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tiffy22'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
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, and Incest
lavienne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Dementia, Infertility, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Animal death, Miscarriage, Blood, and Cancer
lusignank's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
2.0
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Incest, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Miscarriage
kmart29's review against another edition
3.25
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Bullying, Child abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
francesca_scott'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
4.5
Moderate: Rape, Incest, and Sexual assault
Minor: Pedophilia
bombshellbibliophile's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Death, Incest, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, and Cursing
Not worth the read. Terrible ending. Past and present was too back and forth. Characters were utterly unlikeable. Very slow. Author has poetic descriptive writing style but when not paired with good plot and characters it’s wasted. Way too much sexual trauma, with minors at that. that don't really add more to the plot. Surprised this is a NY times and Reese’s book club rec, now I know not all endorsements of such will be to my liking.mdal26's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Cancer, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Death, Medical content, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Child death, Grief, Incest, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Rape
jessiehg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
- the time cuts exploring a similar theme across generations are so close to being too obvious and trite, but there’s enough complexity and difference that they work well
- the characters verge on 1 dimensional, but they’re also not overwritten which I’m grateful for
- Elle’s motivations and the deep rippling effects of her childhood on her choices are very well done, as is the reasoning (absolution) behind the affair finally occurring
- the end will bother some, but I think it was the only option
- I saw most things coming, but you could take that as well constricted and neat rather than obvious
There’s something here about starting in a simplistic idea of lifelong longing finally acted upon, and then simultaneously strengthening the reader’s belief in that “cosmic connection” and (through an unreliable narrator) revealing flags of the flawed, bad (but not in the way they think they are!) people who would in reality not ride off into the sunset but likely hurt each other like all partners do. Jonas is a dick to his wife, Elle is obviously coping with her mistakes and explores those things (eg lying, distance to husband).
Once I hit about halfway I found it difficult to put down. I was deeply affected. But I didn’t LOVE it.
This may be better on screen than on paper - what verges on flat in the book could be fleshed out with great acting.
It helped me to keep reminding myself that this is my parent’s generation, and in a lot of ways her reactions are very well written for that.
Starting this book in the affair and love triangle is indicative of the target audience. The average airport/rom com reader wants empty longing and sex as a hook to then become invested in the real story. Personally, the real story is what it took for me to give any amount of shits about the affair. An understandable and commercially wise choice, but not to my liking.
Graphic: Miscarriage, Vomit, Incest, Child abuse, Death, Sexual content, Cancer, Child death, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Minor: Terminal illness and Animal cruelty
nataliefaccenda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Child death, Incest, and Sexual assault
roguedaffodil's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Sexual assault, Incest, Death, Rape, and Infidelity