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cdoubet'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
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Vomit, Medical content, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
bethsimone_'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
4.0
"I don't know what's going to happen to us. I don't know how long I'm going to be like this.
All I know is that I'm here. And I'm alive. And I'm not alone."
I haven't felt truly represented by a character until Tori. Her apathetic personality and the sensitive handling of her mental health is extremely well done.
You can physically feel Tori shine brighter when Michael is near, they have a beautiful relationship in which they are two halves making each other whole.
The dialogue between them on the roof made me tear up, mostly because Tori's feelings were extremely familiar to me (and anyone else that has experienced suicidal ideation) but largely
"You need to be here," he says.
I especially love the fact that Oseman doesn't 'fix' Tori or write a 'happy ending' that ties things into a neat bow. Mental illness is not something that can be fixed, and recovery in not a linear path, it'll likely shape your whole life.
What Solitaire does, is deliver not exactly an anti-suicide message, but hope. Hope that you can find the joy in life again, doing pointless things just to pass the time, laughing at nothing; being alive.
Throughout the book, Tori slowly 'defrosts' from her apathetic, numb state, not exactly melting by the end but opening up enough to allow herself to feel, and continue to grow. She isn't exactly changed, but she acknowledges that, and finally sees she isn't alone, she has people that love her for who she is, and they'll still be there when she doesn't.
Oseman writes friendship and chosen family in a really beautiful way, and is the real love story underpinning Solitaire.
Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
froggybooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury
mbrogs2024's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia
nemcphile's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Eating disorder, Homophobia, and Self harm
ravenn15's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Alcohol
Minor: Vomit
cecilielaugesen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I loved the first half of this book, but I felt it was longer than it needed to be, and honestly it felt liked it just dragged on in the second part.
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Bullying, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Blood and Alcohol
tetrootz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Dysphoria
fanboyriot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Stalking
Moderate: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Violence, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Minor: Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Self harm, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Outing, and Alcohol
iconicavocado's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail