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thesapphiccelticbookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, and Ableism
Moderate: Medical content, Homophobia, and Religious bigotry
donutscientist's review
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
I was so excited to read this book with my fiancée who has MS, thinking it would be an awesome experience, just to be disappointed beyond measure. Honestly, on my own I wouldn't have made it past the first few chapters, because it just broke my heart to hear my amazing fiancée, who has been nothing but an absolute light in my life from the moment I met her, read out loud Jill's incredibly demeaning thoughts about herself and disabled people in general. She convinced me to keep on reading, as she believed that these would just be Jill's thoughts in the beginning but soon she would get some help and support from nice friends and also her love interest and her point of view would change.I wanted to believe her but again, this is where the big disappointment set in.
Nobody - not a single character in this book - told Jill that her thinking she (and by extension other people with MS or wheelchair users) were a burden to their partners. I was so hoping for anyone she or Crash told the situation to be like "hey, it sounds like you should see a professional to help you deal with your diagnosis or get some perspective on what the rest of your life might look like" but no one did. Even her friend said they'd rather break up with their girlfriend than be a burden to her, if she was the one with MS. I also thought it would be cool to turn the tables and have Crash come to realize that she, too, might have an accident in that dangerous line of work, that might result in her needing a wheelchair. There was an example of a former coworker who had an accident but it was only used to further exemplify how impossible it is to lead a happy life with a disability, as it was promptly mentioned how he lost everything. And the list goes on. The sudden change of heart at the end practically out of nowhere felt forced and completely unbelievable.
Nobody - not a single character in this book - told Jill that her thinking she (and by extension other people with MS or wheelchair users) were a burden to their partners. I was so hoping for anyone she or Crash told the situation to be like "hey, it sounds like you should see a professional to help you deal with your diagnosis or get some perspective on what the rest of your life might look like" but no one did. Even her friend said they'd rather break up with their girlfriend than be a burden to her, if she was the one with MS. I also thought it would be cool to turn the tables and have Crash come to realize that she, too, might have an accident in that dangerous line of work, that might result in her needing a wheelchair. There was an example of a former coworker who had an accident but it was only used to further exemplify how impossible it is to lead a happy life with a disability, as it was promptly mentioned how he lost everything. And the list goes on. The sudden change of heart at the end practically out of nowhere felt forced and completely unbelievable.
It was just so infuriating to read Jill's repetitive thoughts and I felt like Crash barely had anything going for her character wise except being a stuntwoman.
The general idea of the book sounded awesome to me and that's where the .25 stars come from. I would love to see more diversity in literature, including main characters with disabilities, but not like this. The execution here was such a let down.
The general idea of the book sounded awesome to me and that's where the .25 stars come from. I would love to see more diversity in literature, including main characters with disabilities, but not like this. The execution here was such a let down.
I don't think I've ever hated reading a book this much because I was so genuinely disappointed. I wanted to love this. I wanted my fiancée to love this and see herself represented well. I've never seen her throw a book before but if one had to be the first, this was a solid choice.
This is the first and last book by this author that I'll ever read. I hope no disabled person reads this when they're in a bad spot mentally. I'm not usually this harsh reviewing books but this one just hit different.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Chronic illness
Moderate: Lesbophobia
fjalar's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Don't read this book of you or someone you love is disabled. I cannot for the life of me understand how this book has any positive reviews, and it pains me to read that some people seemingly read this as an introduction to MS.
Look, I thought there might be something here. I was excited to read this book, to see myself represented in a sapphic romance novel. And when Jill started the book thinking she was undeserving of love and support, I thought that surely, surely she would soon discover that she is more than her illness, more than what she can do for other people. I thought, perfect! Crash is a stunt woman, a physical performer, she knows what it means to fear the loss of her body's functionality - she's come close to getting hurt badly once, she knows the risk. Surely her first girlfriend leaving her because she couldn't deal with her dangerous job was a setup, and she would ask Jill, what would you do if I needed to use a wheelchair one day? Would you still love me? Would you leave me?
Instead, the book is a slog through ableism from every single person we meet. There is no counter-balance whatsoever. Jill thinks disabled people are a burden and shouldn't be in relationships. Her brother thinks she's ill because she's a lesbian. Crash doubts whether she should be with Jill, and her mother confirms that it's a bad idea. Jill's best friend tells her that she would want her girlfriend to leave her, too, if she was diagnosed with MS. Crash's best friend tells her the morality tale of their friend Jimmy who became severly disabled after a stunt accident, and wouldn't Crash do what his girlfriend did and leave if that happened? There's one single character using a wheelchair, and while he's happily married he openly says he wishes his wife would leave him. That's fucked up. Don't tell me that's not fucked up.
I know, I know, Jill has a change of heart during the last forty pages, but that was neither earned nor did it feel natural. The pacing was terrible from start to finish, with the same arguments replaying again, again, and again. If I wanted to read hundreds of pages filled to the brim with rage-inducing ableism, I'd open my browser or any old newspaper, thank you very much.
Also, the characters are two-dimensional, their chemistry non-existent, the sex scenes a turnoff. Don't waste your time on this book. You'll thank me for it.
Look, I thought there might be something here. I was excited to read this book, to see myself represented in a sapphic romance novel. And when Jill started the book thinking she was undeserving of love and support, I thought that surely, surely she would soon discover that she is more than her illness, more than what she can do for other people. I thought, perfect! Crash is a stunt woman, a physical performer, she knows what it means to fear the loss of her body's functionality - she's come close to getting hurt badly once, she knows the risk. Surely her first girlfriend leaving her because she couldn't deal with her dangerous job was a setup, and she would ask Jill, what would you do if I needed to use a wheelchair one day? Would you still love me? Would you leave me?
Instead, the book is a slog through ableism from every single person we meet. There is no counter-balance whatsoever. Jill thinks disabled people are a burden and shouldn't be in relationships. Her brother thinks she's ill because she's a lesbian. Crash doubts whether she should be with Jill, and her mother confirms that it's a bad idea. Jill's best friend tells her that she would want her girlfriend to leave her, too, if she was diagnosed with MS. Crash's best friend tells her the morality tale of their friend Jimmy who became severly disabled after a stunt accident, and wouldn't Crash do what his girlfriend did and leave if that happened? There's one single character using a wheelchair, and while he's happily married he openly says he wishes his wife would leave him. That's fucked up. Don't tell me that's not fucked up.
I know, I know, Jill has a change of heart during the last forty pages, but that was neither earned nor did it feel natural. The pacing was terrible from start to finish, with the same arguments replaying again, again, and again. If I wanted to read hundreds of pages filled to the brim with rage-inducing ableism, I'd open my browser or any old newspaper, thank you very much.
Also, the characters are two-dimensional, their chemistry non-existent, the sex scenes a turnoff. Don't waste your time on this book. You'll thank me for it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Chronic illness
Moderate: Lesbophobia
inamerata's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Not my favorite, but not bad. I did like the open discussion of disability and ableism and how that affects a lot of different parts of your life. Unfortunately, the characters and writing just didn't click for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Chronic illness, and Medical content
Moderate: Homophobia and Ableism
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