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lonnahroyale's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
So humorous and the characters were so loveable. They have such real flaws and the portrayal of mental illness was terrifying and stunning.
Mel’s eating disorders was taken seriously like it should be. The way it’s written about is scary and frightening and I think it should make you feel that way. EDs are so glamourized but there is NOTHING good or beautiful about them. No one treats eating disorders as deadly as they are, but Ness did. I’m really greatful for that.
His family dynamic was hard to read. It was just so sad cause the parent really were trying, they just also have their own…well, addictions. It’s real though. Everything in this book hurt but also made me hopeful.
Mikey had his flaws but he was struggling and going through a big change in his life all the while blue eyed people and strange and scary things were happening. The dive into Mikey’s self understanding and low self esteem was important. I related to him a lot growing up. This book will be helpful to young people to see that yes, people love you a lot more than you think you deserve to be loved.
And what a fantastic way to portray friendship and arguments friends have and Mikey’s terrible crush on Henna but how they resolved it. I just love the way love was written. It wasn’t happily ever after kind of love. It was real compromised, transformation, and sacrificial love.
Moderate: Car accident and Eating disorder
Minor: Alcoholism
hannalovegood's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Car accident, Eating disorder, and Mental illness
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Dementia
captainrenjamin's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Violence and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Alcoholism
conspystery's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Car accident, Animal death, Eating disorder, and Alcoholism
Moderate: War, Drug use, and Suicidal thoughts
fancyfroggie'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: Car accident, Child death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Addiction, Alcoholism, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, War, Fire/Fire injury, and Self harm
nannahnannah's review
5.0
The Rest of Us Just Live Here takes place in the middle of nowhere, in a place a lot like most small towns, with one restaurant, a high school, lots of trees, etc. But the "indie kids" there (or hipsters as I know them in my own little middle of nowhere) tend to be part of something bigger: what you'd think would be the plotline of the next big-trending fantasy. The main character, Mikey, is definitely not an indie kid, and that big ol' plotline is not for him. Instead, he and his friends are simply inhabitants of the same town those "main characters" live in. And, well, this is their story.
The result is some mixed realistic/coming-of-age and fantasy genre that ends up blending really well, surprisingly.
Patrick Ness really knows how to nail characterization - and show character in a few words. It took to about page 17 for me to fall head over heals for all the main 4 protagonists, and they're all so real it's terrifying. (I mean, maybe it's partly because they're diverse and actually have mental illnesses/struggles with body issues/etc. but I don't need to go into that further.)
The writing is even stronger when it comes to family dynamics. Even the supposedly "bad" parents are more layered and complicated than I thought at first. Right when I make up my mind about someone I'm finding my belief challenged.
I'm a little disappointed at the fatphobia (even if it was just a 1-sentence line - maybe my standards are set a little high for Patrick Ness). It could be the character, not the author, of course! But it's hard to know when that line (in the character's thoughts) aren't challenged at all.
Okay, so I lied when I said I was done talking about the importance of writing diverse characters. Because Mikey's personal story has helped me come to some realizations about myself.
Mikey has OCD and anxiety, and when the anxiety gets worse, so does the OCD. Okay, so there's some novels that have MC's with OCD, but the way Mikey's thoughts and patterns are written is all too relatable. I don't have OCD, but a bfrb (body-focused repetitive behavior), specifically dermatillomania (skin picking disorder). There are passages that I need to stop reading because I'm literally sobbing. The way Mikey can't stop doing something, even when it's causing him pain. It's all written in a way that it's hard not to relate to and feel validated if you struggle with something similar. Mikey eventually
I was going to talk about something else, too, but that's a bit spoilery for the book and a bit personal for me. So nah, not today.
In the end, the book reached out and pretty much grabbed my heart. It would be difficult for me to give it anything but five stars. (I've also forced it onto friends, so . . . )
Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, and Eating disorder
Minor: Fatphobia
rosietoast's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Eating disorder, Dementia, Death, Car accident, and Alcoholism
livya's review
- 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: Alcohol, Dementia, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Alcoholism, and Injury/Injury detail
iamkiaraayleen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Eating disorder, and Car accident
Moderate: Alcoholism, Addiction, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Dementia, and Sexual content
lava_crown's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Car accident
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Animal death, Eating disorder, and Suicidal thoughts