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beca_reads's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
We follow two different timelines. The first timeline is the hostage drama. A bank robber is in need of money so tries to rob a bank, unfortunately for them the bank is cashless. They are then alerted to the fact that there is police outside, and they end up running into an apartment viewing and taking a bunch of people hostage. From there we are introduced to all of the hostages and their back stories. Each character has such a strong back story, they could easily have their own book each. The hostage situation is ridiculous in the best way, and ends up bringing these strangers together. Meanwhile we have the other time which takes place after the hostage. Jim and Jack are father and son, and work for the Swedish police. Jack is determined to figure out who the bank robber is as they can't find them, and believe that the hostages are hiding information. Both timelines are carefully interweaved to form this amazing story. For me personally I found Zara's and Estelle's storylines my favourites.
Trigger warnings: suicide, suicide ideation, and confinement.
Also if you plan on watching the Netflix adaptation (which is good by the way) I recommend reading the book all the way through first.
Graphic: Death, Dementia, Suicide, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, Grief, Violence, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
jmcampbell57'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
3.75
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Kidnapping, Death of parent, Confinement, and Gun violence
wickedgrumpy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
"This story is about a lot of thing but mostly about idiots.
Reading this book feels like you are actively getting whiplash since it keeps tugging you in different directions, trying to keep the suspense/mystery. Because of this it takes forever for anything to happen and it never feels like anything has a natural progression. It's as if you take one step forward and then two steps back in a halting cadence.
Also, this book suffers from what I will henceforth call: Boomer-Humor. To elaborate, any chance to make a disparaging remark about the youths (TM) it is taken. This is all mixed in with the attempt to have meaningful personal stories about grief, loss, addiction, suicide (ideation/attempts) and tie it all up into one interconnected comedic bow, and in the end it is a jumbled repetitive mass of knots.
I thoroughly disliked this book. I will never read anything else from this author. I did not enjoy their prose, their humor, their character-building... No redeeming qualities. It was not for me. I can see where there would be some people who would like it, but I was not one of them.
Also, because I was curious -
Number of times the word idiot is used in the book: 60
Number of times Stockholm is used in the book: 74
This book takes place in Sweden, but not Stockholm.
Minor: Classism, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Addiction, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Cancer, Dementia, and Gaslighting
alexgieske'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? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Dementia, Grief, Infidelity, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Addiction and Blood
db_cooper's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Death, and Grief
allyordyna'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: Suicide attempt and Suicide
Moderate: Cursing, Confinement, Death, and Grief
Minor: Pregnancy and Alcohol
jennabarry3's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Grief, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Blood, Terminal illness, Infidelity, Death of parent, Alcohol, Addiction, Gun violence, Drug use, and Death
Minor: Cancer, Toxic relationship, and Addiction
mandi4886's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, and Mental illness
Minor: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexism, Stalking, Terminal illness, War, Animal death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail
alisonvh'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Confinement, Infidelity, Racism, Pregnancy, and Grief
Minor: War
uhtceara'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: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Confinement and Mental illness