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dkrawec'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
3.75
Writing style: Wow! I have not read such a captivating style of writing in a long time. This book is over 800 pages and I found myself speeding through it due to how well it's written. In a given chapter, a scene would begin, move into a flashback, switch to a future moment, toss in a vignette, and then return to the original scene all while being easy to follow and not lose the plot. It almost felt cinematic and it was clearly well thought out. It never felt circuitous.
The subject matter: Someone on Goodreads said this book was misery porn and I'd have to agree. Jude's life is gratuitously unfortunate to such an extent that it becomes frustrating (at times I literally was rolling my eyes, which feels inappropriate given the subject matter but it was just so much I was like, bro...🙄). It's almost as if all the events that keep happening to him are just for the sake of misery writing and less about what it builds for his character. The only thing that kept me reading was how eloquent and compelling the author's wordsmithing is. I definitely can say I've never read abuse, self harm or depression in this style of writing (which is kind of bizarre to say, but I do think it's a testament to Hanya's talents). However, again, much of it was excessive to say the least.
Fortunately, a lot of the material chronicles the main group and they're complex relationships amongst one another. Reading about how their friendships evolved over the course of their lives from college to late adulthood had me looking forward to the next chapter. I would say about 30% of it could have been cut out due to the excessive misery writing but the remaining portion was awesome. If some of it had been cut, this review would have been five stars without a doubt.
With that in mind, I would recommend it for the style of writing but avoid it if you do not want to read about highly triggering events surrounding self harm, abuse and depression. I'm definitely going to check out Hanya's other works because the style of writing was truly immaculate.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Child death, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual harassment, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Body shaming, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Vomit, and Hate crime
evieold'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
5.0
Not a fan of trauma for traumas sake as so many brand this genre and books like ‘My Year Of Rest And Relaxation’, but this does not compare as it has a deeper level of truth, of a real life.
A true masterpiece of what to live a life is like, and the emotions, contradictions, and trauma which can come with it. A book, although painful, I will read many times more, and that is saying something from someone who does not reread books often if at all.
Graphic: Bullying, Eating disorder, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Rape, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Medical content, Hate crime, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Gore, Torture, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Vomit, Body shaming, Car accident, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Addiction, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Kidnapping
angielivesandbreathes'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
4.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Rape, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Drug use, Death, Kidnapping, Cursing, Hate crime, Vomit, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Child death, Outing, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Sexual harassment, and Ableism
zayzay2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Suicide attempt, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Car accident, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Torture
Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Chronic illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Blood, Body shaming, Body horror, Bullying, Rape, Car accident, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness
laylamaethaila's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Hate crime, Eating disorder, Transphobia, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Death, Incest, Grief, Gaslighting, Ableism, Xenophobia, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Physical abuse, Medical content, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual harassment, Self harm, and Lesbophobia
miwandie'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
Was a little egregious with some assumptions of different groups.
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Grief, Car accident, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Ableism, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Medical content, Self harm, Hate crime, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Terminal illness
angelo_vossen'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
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Sexual violence, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Sexual assault, Chronic illness, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Kidnapping, and Rape
Moderate: Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Vomit, Rape, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Chronic illness, Grief, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Eating disorder, and Sexual violence
shannon1954'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
4.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death, Biphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Sexual content, Self harm, Hate crime, Grief, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Suicide, Medical trauma, Classism, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Car accident, Toxic relationship, Racism, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Fatphobia, Cursing, Body horror, Ableism, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Child death, Body shaming, Rape, Xenophobia, Violence, Pedophilia, Vomit, and Torture
mhjmojo'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: Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Chronic illness, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Homophobia, Body shaming, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Physical abuse, Self harm, Alcoholism, Drug use, Eating disorder, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Violence, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical content, Alcohol, Blood, Suicide, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Hate crime, and Suicidal thoughts
sapphicbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
Graphic: Car accident, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Violence, Pedophilia, Death, Medical content, Mental illness, Ableism, Physical abuse, Grief, Rape, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Trafficking, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Terminal illness, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Torture