Scan barcode
shaylee_reads'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
Note: this book is VERY, VERY dark!! Please look at the content warnings because this book deals with a lot of triggers and trama.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
violet_oops'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: Drug abuse, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
sanktajo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
The diversity is little to none and it's poorly written at that, there are no canonically POC characters, the queer characters' identities are barely spoken about beyond Nicky making sexual jokes about other male characters and kissing Neil without his consent once and Neil mentioning that he doesn't feel attraction to anyone. Andrew's mental illness doesn't fit the criteria for any actual mental illness and perpetuates the idea that mental illness makes people dangerous and crazy. There was no plot at all, I could've read the first and last 20 pages and I would've gotten the same thing out of the book. The writing was bad as well and the book took me 2+ months to finish when I usually finish books about this length in a week tops.
Graphic: Gore and Violence
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Ableism
ediedidntdie'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
2.75
If you like terribly written books with amazing characters, then I recommend this book.
To be honest, the first book in this series is more of a really really long first chapeter; but if you can get through it, the series does become better.
The plot doesn’t make sense. Following Neil Josten, a serial killers son who’s been running from his father all his life and has finally decided to stop running in order to follow his life long dream of becoming an “exy” star (a made up, extremely dangerous sport) on an collage team made up of lost young people. And you may be thinking “Why would I want to read a book about a fictional sport” well I thought that too, and trust me you shouldn’t want to read it it’s shit.
The opinions on the characters change with each reader, however If you don’t like any of them there’s a very VERY slight chance of you liking this book.
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Child abuse, Ableism, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Vomit
saturn26'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
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Torture
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
Minor: Pedophilia and Death of parent
mb5823's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Gore, Emotional abuse, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Cursing and Homophobia
aleexe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Gore, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
bowtiequeer'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
3.75
Graphic: Homophobia, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Rape and Blood
claudiamacpherson'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
4.5
I've read a lot of great books this year, but this one was different. It's not my normal type of book at all because it's much darker and more violent than I prefer (please check the trigger warnings!!), but I still couldn't put it down. The Foxes made me love them in spite of their problems and violent tendencies, and Exy intrigued me even though I don't think I'd ever watch it if it was real. No hints of romance (yet), but I know it'll come in the later books and I can't wait.
I had heard before I read it that the plot doesn't always make sense, and that's fair for a book about a fictional sport and the Japanese mob, but honestly I thought it'd be a bit crazier; the only time I was really surprised (again, taking into account the extreme premise) was when Seth overdosed because it was so abrupt.
Graphic: Child abuse and Mental illness
Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Homophobia and Murder
bisquii'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? It's complicated
3.0
The depiction of mental illness is a little iffy at times, and the way the author describes the effects of an anti-psychotic prescription drug doesn’t seem realistic to me (as I have never taken an anti-psychotic, I don’t know exactly what the effects are).
Its important to remember that this series is incredibly dramatic, and the content reflects that! It strays from realism a lot, and has elements that seem unrealistic, but if you view the series as a drama, it makes more sense!
Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual assault
PLEASE LOOK UP TRIGGER WARNINGS BEFORE YOU READ!! Its a great book and I encourage people to read it but ONLY if they are comfortable/able to read the content.