Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

310 reviews

ckiyoko's review against another edition

fast-paced

• 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

2.5

This is a really well-crafted book, works with form and POV in really interesting ways, and felt like a very propulsive read. For all that though, I could not decide when I was reading it if I was enjoying it. I cared enough to continue reading, but I got to the end and still was uncertain if I enjoyed the experience of reading it, or would recommend it to someone else. I will say, the NPC chapter is beautiful and the callbacks in it feel earned.

I'm also deeply Not Thrilled with "Solution" being a blatant ripoff of Brenda Romero's "Train" that goes uncredited, especially given this book deals so heavily with the power dynamics in video game design and how often women are overlooked/uncredited. 

For me, I also struggled with some of the moments of the book that felt like they handwaved the concept of cultural appropriation, and later the soapbox moments about how sensitive the newer generation is. They felt a bit out of place, and more like the bubbling up of some deeper seated anxiety from the author than something coming from the characters' reactions to their place and situations. 

I felt this similarly in the explorations of Sam's experience as being mixed EAsian and white, which felt like they tread the same ground that's been tread before/existed more as a justification for the existence of mixed white and Asian people. I don't know exactly how to phrase it. It was just something that was off-putting to me as someone who is in that category because it feels like it's re-litigating the same conversation we've been having for years and played to the same tropes and lines, which felt...recursive? Like it flattened a complex and nuance experience to a monolith? I'm not sure, but at the very least, I found it exhausting to hear the same talking points I heard in middle and high school here. There was an element of self-consciousness to the explorations of this that felt, again, like someone else's insecurities about their identity bubbling up here rather than the character.

But yeah, pretty wild book. Well written, but felt kind of like a liminal space turned into a novel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Ableism, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, and Toxic friendship

emmalynnn's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Sexual violence

the_review_witch's review against another edition

emotional sad tense slow-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

4.0

I didn’t love this book. I really wanted to love it, but I found the characters difficult ( with the exception of Marxs). I don’t necessarily have to like the characters, but I do need to find something redeeming in them to be able to fully immerse myself in the story. This eventually happened, but it wasn’t until the last 50 to 75 pages of the book. 

This story deals with a lot: suicide, abortion, gun, violence, abusive, romantic, relationships, and extremely difficult friendships. So be warned if you are considering reading it.

 The story revolves around two people who have been friends for a long time - Sam and Sadie. Sam suffers from a disability that came from a car accident in his youth. He does his best to ignore this issue and  at times, his inability to treat the issue that comes from his disability feels like self-flagellation. He finally does deal with it, but it takes a long time and it impacts his quality of life in almost every way. 

Sadie and Sam’s relationship goes through a lot of ups and downs for people who are so close.  And although they create video games together and eventually own a company together they have a terrible time communicating.  Although it is not explained, it does seem likely that one or both of them are on the spectrum, which may be a part of the communication issue. There seems to be a lot of assumptions made between the both of them  and  their inability to communicate almost rises to the role of another character in the story.

 In the end, I did finish the book because I wanted to see how it all ended. I am staying away from details purposely so as not to provide spoilers.

 I will say as a Gen Xer that grew up outside of Boston, the Cambridge, that Sadie and Sam existed in was the Cambridge of my use. I did love the walk down memory lane when they mentioned, so many of the places that no longer exist

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: Abortion

freshbatchofbooks's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Car accident, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual content, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Cancer, and Sexual violence

Minor: Domestic abuse, Abortion, Emotional abuse, Cultural appropriation, and Ableism

victoria_bnb's review against another edition

emotional

• 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

1.0

I do not like the characters like everyone else seems too. The character felt a little bit flat to me. The  didn't  have much character to begin with but they also do not grow as people over time, this spans 20+ years and they are almost the same people they were in the beginning (if not worse). 
I would've liked to see their relationship develop,not even in a romantic way, but more caring and relying on each other. instead of 20+ years of them calling each other "friends"

It is particularly aggravated me because Zevin writes about how great their friendship is but we don't ever see it. We see them as business partners and then not talking to each other and holding grudges for years.
Sadie specifically annoyed me, she was so hypocritical. Sam was not a great person but had "reasons". And when they were upset they never just talked it out, and then let it go. 
Marx was the flatest character of them all he is "perfect and everyone loves him even his exes." He got treated badly but didn't care, and continued to take care of the people treating him that way and never corrected bad behavior.
Also Dov is the worst, he was abusive and manipulative (and an IDF solider) and that was just glossed over. This book as a whole did not do enough to criticizehis behavior. He continued to be a part of Sadie's life, after everything he did but she stops talking to Sam of all people.

I did like the overall writing. It was an easy read except some parts, there was too much detail or prose.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship

Moderate: Mass/school shootings, Racism, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Car accident, and Pregnancy

Minor: Abortion, Cultural appropriation, and Cancer

audreytrml's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Death, Medical content, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Homophobia, Gun violence, Cancer, Abortion, Eating disorder, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Racism, Misogyny, Medical trauma, and Car accident

charlottereads_books's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Domestic abuse, Murder, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Gun violence, and Racism

katiefurms's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• 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

absolutely phenomenal book. I was entranced the entire way through. This book plays with time/chronology in a way that really keeps you hooked, always wondering how the story will get to the future that you know it eventually gets to. The characters are remarkably well written and so complex. The story is beautiful. I couldn’t put it down before, but especially after, the chapter called “The NPC.” That chapter is one of the most beautifully written chunks of literature I’ve ever read. I’m gonna have to go back and read this again, for sure. I recommend this to everyone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Medical content, Cancer, Death of parent, Death, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Grief, Blood, Gore, Suicide, Car accident, Sexism, Chronic illness, Mass/school shootings, and Vomit

Moderate: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship

asacco9642's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Grief, Medical content, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Abandonment, Rape, Cancer, Bullying, Car accident, and Infidelity

Minor: Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Pregnancy

chuck_thechick's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence

Minor: Grief, Cancer, Death of parent, Drug use, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, Abortion, Death, Domestic abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault