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syd_the_bookish_kid'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
3.25
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
sarrna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
seethinglloron's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
My only gripe is that I felt the start was a tad slow, but the whole thing is so short that you're through the whole thing in the amount of time it takes to flinch at the sound of a gunshot. My g-d.
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Torture
kia_y_k's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Incest, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
jesshastea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Death, Gun violence, Incest, Rape, Violence, and Murder
veelaughtland'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
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Pregnancy
kaiulanilee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Excrement, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Racism, Torture, Blood, Colonisation, and Classism
jlebon'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
3.25
This is particularly frustrating in that I think the concept of the text is fantastic, being extremely dark in nature, presenting incel culture through the lens of the two main characters Polo and Franco and the destructive effect this mindset has upon both themselves and the people around them. However, Melchor has to be given plaudits in her nuanced presentation of such issues, cultivating characters that are products of their environment and aspects of society. Nevertheless, I do think that this was elongated to an unnecessary extent with a great portion of the middle of the text going over well-trodden ground. However, I understand how this could also be symbolic of the trapped mindset the protagonist Polo finds himself in.
As a final point, given the huge build-up to the climax of the narrative, I found the ending unsatisfactory in its briefness and confusing nature.
By no means a bad book but I definitely think it could have been improved in a multitude of aspects.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Mental illness, Blood, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Emotional abuse
msaari's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Näin minä nussin sitä, Franco sössötti, seisahduttuaan kompuroiden laiturin reunalle, panen sitä noin ja sitten käsken sen kontilleen ja nussin sitä näin, läski pyyhki sylkeä kämmensyrjällään ja virne levisi pojan korvien väliin niin että hänen suuret valkoiset ja suorat hampaansa, kuin suoraan hammastahnamainoksesta, näkyivät puristuneen vimmaisesti yhteen läskin vapisuttaessa hyytelömäistä ruumistaan ja esittäessään raisua pantomiimiaan, niin että Polon oli pakko irrottaa katseensa, hän naurahti tahtomattaan ja hyödynsi pullukan huomion herpaantumisen, verotti pullosta huikan, sytytti toisen tupakan ja puhalteli savua kiivaasti ylöspäin ajaakseen mangrovesuolta ilmestyneet röyhkeät hyttyset kauemmas.
Graphic: Body shaming, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Racism
reading_sadie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism