Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

Skim by Mariko Tamaki

56 reviews

3amonline's review

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Suicide, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

steveatwaywords's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• 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

4.0

Skim is a story of young women and misunderstanding, of challenges to compassion and walls against love, of the gulfs between death and alienation, of all of us stumbling ahead nonetheless. Insecurity is near the heart of Tamaki's characters who casually lash out and judge the behaviors of difference, but it is an insecurity nonetheless paired with longing. There is no clear path to love, and tentative overtures are as likely to be lost as tragically fulfilled.

While the stark black and white illustration work complements the bleakness of the story and the divisions between characters, I wondered at points whether greyer tones might better represent the quiet quests of these students against the public performative nonsense the mainstream offers.

Tamaki takes on the misunderstandings we have as people, not merely adolescents, around our discussions of suicide, of enmity, of community. And we must not expect pat or final answers to any of it; quite the opposite. We just keep moving forward as best we can.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Suicide, and Fatphobia

There is no graphic depiction of harm, death, or sexual situations, but these questions dominate the plot.

galacticmumbling's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Homophobia

chris_reads's review against another edition

reflective sad fast-paced

• 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

2.5

Pretty underwhelming. Grew on me towards the end though. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Dysphoria, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, and Suicide

Minor: Racism, Homophobia, and Fatphobia

whatisjordyreading's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Suicide

kodiex's review

reflective medium-paced

• 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? Yes

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Bullying, Body shaming, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, and Death

peachani's review

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Suicide attempt, Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Outing, Pedophilia, and Suicide

kitschysweater's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, and Suicide

Moderate: Suicide attempt and Toxic friendship

bunix's review against another edition

emotional reflective relaxing 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

4.0

This is a good reading to just pass the time. I felt like it had a good story with no certain direction. Although this did leave me with questions because of the sudden ending but overall really enjoyed it. Would recommend for a quick-read.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, and Suicide attempt

duriancake's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

This book was refreshing to read and was something I'm so glad I picked up! The art was beautiful and was a beautiful heartfelt story about growing up and loss. Initially, I was unsure about what to expect from this book after reading Amazon reviews since some seemed to come off that the book was romanticizing adult/minor relationships but I felt that the narrative was designed to show it wasn't a good thing even if it didn't say it explicitly. Race isn't a major topic in the book but it also had a moment that reaffirmed ones I had growing up Asian in a pwi and was nice to see incorporated into the story.

The ending was hopeful and had Skim finding her own way by

leaving behind a toxic relationship and a toxic friendship for Katie Matthews who unexpectedly befriends her and is hinted to end up with Skim.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Death, and Grief