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adaora_ble's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Grief, Medical trauma, and Alcohol
Minor: Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy
kathispathi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death and Suicide
waybeyondblue's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
One of the sisters, Nicky, is killed off before the story even starts - in the prologue, I mean she literally doesn't make it to chapter 1. And OF COURSE she's the sister with endometriosis.
The descriptions of endometriosis pain were ok - quite accurate (though superficial). But endo doesn't typically kill people. So Mellors gives it the double-whammy and throws in some drug addiction for pain relief, and that's what kills her.
These are two serious issues, but the way they are casually combined is trite - very frothy, a Hallmark version. There's a weird part where they think her soul has been reincarnated into a pink smeg fridge. That's the kind of Hallmark I mean.
The whole story is about Nicky's remaining sisters 'find themselves' again in the wake of her death. It can be summed up by this one (bad) quote: 'Did Nicky not teach you anything? Do you still not get the part about the fucking fragility of life?'
'Bury your disabled' is a well-known trope. It's basically where writers kill off the disabled characters because they're only there as a plot device - to give inspiration or a life lesson for the non-disabled characters. That's pretty much what's going on here.
Nicky's life has no value in itself - she doesn't really exist in the story, only as a memory. And her main purpose is to inspire her non-disabled sisters to turn their lives around. Even in interviews, I've heard Mellors describe it as a book about 'three sisters' - she's erased from the start, even though the whole plot hinges on her death.
She's also presented as something of a martyr, the 'good' sister who, out of them all, least deserved to die *eye roll* - another disability trope.
There are also some weird takes on queer relationships, too, including this awful sapphic sex scene: 'It felt so good, so right... Not at all like with the boys before... Above her the Virgin Mary smiled down, and, staring up into her benevolent grey eyes, Avery had orgasmed powerfully for the first time. She'd maintained a secret soft spot for the Mother of God ever since.'
I mean... ?!
I could go on, but think I'll just leave it there....
Graphic: Addiction, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Chronic illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy
naomzzz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Chronic illness and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault, Vomit, and Death of parent
valenaprea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, and Death of parent
hillie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moest even inkomen in het verhaal en had verwacht dat het een beetje een cliché verhaal zou worden, maar dat was helemaal niet zo. Uniek, mooi verhaal over familie en ook vooral over zelfontwikkeling en een betere versie van jezelf worden met hulp van zussen.
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, and Alcohol
ilianacaballerov'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
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Chronic illness, Rape, and Sexual content
Minor: Death, Eating disorder, and Abandonment
lilyevy13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, and Physical abuse
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Death of parent
katieso's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Chronic illness, and Alcohol
olpapi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Grief
Moderate: Chronic illness