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leebeeloves's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Death
vigil's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Classism, and Mental illness
bbbarttt's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, and Death
stories's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
2.5
Interesting but very sweary: not for the primary classroom.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Cursing, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Sexual violence
lunacurlypaws's review
challenging
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Deftly weaves between humor and horror, beautiful, will haunt you. Valente knows how to sneak in a punch to the feels while you're laughing at her sly humor.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Violence
Minor: Fatphobia and Death
euphemiajo's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, Death, Violence, and Bullying
Minor: Blood, Cancer, and Abandonment
mandkips's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Drug use, Animal death, and Sexual content
thenovelmaura's review
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I'm actually shocked this one is a novella because my main critique is that it should have been shorter! I think I would have preferred reading the short story version since it would have conveyed the main concepts in a more succinct format. Overall, I loved how deeply this book made me think about human consumption and the fact that we're painfully close to living in Garbagetown ourselves. Tetley was the best kind of narrator for a journey through this bleak, ruthless world: a relentlessly optimistic girl who truly loves the post-apocalyptic trash heap that she lived on. The deeply depressing themes and setting are offset by hilarious details like how the people in Garbagetown get their names.
Again, I wish the storyline hadn't been drawn out quite so long, and the twist ending wasn't very satisfying, for some reason I can't put my finger on. (A side note for audiobook fans: the narrator's voice was quite grating and it took me a long time to get used to her affected cockney accent, although I understand why they chose to go that route with the narration.) This was a recommendation from a dear friend, and while I didn't love it as much as she did, I agree that it was an intriguing, worthwhile read!
Again, I wish the storyline hadn't been drawn out quite so long, and the twist ending wasn't very satisfying, for some reason I can't put my finger on. (A side note for audiobook fans: the narrator's voice was quite grating and it took me a long time to get used to her affected cockney accent, although I understand why they chose to go that route with the narration.) This was a recommendation from a dear friend, and while I didn't love it as much as she did, I agree that it was an intriguing, worthwhile read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Physical abuse
Moderate: Death
Minor: Drug use
triley's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Blood, Drug use, Violence, Animal death, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Grief, Cancer, and Fire/Fire injury
krys_kilz's review
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
This book is definitely a modern day, post-apocalyptic Candide. It makes me want to reread it alongside Candide, so I can compare them more thoroughly.
Because the story is somewhat satirical, I did struggle with portions because I often take things literally. Despite that, there is a lot of razor sharp social commentary packed into this novella including musings on the nature of hope, the desire for easy answers and leaders who offer them, the allure of denial in apocalyptic times, and the movement of power and how it corrupts relationships. I thought the foil of Tetley and Goodnight Moon's characters as well as the foil of Garbagetown and the Mars colonies were exquisitely done and not heavy handed. The world building was incredible and I loved the thoughtfulness of each chapter title.
My only major critique would be some of the disdain towards the Fuckwits felt a little universalizing and problematic in some aspects. For example, there were several fatphobic comments comparing fatness to excess and decadence. Also not all humans participated equally in an extractive and destructive relationship with the earth - this erases histories of colonialism, imperialism, and domination of all kinds.
Overall, this is a very clever story and it will stick with me for a long time.
Because the story is somewhat satirical, I did struggle with portions because I often take things literally. Despite that, there is a lot of razor sharp social commentary packed into this novella including musings on the nature of hope, the desire for easy answers and leaders who offer them, the allure of denial in apocalyptic times, and the movement of power and how it corrupts relationships. I thought the foil of Tetley and Goodnight Moon's characters as well as the foil of Garbagetown and the Mars colonies were exquisitely done and not heavy handed. The world building was incredible and I loved the thoughtfulness of each chapter title.
My only major critique would be some of the disdain towards the Fuckwits felt a little universalizing and problematic in some aspects. For example, there were several fatphobic comments comparing fatness to excess and decadence. Also not all humans participated equally in an extractive and destructive relationship with the earth - this erases histories of colonialism, imperialism, and domination of all kinds.
Overall, this is a very clever story and it will stick with me for a long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse and Violence
Moderate: Death