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indigo666's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Vomit, Gore, Toxic friendship, Animal cruelty, Blood, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, and Violence
rcy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
- 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
4.5
Here for the prose and for Blandine’s rage.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Minor: Sexual assault
eggplantia5's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
A whimsical book. I enjoyed reading it, although some parts were hard to get through from the amount of whimsy.
This kind of storytelling, where it's different characters tied to this town in some way, and there's a lead up to some big encounter between them all - it's a great formula.
I kind of thought the ending was a bit of a letdown, things were "resolved" fairly tidily but I honestly can't remember what happens to everyone just a few days later.
The roommates diving deeper into animal cruelty trying to impress Blandine seemed a false note. I don't think we got enough motivation that made sense, unless they were representative of Vacca Vale and its deterioration. Moses was a gross character that weirdly ended up entirely too reformed without any reason in my opinion.
Borrowed from library, may consider buying in the future.
This kind of storytelling, where it's different characters tied to this town in some way, and there's a lead up to some big encounter between them all - it's a great formula.
I kind of thought the ending was a bit of a letdown, things were "resolved" fairly tidily but I honestly can't remember what happens to everyone just a few days later.
The roommates diving deeper into animal cruelty trying to impress Blandine seemed a false note. I don't think we got enough motivation that made sense, unless they were representative of Vacca Vale and its deterioration. Moses was a gross character that weirdly ended up entirely too reformed without any reason in my opinion.
Borrowed from library, may consider buying in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
polite_yam's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Violence, and Emotional abuse
kamitsukasero's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
bethany_grace's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
beautiful, beautiful writing
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Animal death, Blood, Death, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, and Animal cruelty
fcjb_x's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
kelseyke's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Violence
katieoyama's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
0.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, Rape, and Child abuse
sofiajearally's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I don't know where to start when I have to talk about this book, but let's give it a shot!
I want to start by pointing out how gorgeous Tess Gunty's writing is! It sometimes might be over-flourished for some readers but it was mind-blowing for me. Besides, she can really change her style to fit the characters or the setting of the scenes, which makes the writing never boring.
However, I struggled to get through the first quarter of the book and ended up reading it over the course of several months. Both because life happened so I couldn't read much but also because I felt that the story dragged on and on and on. In fact, I felt like there was no story because of the multiple storylines that added up to nothing. That is, until the chapter Variables (the girls that get it, get it). Suddenly, I couldn't put the book down. Then there were a few good chapters until the rise to the climax but I was a bit less invested.
So, when I finished it, I didn't really know what to think. Did I like it? I wasn't sure, beside that chapter. But I knew I wanted to skim it in order to annotate it because of the superb writing. When doing that, it hit me, I understood some of the author's choices way better in terms of storylines and realized it all came together by the end of the book. However, I stand by the fact that some things could have been cut off or shortened to make the whole more coherent and cohesive.
So, if like me you struggle at the beginning, please try to persevere for your own sake, it's really worth it!
To finish, I want to talk about Blandine's character. I didn't like her at first. But as the story went by and especially when I went back to annotate the book, I understood what had happened: she's seen by every character as this I'm-not-like-other-girls type of girl/manic pixie dream girl, and I fell for it too! But when you pay attention when it's her POV, she's just a girl. A teenage girl. Sure she can seem a bit weird but first off, she's traumatized and second, who's never had specific interests others deemed as weird as a teenager or wanted to dye their hair? She's actually very relatable, like when she plucks her leg hairs thinking of all the other things she could be doing instead, or the whole story with James (he's an ass and I hate him more and more by the way). So yeah, go Blandine!
I want to start by pointing out how gorgeous Tess Gunty's writing is! It sometimes might be over-flourished for some readers but it was mind-blowing for me. Besides, she can really change her style to fit the characters or the setting of the scenes, which makes the writing never boring.
However, I struggled to get through the first quarter of the book and ended up reading it over the course of several months. Both because life happened so I couldn't read much but also because I felt that the story dragged on and on and on. In fact, I felt like there was no story because of the multiple storylines that added up to nothing. That is, until the chapter Variables (the girls that get it, get it). Suddenly, I couldn't put the book down. Then there were a few good chapters until the rise to the climax but I was a bit less invested.
So, when I finished it, I didn't really know what to think. Did I like it? I wasn't sure, beside that chapter. But I knew I wanted to skim it in order to annotate it because of the superb writing. When doing that, it hit me, I understood some of the author's choices way better in terms of storylines and realized it all came together by the end of the book. However, I stand by the fact that some things could have been cut off or shortened to make the whole more coherent and cohesive.
So, if like me you struggle at the beginning, please try to persevere for your own sake, it's really worth it!
To finish, I want to talk about Blandine's character. I didn't like her at first. But as the story went by and especially when I went back to annotate the book, I understood what had happened: she's seen by every character as this I'm-not-like-other-girls type of girl/manic pixie dream girl, and I fell for it too! But when you pay attention when it's her POV, she's just a girl. A teenage girl. Sure she can seem a bit weird but first off, she's traumatized and second, who's never had specific interests others deemed as weird as a teenager or wanted to dye their hair? She's actually very relatable, like when she plucks her leg hairs thinking of all the other things she could be doing instead, or the whole story with James (he's an ass and I hate him more and more by the way). So yeah, go Blandine!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Violence, Animal death, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood and Gore
Minor: Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Drug use, and Medical content