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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
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
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
karlo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Alcohol, Stalking, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
mrclintdavis'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: Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Violence, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Self harm
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Alcohol, War, Stalking, Sexual violence, Homophobia, and Kidnapping
wackly93's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.25
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Murder, Suicide, Self harm, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Stalking, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Death of parent
opossumom'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: Kidnapping, Murder, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Religious bigotry, Classism, Animal death, Antisemitism, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Grief, Emotional abuse, Death, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Drug use
Minor: Sexual assault and Forced institutionalization
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