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pv_789's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Self harm, and Sexual violence
jenni_bear's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicide, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Addiction, and Sexual content
aleilvandrea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Violence, Alcohol, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Blood, Death, Dementia, Drug use, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Sexual content, Body horror, Alcoholism, and Infidelity
Moderate: Classism, Gore, Abandonment, and Grief
Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia, Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, Transphobia, Ableism, and Antisemitism
annemarijequartel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Rape, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship
moonbeamdmercutio's review
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Drug use, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, and Sexism
huge age gap (approximately 20 or more years)ilolijiniie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Animal death, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse
aestinson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Gaslighting, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
katieanne01's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, and Suicidal thoughts
bookmark3brodi'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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Suicide, Sexual content, Misogyny, Deportation, Gore, Toxic friendship, Blood, Infidelity, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Death, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
mariaminthebooks's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Stating the obvious, the book flows like a river. The writing's great, descriptions' great yada yada yada...
Finished the book in 3 days. That says enough.
Now, the interesting stuff...
I found the main character insufferable, which is absolutely fine, characters do NOT have to be likeable, but Mellors tried SO hard to make her likeable by mentioning just how likeable she is (how convenient) which made me dislike her even more.
TW//
The book also features PRETTY heavy themes like alcoholism, drug abuse, animal cruelty, su!cide, self-h@rm, and the list goes on....without ever really diving into the complexity and complications of each struggle, thereby making the character's problems seem shallow (they are not!!!)
Along with having like a bazillion unnecessary characters, this, too, was unnecessary. Towards the end of the book, it felt as if Mellors was just throwing in as much trauma as she possibly can for that shocker effect. Unfortunately, that had a counter effect. It made me desensitised to much of the events in the novel.
traumatised characters ≠ unconditional sympathy
I've read books with way fewer events going on but had a much deeper attachment to the characters.
Frustratingly, this could have been such a good book....
Graphic: Infidelity, Chronic illness, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexism, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Blood, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Self harm, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Death, Toxic friendship, Terminal illness, and Suicide attempt