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linus_rieper'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
3.5
It's very well written. However, nothing about it surprised me or really stuck out to me. The emotional parts didn't land as I think they were meant to.
I hesitate to recommend it, but I also hesitate to write it off.
Graphic: Gun violence and Death
Moderate: Homophobia, Medical trauma, Violence, Death of parent, Suicide, Blood, Car accident, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Murder, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Hate crime
Minor: Pregnancy, Cancer, Cultural appropriation, Ableism, Chronic illness, Drug use, Homophobia, and Misogyny
affanshikoh'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: Homophobia and Violence
Moderate: Antisemitism
Minor: Ableism
noveltay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Homophobia, Hate crime, Medical content, Pregnancy, Murder, Gun violence, Car accident, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Cancer
book_dragon_julia'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? It's complicated
5.0
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing."
-Macbeth
This book was so good in my opinion. I really enjoyed the story and I loved that most of it was set in the 90s and 00s so all the popular culture they mentioned I remembered from when I was a child.
The two main characters Sadie and Sam were childhood friends having met in hospital at around age 12 where they bonded playing video games.
Fast forward to their late teens/20s they both have an interest in creating a video game which they named Ichigo. Sam's roommate also helped with the game with money and producing it.
The book follows the characters through the trials and tribulations of working with your best friend, starting a company, artistic differences and personality clashes.
I would definitely recommend this book, I loved it 😊❤️
Moderate: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Gun violence, Car accident, Homophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abortion and Cancer
abigail_r23'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? No
4.75
Moderate: Mental illness and Homophobia
lindyhopper'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, and Homophobia
Minor: Vomit
seforana'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
2.0
Graphic: Violence, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Death, Car accident, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Sexual violence, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Gun violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Medical content, Death of parent, and Abortion
au_conn1'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
4.25
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Homophobia, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Death of parent, Car accident, Miscarriage, Hate crime, Vomit, Medical trauma, Death, and Drug abuse
gvstyris'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 way to turn an ex-lover into a friend is to never stop loving them, to know that when one phase of a relationship ends it can transform into something else. It is to acknowledge that love is both a constant and a variable at the same time.
Man. Such an engaging read, and Zevin plays with literary techniques quite creatively, particularly in the novel's last few sections. Marx's character was truly such a highlight (although his name choice is...questionable?), especially as Sadie/Sam grew increasingly unlikeable and cold.
Zevin's consideration of platonic and romantic love here is also so, so validating.
I do have a lot of research to do about this novel's various plagiarism & Zionism controversies, however...
Graphic: Car accident, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Gun violence, Hate crime, Adult/minor relationship, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Grief, Death, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Racism, Cancer, Racial slurs, Medical content, Homophobia, and Ableism
Minor: Abortion and Antisemitism
drj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Death of parent, Car accident, Death, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Blood, and Cancer
Minor: Homophobia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Vomit