Reviews with content warning for Addiction - Sweetbitter

This is like one of the most depressing books I've ever read. She goes to New York and we find out way later she was supposed to be pursuing creative aspirations but she spends the entire book drinking and doing drugs, and overall wasting away. Even the ending, when she realizes the reality of her situation, she doesn't make it better, she does something in line with all her other self destructive actions and then the next day it's like on to better horizons. The ending could have been uplifting, but this character was broken in so many ways, and we get no glimpse into what her future might hold. I needed something a little more at the end to believe there's hope for the character after the novel ends.

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sleeson's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I didn’t really understand it. Graphic sexual content but not in very romantic way. More so, working in a restaurant hookup kind of way. Lots of swearing.

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littlemoonlibrarian's review against another edition

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funny reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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mmatti300's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

I’m giving this a 5 because a 4.75 feels petty and 4.5 feels like not enough. Sweetbitter sucked me in. I fell in love with the absurd, irrational, unlikeable characters in a heartbeat. I found myself wanting more, insatiably drawn to Danler’s writing and the emotions that she evoked. The only reason this is on the cusp of a 5 is because I’m not sure I would want to reread it, and I’m not certain that I will remember most aspects of the novel in even a week. However, the complex relationship between Simone, Tess, and Jake is one that I devoured more than Tess devoured oysters at the Oyster bar. Danler’s decision to not reveal Tess’ name until the halfway point, when Jake finally notices her and she is fully ingratiated into the restaurant’s dynamics was a stunning choice that really resonated with me. I also think the way that we slowly learn about Simone and Jake’s history with Tess was a stunning decision, especially the fact that we never get a full grasp of what their true relationship is. Anyway, a solid read for lovers of 20-something coming of age’s, dark academia-esque plots (though there’s no school or murder), or slightly gay contemporaries.

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poppyseedbagel's review against another edition

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emotional funny slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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