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itschelseaw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
Lucy was by far the more interesting character to me, and as the narrator we got a lot more insight into her life and her motivations, especially those surrounding her children and ex-husband. Again, I take umbrage with her constantly saying she left him, as if they had had an agreement that William could cheat (I don't believe they did), and therefore Lucy was in the wrong to no longer accept that. However, she's my mom's generation, so I cannot say whether my mom would've reacted the same way had my dad cheated while he was still alive.
Lucy's insights into herself and revelations about her own life were what kept me going with this story, and ultimately what made me like it. Not quite 4 stars, because her seeing William for the reality that he's... just a man... didn't come until the last 10 minutes of the book. But! It was a satisfying 10 minutes to hear her go through the process of taking down the pedestal she had William on. She showed him grace time and again, and he seemed to not know how to extend that same grace back to her.
The second to last line of the book was particularly beautiful, to the point that I wrote it down. "We are all mythologies - mysterious. We are all mysteries, is what I mean." I think that ended up summing up the book quite well, in a beautiful way. They, Lucy and William, told stories about both themselves and each other, and the other people in their lives. To see their story about William's mom unravel was so interesting, and the impact that had on both of them was also fascinating. William turned back into a child it seemed; even more petulant than when they had started the trip. Lucy, however, seemed to use it as a catalyst to look at the other mythologies she had crafted in her own life, ultimately ending with seeing her mythology she created around William for what it was: a mythology.
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Sexual assault
ukponge'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Infidelity, and Infertility
lrystarr'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
4.0
Moderate: Child abuse and Abandonment
feebles640's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Infidelity, Grief, Abandonment, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death of parent, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, War, and Death
Minor: Child abuse and Fatphobia
jessiemurphy'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
4.5
Minor: Child abuse
molly_hn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Minor: Eating disorder and Child abuse
hkburke2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Fatphobia, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Death of parent, and Miscarriage
Minor: Ableism
quinn_kc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Child abuse