Scan barcode
hookerkitty's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, Violence, Child death, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, and Police brutality
Moderate: Blood, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, and Stalking
Minor: Abandonment, Confinement, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Abortion, Mental illness, Lesbophobia, Gore, Gaslighting, Cancer, Car accident, Torture, Alcohol, Rape, Vomit, and Sexual harassment
baenae's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Moderate: Animal death, Rape, Child death, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, and Death
gcot's review
- 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? No
2.25
It was extremely slow and repetitive, but then rushed through the action. I mean, a woman was shot in the forehead and then resurrected in less than two pages!
The characters are all deeply stereotypical, from the bra burning gay hippie, to the ditzy blond child star to the homeschooled basement weirdo and finally our MC, the over achieving eldest child.
I found the main character deeply unlikable. She is classic first year med student cliche, acting like she was completing groundbreaking research with only 1.5 semesters under her belt. I also find it immensely unrealistic that a curious and analytically minded woman who hyper analyzed how she came into the world, would never think the learn more about the woman who created her. And yes Josie herself admits to never thinking of her mothers life prior to her entry into it.
The biggest issue for me with this book is the plot holes and unrealistic dialogue. The expectation that a four year old child would have such robust memories, and so many at that, is frankly silly. People do not speak to eachother the way they do in this book half the time.
This book could have done with a better editor and some more critical beta readers, because the idea itself is quite interesting.
And an unfair complaint (unfair because the author reasonably might not know this) is one descriptor of their road trip. When driving into Vermont Josie mentions the billboards she passes. This book is set in the 90s. Billboards were banned in Vermont in the 60s.
Moderate: Sexual violence
Minor: Child death
glammster's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Rape, Child death, Death of parent, Blood, and Gun violence
Moderate: Animal death, Sexism, Alcohol, Drug use, Miscarriage, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Kidnapping, Drug use, Mental illness, Infertility, and Sexual content
hobblin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Child death and Sexual content
bexi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Death of parent, Death, Abandonment, Blood, Child death, Stalking, Gun violence, Animal death, Bullying, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, and Pedophilia
Minor: Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Racism, Rape, Lesbophobia, and Self harm
elysh_kaye's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death of parent and Rape
Moderate: Child death, Homophobia, Kidnapping, and Self harm
ohhthehorrors's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Pregnancy
Minor: Cancer and Rape
lexxie98's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Animal death, Blood, Cancer, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Physical abuse, and Sexism
lyx_sq's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual violence, Child death, Kidnapping, and Gun violence