophe12's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Hate crime, Infidelity, Medical content, Outing, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, and Death
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Violence
Minor: Death, Miscarriage, and Misogyny
laurenmakena's review against another edition
- 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
I don't understand why the author chose to have Marion be the main narrator for most of the time. The chapters of Patrick's diary were the most compelling part of the story and showed the only insight into the struggles that LGBT faced at that time.
I highly recommend this story if you want to be sad though.
Moderate: Gaslighting, Outing, Violence, Hate crime, and Homophobia
binreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This book is complicated for me, with characters who are extremely complicated. It's a very sad and tragic story. It's hard for me to completely like or dislike any of them. They all have their strengths and huge flaws. I finished the book and thought "...that's it? that's how it ends?"
I almost wonder if that's the exact reason he chose to marry her. He knew she was in love with him. Maybe he always knew, sensing her infatuation in their younger years. It wasn't fair to anyone involved. He loved Marion platonically but he should've at least tried to show he cared for her. He must've to some extent if he married her? Cut to the part where he finds out Patrick has been arrested and he has the nerve to break down to her. He never had the courage to tell her his true feelings, and yet I guess he suspected she knew? I hate how he gaslit her anytime she stuck up for herself. It was so infuriating. He was way too concerned with the proper way of doing things, his job and reputation and not the people in his life.
I think they were all pretty selfish in different ways. Patrick, for being the 3rd wheel in their marriage, full well knowing here's a woman who genuinely loves her husband and here you are having a secret relationship. Marion, for not leaving Tom and allowing herself to move on - instead writing the dreaded letter that ruins everything and hurts everyone. That was unforgivable. I'll never understand why she couldn't work it out with Tom or just leave him. And Tom, for unfortunately using both people for his own needs.
Heck! Tom should've married Julia then it could've been a Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo kinda situation. An understanding between them all to love whom they wanted in private. I sensed she was also queer and even rooted for Marion to have feelings for her.
I am really excited for the movie because I think it will portray Tom and Patrick's relationship better on screen. That's the one thing that confused me is I didn't expect this to be so much of Marion. I wish we got to see more from Patrick.
Graphic: Infidelity, Misogyny, Outing, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Homophobia
Moderate: Medical trauma, Sexual content, and Suicide