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ashlikes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Violence
Minor: Ableism, Homophobia, and Stalking
packedjam'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
4.0
strongly, strongly recommend reading a physical copy of this one
Graphic: Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Eating disorder, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual content, Blood, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Medical content, Terminal illness, and Violence
Minor: Stalking, Homophobia, Ableism, Alcohol, and Cursing
leon3lliott's review against another edition
1.0
Moderate: Ableism, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
booksthatburn's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I loved reading this. The two main characters are so intertwined, so vivid and resonant that it took me half the book to realize that only one of them was actually a POV character. The way the story is told in one to two page sections made it feel like I could take a break anywhere if I needed to, if it ever got too intense for me. Instead I barely paused, inhaling it in a single sitting.
The story is very focused on the MCs and their intense relationship, but has a few secondary characters and devotes enough time for them to feel like full characters. In a book so focused on the interior worlds of just two people it would be easy to have other characters be ill-defined and mere window-dressing. Instead their reactions to the MCs both established the secondary characters in their own right and helped to build up the MCs by commenting on things they were unable or unready to consider. Some of the secondary characters are also love interests, and they're handled in a way that maintains their agency even as they are allowed less and less space in the MCs' world. The photos, documents, and slowly darkening pages helped with world-building and mood, but even without that assistance this story is absorbing and fascinating. There were two worlds to build, and both were excellently laid.
This is primarily about someone having difficult telling apart fantasy and reality, and the best friend doing his best to help. There are voices of reason trying to provide stability at various points, but the extent to which they do or do not succeed is crucial to the story, so take care of yourselves and check the CWs before proceeding.
Graphic: Confinement and Mental illness
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Self harm and Ableism
CW for child neglect, depression, drowning, self harm, mental illness, confinement, forced institutionalization, pyromania, panic attack, violence.