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redheadorganist'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Cancer, and Grief
Minor: Vomit, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail
sestout's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Minor: Grief, Infidelity, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Drug use
standardissuecat'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
Favorite quotes:
"What does one ever ask an author except: 'How?'" (pg. 8)
"Once you've actually been in love, you can't live with 'will do'; it's worse than living with yourself." (pg. 15)
"Like a bad lay, a bad musical can still do its job perfectly well." (pg. 22)
"What was it like to live with genius? Like living alone. Like living alone with a tiger." (pg. 65)
"Was this why we all threw stones at the police, for weddings?" (pg. 78)
"He kisses...like someone who has just learned a foreign language and can use only the present tense and only the second person. Only now, only you." (pg. 113)
Moderate: Death of parent and Sexual content
Minor: Homophobia
spineofthesaurus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, and Medical content
Moderate: Confinement, Drug use, Self harm, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Grief, Racism, Sexual content, and Abandonment
Minor: Cancer and Death of parent
mostlyvoidpartiallystars'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
And, for my recurring section: Do they bury their gays?
Moderate: Classism, Homophobia, Sexual content, Vomit, and Grief
Minor: Death of parent, Child abuse, Death, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Fatphobia
pastlifetragedy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Minor: Alcohol, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Death of parent
skunze's review against another edition
Graphic: Sexual content
alexisgarcia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Cursing, Death, and Infidelity
leethrp'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
4.0
This book grew on me the more I read it– my appreciation grew more with every chapter and, at last, came to a wholesome, satisfying hault with Less' ending. Initially, or around halfway through the novel, my preemptive review lingered around a 3 star rating, but upon finishing Less and turning the corners of the last few pages, this book sits at a solid 4 out of 5.
The writing is sweet, playful, and primarily lighthearted while still able to instill a serious impression when circumstances call for it. The dialogue is convincing, charming, and witty. Delicious figurative language litters almost every page and charming narration follows throughout.
There is a kind of soft unpredictability in all the right places in this novel, making it a comfortable read with the right amount of excitement that kept me engaged with Greer's writing.
It is hard to place what exactly kept Less from a perfect 5 star rating—possibly my preference for heavier content in my reads—but nonetheless, Arthur Less and his narrator were a joy to journey with around the world.
I'd highly recommend picking up this book if you're looking for queer contemporary fiction with a satirical spin, a book rich with description that will sweep you away to foreign countries with its protagonist, or a novel that candidly reckons with aging, break-ups, romance, and the tragedy of a birthday.
Graphic: Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content
katerinakr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Minor: Sexual content