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maddie_0930's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual content, and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism and Child abuse
Minor: Bullying
ventellina's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
jaidenmarie11'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
Graphic: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
holliesatchell'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
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Outing, and Alcohol
borrowmybookjacket's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
<spoilers>
I found it so easy to relate to everyone here. Not as much the father may be as much of his struggle was racial and let's be real, I'm a squishy white woman, but my parents have a strained dynamic, I have these kind of relationships at varying times with my mother, my father, and my siblings. I am the youngest, tip-toeing around and listening to what was happening in the house. Can't be noticed, won't be noticed. I am the ignored brother with unrealistic goals even though I was clearly working well toward them without people seeing. I am Lydia, struggling under pressure to be Good and Correct and Doing What Is Expected. My parents didn't know I didn't have friends like that and I clung to moments of attention. I think many folks have.
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Blood, Vomit, Murder, and Alcohol
michaelion's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Body horror, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide, Vomit, Outing, and Alcohol
aandromeda'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
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Infidelity, and Suicide
Moderate: Child abuse and Racism
vedpears's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I think Celeste Ng does a great job threading context/ characters' histories into the current narrative. That story telling tool often irritates me but she does it so well that it doesn't feel like an interruption.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicide, Xenophobia, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Vomit, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
waytoomanybooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I thoroughly enjoyed the book...except for the last 30 pages, which I will discuss in the spoiler tag below.
This book is just another example of literary fiction grief porn. Lydia "had to" die for her family to learn how to live. Even her death is only meaningful to those who are living. Even her death was taken away as a thing meant just for her.
I was hugely disappointed.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Grief, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying and Racism
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
4.5
The book takes an interesting look at each family member’s secrets, grief, and insecurities. It’s definitely a character driven novel but one that kept me hooked and invested in how it would end!
Ng has a beautiful way of writing and telling stories. After reading this and previously, Little Fires Everywhere, I want to read everything she writes in the future!
Graphic: Child death, Infidelity, Racism, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, and Suicide
Minor: Child abuse, Medical content, and Death of parent