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bookishbrenbren'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? It's complicated
4.0
I don't think I've read such a captivating book in a long while. I was completely immersed in the inner workings of this tiny little polarized world. It was engrossing, I couldn't put it down and when I did, I kept thinking about it. I feel invested in these characters and I think the author did an incredible job of bringing them to life and capturing what life is like when you're a teen/new adult. Especially the internal life we live inside our own heads.
on the other hand I fully agree with almost all criticisms of it that I've read 😂 the book is pretentious bordering on delivering a campy teenage movie (he's 17, a soccer star but he's top of his class but he's incredibly shy but he also recommends The Communist Manifesto to peers) and the not-like-other-girls girl even gets a makeover but not before she's read Swann's Way by herself at lunch. 👀 ok. Then also the treatment of disordered eating, classism, abuse and masochism and some light racism-makes-the-bad-guy-bad could also have been better handled. and honestly like on a very literal level, I feel silly caring who Connell Waldron asks to high school prom. But isn't it a sign of a strong writer that she can make me care about something like that? Ugh idk I am so torn. The characters are slightly cliche but nobody can write internal thought like this. I just don't know, send help 🏳️ I can't deny the pull that this book had on me and the fact that it made me feel things. I am a Marianne loyalist and I feel like I genuinely know her. She came to life for me.
But idk I guess I also expected something more serious (but less self-serious?) than this 🫣 for all the hype and marketing it got
Graphic: Alcohol, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Grief, Mental illness, Violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Racism, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
caroline_123'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
3.25
Graphic: Mental illness and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Domestic abuse
elizabethwb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Bullying, Classism, Cursing, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
a_rash_read'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
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Alcohol, Grief, Domestic abuse, and Mental illness
Minor: Alcohol, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Racism, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Eating disorder, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Classism, Death, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Pregnancy
avabudavari'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
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Blood, Domestic abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use, Eating disorder, Addiction, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Death, Genocide, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, and Mental illness
azilisssss'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Bullying
Moderate: Eating disorder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
mirandalikesbooks'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
5.0
But
Honestly I did struggle with the dialogue not being in quotation marks...but I did adjust!!!
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexism, Grief, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, Eating disorder, and Classism
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
katjayorke'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
4.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Bullying, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, Violence, Alcohol, and Toxic relationship
Minor: War, Mass/school shootings, and Death of parent
naoml's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Classism, Domestic abuse, and Bullying
Moderate: Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Eating disorder
sailorpisces'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
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Suicide, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Cursing, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Bullying, Classism, Alcohol, and Self harm
Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, and Child abuse