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zanm's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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
4.9 rounded up.
——
Unbearably realistic at times. I felt close to tears for a majority of the book. Really really good. Probably will never read again because it just made me so damn sad and hit justttt a bit too close to home. The internalized homophobia and depiction of faith and having parents that love you but don't love you is the best I’ve ever seen. Absolute kudos to the author.
Minor Critiques: Gets a little preachy at the end, has a few spots with questionable consent.
——
Unbearably realistic at times. I felt close to tears for a majority of the book. Really really good. Probably will never read again because it just made me so damn sad and hit justttt a bit too close to home. The internalized homophobia and depiction of faith and having parents that love you but don't love you is the best I’ve ever seen. Absolute kudos to the author.
Minor Critiques: Gets a little preachy at the end, has a few spots with questionable consent.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Homophobia, Grief, Death, Suicide attempt, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Car accident and Sexual harassment
econsidine's review
This one has the honor of being the first YA book I've worked on and actually stopped to read because it was distractingly good. It's about a closeted teen (who, contrary to basically every closeted trope in fiction ever, never comes out to his family over the course of the story ) who recently lost his older sister in a car accident. Despite the weirdly cutesy title that doesn't reflect the tone of the book, the author writes about grief, alcoholism, homophobia, religious bigotry, and depression in a down-to-earth, non-cliche way that feels like it would be actually helpful and relatable to teens who are experiencing these things, unlike a lot of similar YA books with these topics (*cough cough* 13 Reasons Why *cough*) It's the kind of book I would really have loved when I was 16 or 17, and will save to recommend if I ever have any 16- or 17-year-olds in my life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Death, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Addiction, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Child death, Cancer, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, Car accident, Terminal illness, and Homophobia
kie's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Overall this was a really good read but, with the exception of the last couple of pages, Kermit being Black isn't highlighted in the book. I don't think the lack of it ruined the reading experience but there were quite a few moments when I turned to look at the cover and said, "What Black kid says this to his parents?"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death, Death of parent, Alcoholism, and Homophobia
Moderate: Violence
utopiastateofmind's review
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
The Minus One Club begins about a club uniting grieving students. These feelings of loss that hollow us out. These moments where they're there for each other, where they just understand each other without speaking, it forms the basis of The Minus One Club.All these memories of the past and their continual process of grief was heartbreaking. But as a whole, this book is about Kermit. About the pain he feels, but also the queer questioning, struggling with his relationship to religion, and also crushes.
The Minus One Club begins about a club uniting grieving students. These feelings of loss that hollow us out. These moments where they're there for each other, where they just understand each other without speaking, it forms the basis of The Minus One Club.All these memories of the past and their continual process of grief was heartbreaking. But as a whole, this book is about Kermit. About the pain he feels, but also the queer questioning, struggling with his relationship to religion, and also crushes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Religious bigotry
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