Scan barcode
goldsbuc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Self harm
Moderate: Xenophobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Eating disorder, Drug use, Alcohol, Medical trauma, Medical content, Classism, Body shaming, and Confinement
madmantha's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
For being released in 2005, it feels so relevant to the uneasy feelings people are feeling years into a pandemic with the climate crisis already at our door.
The pretty slang was much harder to bare than I remembered; but it was only truly cringey in the very beginning in my opinion.
I will say, the two times that the r-slur was dropped dated this book tremendously more than anything else that was put to page.
Those two instances were the only time that made me think, “wow, this really WAS written a while ago. I hope THOSE bits don’t make it to screen…”; but besides those two large asterix, I was constantly floored at how relevant the story feels to modern day.
Maybe it’s just because it’s Pride Month… but I will also loop back and insist the screen adaption’s quality will sky rocket if they take these love triangle dynamics and make them queer.
A queer undertone would also make Shay’s behavior and jealously make much more sense narratively. Her internalized homophobia could result in her outburst with Tally and could also explain why Shay so often resorts to slut shaming Tally.
Overall, I still love this book. It’s very interesting getting an inside view of the culture of New Pretty Town.
The cliques also feels very natural; enough fraternal/sorority energy to grasp the want for a sense of community, without falling into too much of the more toxic hazing or initiation sort of rituals. <(At least in the beginning… *cough cough* Shay).>
You really empathize with Tally and her journey. She’s quite literally just a child, trying to live her life the way she wants, but keeps getting tangled in nets of coercion and gaslighting.
Graphic: Ableism, Confinement, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Self harm, Dysphoria, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Self harm, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Acephobia/Arophobia, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Confinement, Dementia, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Genocide, and Medical content
Minor: Medical content, Mental illness, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, War, Xenophobia, Cancer, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Excrement, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Trafficking, Violence, and Vomit