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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
cldurand's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Homophobia, Mental illness, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
cameronreads's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death, Homophobia, Blood, and Death of parent
Moderate: Antisemitism, Grief, and Suicide
Minor: Classism and Fire/Fire injury
addyruth17'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
4.25
Graphic: Blood, Toxic relationship, Death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Drug use, Gaslighting, Grief, Cursing, Homophobia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness
torismazarine'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Violence
Moderate: Drug use, Suicide, Antisemitism, Car accident, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Alcohol, Sexual content, and War
kal517'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
4.5
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Murder
Moderate: Suicide, Homophobia, and Death of parent
sheshallbenamed's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Suicide, Self harm, Death of parent, Murder, and Death
Minor: Rape
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
mathildemroy's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Murder, Physical abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Suicide, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Vomit, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, and Emotional abuse
sofipitch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Edit 6 months later: Just watched the movie Kill Your Darlings (2013) and the way the two mains speak to each other is so much like those in this book I'd put money on it being a source of inspo
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Murder, Violence, and Death of parent