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jaywithwhiskey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Sexism, Racism, Miscarriage, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Infidelity, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Grief
Minor: Police brutality
libraryghost's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Racism, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Fatphobia and Alcohol
Minor: Suicide and Police brutality
quinn12_'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
3.5
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Hate crime, Grief, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Violence, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Abandonment, Medical trauma, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Stalking, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Sexism, Racism, and Fatphobia
marissab'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: Abandonment, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content
Moderate: Dysphoria, Miscarriage, Rape, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Infidelity, and Racial slurs
Minor: Cursing, Police brutality, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Murder, Drug use, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide attempt, and Violence
teh_niarr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Racial slurs, Fatphobia, Bullying, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Racism, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Sexism, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Infidelity, and Child abuse
aurie1000's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Sexual violence
Moderate: Racism, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Bullying, Miscarriage, Body shaming, and Mental illness
sissix_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Racism and Sexual violence
Moderate: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Miscarriage, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, and Fatphobia
james1star'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
4.5
That was a very short kinda summary of the plot and whilst this is a prominent part of the novel, it’s the characters and character studies that was my favourite bits. Queenie is definitely a flawed person, she does lots of things that make you want to shake her out of it, she’s a catastrophist for sure but I just wanted good things to come her way so badly. You fall head over heels in love with her and all her nuances, you get inside her head, go though what she’s going through, her thoughts and feelings and understand why she does the things she does. She is so real it’s unbelievable - Carty-Williams really did something by creating this character like wow!! Also her two best friends Kyazike and Darcy are nuanced but loveable too, they are such great friends and this bond, albeit strained at parts, was so lovely to read and they are also super realised. The other characters in the book are all so real too, like her grandparents, mum, cousin Diana, aunt Maggie, Cassandra and her family, Ted (ughhhh!!), the men (major eye roll inserted🙄), Janet the psychologist, Gina her boss and Yhh everybody was written so lifelike - they’re not all likeable, many in fact are portrayed so badly you actively hate them instigating a visceral response within.
Additionally, the outlook on life from Queenie’s POV is very refreshing and vital and I need to read more books from this perspective of women, but specifically black women in contemporary settings. She deals with a lot of everyday systemic racism, predominantly from the men she meets and so this is an attack directed at black women in particular, where they feel it’s okay to say things about her big black curves and dark skin, that she tastes like chocolate and lots of other horrible remarks. She also talks about how these men might not see her as a person but just a fetish or something to try and it’s definitely a hard read but necessary to understand how this thinking is not okay and we as a society need to condemn these attitudes. Hair is a predominant motif throughout the book, how black women care for their hair and what it represents but also how white people are astonished by it and in some cases feel a desire to touch it so much that it materialises and how that it’s just such a ‘no no’ like I was reading it like ‘what!? How can you really feel like you have the right to just go up and touch someone’s hair… ummm nope’ so Yhh overall it makes you think and understand the black female experience better. Being set in London (my city - the references and just everything I loved, when you know the places it really adds to the lifelikeness), the dialect and settings once again add to the realness of the book but it plays a part in how black people are seen internally and externally in a contemporary British way. Very very impactful and eye opening.
My only qualm was I felt it a little bloated in parts and somewhat repetitive in how certain scenarios and conversations occurred multiple times. Some plot points I wasn’t too happy with but overall I did really enjoy it. The character studies and Queenie’s POV was what I liked the most and I would certainly recommend giving this a read.
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness
Moderate: Police brutality, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcohol, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Miscarriage, and Drug use
paulawind's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you for not having her end up with a man and having family and friends be the most important relationships in her life
Graphic: Body shaming, Child death, Fatphobia, Grief, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Acephobia/Arophobia, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Addiction, Racism, Rape, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Miscarriage
bootlegfrank'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: Mental illness, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, and Sexual content
Moderate: Body shaming, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Fatphobia, Racism, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Gaslighting and Racial slurs