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readingthroughinfinity's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
This has been on my radar since last summer when I saw it at YALC, so when I noticed that the audiobook was on Scribd, I thought I'd give it a go. And it was a really engaging, funny, and yet also heart-wrenching novel. I liked Charlie as a character, even though she was unreliable and disorganised at times. I always appreciate characters whose self-awareness increases as the novel progresses, and I liked this aspect of Charlie; she realises that she's been selfish and flighty at times, as well as bitter over Laura's successes and has, on a number of occasions, made excuses for her lack of ambition and career progress.
I enjoyed the thought-provoking exploration of her friendship with Laura and I thought the way Laura changed over the years (especially after she found out that Charlie is a lesbian) was very realistic to real life. The critique of casual homophobia was very validating and the way the mystery unraveled kept me hooked. The final chapter was melancholic (as expected) and yet also hopeful for a brighter future, and I thought the author struck a really good balance between the two emotions.
I enjoyed the thought-provoking exploration of her friendship with Laura and I thought the way Laura changed over the years (especially after she found out that Charlie is a lesbian) was very realistic to real life. The critique of casual homophobia was very validating and the way the mystery unraveled kept me hooked. The final chapter was melancholic (as expected) and yet also hopeful for a brighter future, and I thought the author struck a really good balance between the two emotions.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Cancer, Colonisation, Sexual harassment, Cursing, Death of parent, Sexual content, Stalking, Terminal illness, and Death
Minor: Violence, Emotional abuse, Classism, and Injury/Injury detail
bella_cavicchi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I found this a bit of a mixed bag. It holds a strong premise, and I appreciated how Irish history (and the relatable tension between pride and shame over one's country) is woven throughout. But I also thought the execution of the narrative itself fell flat, the pace oftentimes moving too quickly and conveniently for me to appreciate the weight of the story. Likewise, the characters felt more like sketches than fully drawn out -- which is a shame because the foundation is there!
All said, it made for good commute reading :~)
All said, it made for good commute reading :~)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, and Trafficking
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual assault
Minor: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Cursing, and Alcohol
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