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melissa_cosgrove's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion and Addiction
Moderate: Rape, Incest, Racism, and Child abuse
Minor: War
pained_creations's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
Wonderfully quirky and sometimes funny story of an orphan's life. Deals with adult/difficult topics, and yet finds a way to make it lighter-hearted.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest and Abortion
sareena's review
challenging
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion
zzelda's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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? Yes
4.75
Oof. He’s done it again. A masterpiece. Took me about half the book to get into but I knew it would be worth it. Every American should read this book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion
Moderate: War, Gore, and Death
Minor: Incest and Rape
epounders13's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Coming of age book within a moral crossroads.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abortion and Pregnancy
Minor: Incest and Sexual content
haleyshort's review
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
God I love this book. Every character has such depth and is so flawed but wants to do what’s right and there’s so much love in so many different forms and I just find it so compelling and joyful and interesting and sad. I know that it isn’t perfect, John Irving is a white dude from New England who writes about white dudes from New England, but it feels like home to me. Found family, found homes, and found selves abound.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, and Addiction
Moderate: Sexual assault and Incest
miraleighv's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion
vagrantheather's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
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? It's complicated
5.0
A story that spans 3 generations in rural Maine. A story of terrible things told with an edge of hilarious absurdity. A treatise on the necessity of abortion access, no matter your thoughts of personhood or souls. Irving manages to take some very dark themes and topics and weave them into a compelling story that doesn't feel at all preachy. I laughed out loud an embarrassing number of times. I will absolutely be reading further Irving, and would recommend him for anyone who's fond of Vonnegut.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Abortion, and Addiction
Moderate: Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, and War
Minor: Incest, Infertility, and Infidelity
m1923's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Abortion
Moderate: Incest and Racism