Reviews with content warning for Alcoholism - As irmãs Blue + brindes

I really got swept up in the emotions of this book. I felt like I was trapped in a downward spiral with these characters. The way Mellors writes about addiction is cutting and heartbreakingly realistic. That was the real standout of the book for me.

I thought the portrayal of the sisters and birth order leaned a bit into cliché, but maybe that’s because i’m a middle child?? and obviously I don’t know the epic highs and lows of being the eldest or the youngest.

The beginning and middle really captured me, but the ending didn’t do it for me.

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dannyxka's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

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laurenms's review against another edition

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emotional sad medium-paced

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

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christinesmith205's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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enterpricicle's review against another edition

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dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

this is the book for you if
you prefer the traditional interpretation of "blood is thicker than water" to "the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb".
needless to say, that's not me.

i just could not connect to the characters at all. the book constantly talks about their amazing sisterly bond but didn't show it to me in a way i understood. i also didn't understand the motivations behind the characters' behaviour, so i got frustrated at their self-destructiveness (which otherwise could have been a believable reaction to their grief). i found them to be stereotypical in many ways.
throughout the book, it felt like things just happen because they have to. it's heavy on the sibling tropes, there aren't really any surprising turns and everything wraps up a little too neatly for my taste.

someone out there will live vicariously through these reckless and broken sisters, rise and fall with them, revel in their sibling relationship, feel like they overcome their generational trauma and experience catharsis along with them.

i'm disappointed that it wasn't me. i just wanted more from this book.

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ila_mae's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

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

3.0

I can say that objectively, this is a great book. It's beautifully written and engrossing. The characters are fleshed out and complicated and the problems they have felt real and tangible.

That being said, it is really frustrating to read. The characters are hell bent on self destruction and while the discussions of grief and addiction are beautifully done, it's also incredibly overwhelming. I went into this book with different expectations which didn't help. I'm glad I read it, but it was undeniably a rough read.

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ciaravirk's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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