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mattyvreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What I so appreciate about this book is that each character is so layered and nuanced and complex. Characters that you love have some unavoidable fault. Characters that you hate aren’t written as cartoon villains; the audience even grows fond of some characters before we learn the depth of their cruelty.
I love the way that Irving tells a story. There is an interconnectedness between the characters he creates, even if those characters don’t know each other. Every detail feels so intentional, even something as small as a crushed mosquito on the wall. Everything is important.
Irving is so cool because writes from a pro-choice, anti-war, sexually liberated (and at least a little queer) perspective. He tackles issues of classism and racism, misogyny and abuse. He is enlightened. It is no wonder that this is such a commonly banned book. Conservatives wouldn’t be able to handle the inarguable points he makes in support of safe health care, including safe abortions for anyone that wants or needs one.
There is some dated language in the book, which makes contextual sense given the time period. There’s a little bit of casual fatphobia, but that might be expected in a novel from 1985. Still, Irving seems to land on the “correct side of history” in discussion of socioeconomic and political arguments.
Graphic: War, Dementia, Incest, Abortion, and Addiction
Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, and Child death
melissa_cosgrove'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
5.0
Graphic: Abortion and Addiction
Moderate: Rape, Incest, Racism, and Child abuse
Minor: War
pained_creations's review
- 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
Graphic: Incest and Abortion
zzelda'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
4.75
Graphic: Abortion
Moderate: War, Gore, and Death
Minor: Incest and Rape
epounders13's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Abortion and Pregnancy
Minor: Incest and Sexual content
haleyshort'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, and Addiction
Moderate: Sexual assault and Incest
vagrantheather'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
Graphic: Medical content, Abortion, and Addiction
Moderate: Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, and War
Minor: Incest, Infertility, and Infidelity
m1923'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: War and Abortion
Moderate: Incest and Racism
adrionmacaron'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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abortion, and Death
Moderate: Terminal illness, Sexual content, Sexism, Self harm, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Fatphobia, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Alcohol, Abortion, Xenophobia, War, Vomit, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Infertility, Incest, Drug use, Dementia, Death, Child death, Child abuse, Blood, Alcoholism, and Addiction
library_dreamer's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Racism, Abortion, Incest, and Rape