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ford_defect's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Though, generally I'm more of a plot guy, and the plot isn't very structured (but it really doesn't have to be). This story wasn't boring as a whole, but the prose was dense and boring for me at times. I don't fault the author for it. I think it's that this type of book (character-led--and unlikable characters at that) isn't really my thing, but I have rated it higher than other books that weren't really my thing. And unlike other books that aren't my thing, I am considering getting a copy to re-read sometime in the far future.
4/5 stars
Graphic: Death of parent, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, Violence, Suicide attempt, Blood, Death, and Suicide
Moderate: Homophobia, Grief, Antisemitism, Body shaming, and Bullying
Minor: Classism and War
aidareads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
see, i think my main "problem" with this book is that i really, really wanted to absolutely love it. i was expecting a dark academia type of story - and don't get me wrong, they got the dark part very well. it was the academia part that i believe i've been missing.
also, while i do think julian and paul's toxic and obsessive relationship was quite well portrayed, i struggled to actually connect with them (and, by extension, with any character in the story). i did appreciate how they progressively get more and more unhinged, but they already started off as a bit insane. i didn't really empathize with neither of them, even if i did suffer for them when they did.
also, i don't know if paul is canonically neurodivergent, but he does exhibit MANY autistic traits, which i found curious.
overall, i did like the book, but i didn't love it, and i also didn't feel like it was a solid 4 stars. i also checked the trigger warnings for it and was still unpleasantly surprised when i noticed how graphic and frequent self-harm is in the story because it wasn't listed when i checked the tags, so please do take care and check those before reading this!
Graphic: Grief, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Homophobia, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Antisemitism, Blood, Murder, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death of parent, and Drug use
fionamclary's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Grief, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness
Moderate: Chronic illness, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Drug use
Minor: Sexual content, War, Racism, Bullying, and Xenophobia
niccolowilliam'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
Graphic: Gore, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Violence, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Blood, Death, Suicide attempt, Classism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Alcohol, Religious bigotry, Outing, and Antisemitism
Minor: Police brutality and War
peonydancer's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.75
But still, the writing was lovely, and the description of a psychotic and totally unreliable narrator was wonderful. I did find the ending a little confusing at first, as
Graphic: Torture, Stalking, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Animal death, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
adreamerontherun'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: Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Death, Emotional abuse, and Cursing
irissantos's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Gosto de ir com as expectativas em aberto, e costuma ser boa ideia.
Foi complicado engrenar na leitura porque a maior parte da narração gira à volta do desenvolvimento e paisagem psicológicos dos personagens e por vezes perdi noção do que estava a acontecer no mundo físico do enredo.
Assim que fiz o "aquecimento" consegui ler o resto num quarto do tempo que me levou a ler a primeira metade.
O foco deste livro é o que acontece quando um adolescente dá ouvidos e alimenta a sua fúria da adolescência, auxiliado por um parceiro narcisista e arrogante.
Juntos acreditam que podem tudo e que são mais astutos que todos. Enquanto isso a sua relação colapsa, é fragmentada e colada de novo, uma e outra vez, com promessas vazias e uma montanha russa tóxica de lovebombing e afastamentos repentinos.
Uma excelente obra de estreia deste autor.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Death, Alcohol, and Blood
Moderate: Homophobia, Addiction, and Suicide
Minor: Animal cruelty
himboluvr'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
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Animal death, Murder, Classism, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Death, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
iridaceae'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
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Self harm, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and War
Minor: Abandonment, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Cancer, Car accident, Child abuse, Colonisation, Drug use, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gun violence, Police brutality, Racism, Torture, and Vomit
camsara99'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
4.5
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
Minor: Animal death and Animal cruelty