Scan barcode
brookebatesratesbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Sexual content and Body horror
emory's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The writing, while seeming unnecessarily ornate at the beginning of the novel (before the narrative reaches its point), is gorgeously poignant and haunting. My only complaint is the writing sometimes tilted into purple, with words clearly added only to show off the vocabulary of the author ("alee" to describe the inside of a Starbucks?), and the strange fixation and return to sex and what sex could metaphorically represent for these characters. Annoying, but not damning, and worth slogging through for the story itself.
The use of dramatic irony of knowing what is really happening while the vividly human portagonists stumble through figuring out what is going on, their dynamics with and what they owe to one another, and what course of action they have to take carries the novel to it's gut wrenching relevance and takeaway. A story couldn't be more frightening in the current climate of knowing how bad it is, knowing society's place perched on the edge of disaster, that something's about to give. Alam's masterful prose wanders through the particular scenario of a family finding out you can never really look away.
Moderate: Cursing, Confinement, and War
Minor: Child death, Animal death, Car accident, Blood, Murder, Racism, Cancer, Excrement, Genocide, Sexism, and Suicide
The book is about an apocalyptic scenario that is very realistic and claustrophobic.lavatea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Sexual content, Cursing, Fatphobia, and Excrement
corirarrick2'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? It's complicated
1.0
Underwhelming and overwritten, this novel is all loose ends and feels incomplete, but not in the way that would lead to a sequel. The big mystery is not resolved, and it’s confusing and frustrating to endure. I would not recommend this to someone I actually like.
Graphic: Vomit
Moderate: Cursing and Sexual content
Minor: Suicide
Description of the teenage childrens’ genitals (as described by the mother?) and description act of masturbation of the teenage sonjavabones'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? No
Graphic: Sexual content, Medical content, Cursing, Blood, Vomit, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Confinement, Medical trauma, and Body horror
Moderate: Alcohol
mm691984'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? No
3.0
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Cursing
nialiversuch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Vomit
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Racism, and Sexual content
Minor: Suicide, Child death, and War
julied's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Cursing, Sexual content, and Vomit
Moderate: Islamophobia and Racism
Minor: Blood, War, and Religious bigotry
booktwitcher23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Sexual content and Vomit
Moderate: Blood and Cursing
Poor review from me as I failed to connect with the style of writing. Oddly I also struggled with its Americanism.vlntnmz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
'
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexual content, and Vomit
Minor: Cancer, Medical content, Murder, and Suicide