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rgs'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, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, and Alcohol
Minor: Eating disorder and Death of parent
stephrand'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
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual harassment
Minor: Pregnancy
katerina_l'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, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
gwenswoons's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I struggled at points to stay really engaged with the book. I actually love that it basically does nothing but watch our main characters reckon with grief, but to my reading there were so many moments that I felt could have been crafted ever so slightly more specifically: specific repetition done either less often or more intentionally; inconsistencies of voice that felt again less intentional than they might be (particularly in the back and forth American/British-ness of certain characters and relationships); a good number of typos, oddly. I don’t often think about this stuff but I guess I felt that as good as this is, there was an even more special book within reach and it felt a little disappointing even as I thought it was good in many ways. The choice to write in multiple POVs — one I often do love — felt like it caused the sisters to be deliberately kept separate for so much of the book; perhaps why I felt the prologue and epilogue were some of the most effective moments in the novel.
Anyway — it’s good, not (for me) great, and I’m not sure I would read more by CM. It’s sad but without big lingering impact, I think, which breaks my heart a little bit since there’s potentially so much intense and powerful stuff in here about family, addiction, grief.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
janienejulia'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
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Pregnancy
breningwen'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, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Grief, Medical trauma, and Alcohol
wvbooklover'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: Addiction, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Minor: Medical trauma
hunni_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Rape, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
njcil's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Medical trauma, and Alcohol
Moderate: Infidelity
gabrielastbr'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
If you have sisters, have had parents struggle with alcoholism, have mommy issues, or if you or a sibling has struggled with addiction…this book will hit you harder than most. As an older sister who was parentified at a young age, I found Avery’s POV very compelling and it prompted some serious reflection within myself.
This is, without a doubt, one of the best books I’ve read this year. It reminded me of reading Hello Beautiful last year. The writing is spectacular. I will read anything that Coco Mellors puts out, but this one truly stole my heart.
Thank you Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the advance reader copy. This book is already out in the UK, but comes out in September 3rd in the U.S. Hope you love it as much as I did!
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, and Medical trauma
Minor: Suicidal thoughts