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inchy_squinchy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Blood, Self harm, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Vomit, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, and Drug use
racheltrow_'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
4.25
Moderate: Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Addiction, Animal death, Eating disorder, Transphobia, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Sexual violence, and Death of parent
pettyreader's review against another edition
1.0
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racial slurs, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Dementia
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
artistic_nightsky'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
3.75
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Drug abuse, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Suicide
laurataylor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
joeykills's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Transphobia, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Dysphoria, Violence, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Animal death, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Infidelity, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, and Grief
syndierella'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
There is one queer character, Quentin, who forms part of the main storyline but his character is not developed as much as some of the other characters as the book progresses. Big spoilers ahead.
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Moderate: Sexual harassment
mrjln's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
With this bad representation it would have been better if all characters were cis white.
Besides that it felt like reading about different kinds of rich white assholes that are addicted to drugs and destroy themselves and others and do not communicate with others.
I di understand where the hype comes from though, because I do like the style and it's intriguing to find out how all these mosaic pieces fit together.
Graphic: Alcohol and Suicide attempt
Minor: Sexual harassment and Racial slurs
addie'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
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Drug use, Eating disorder, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Animal death, Addiction, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Transphobia, Alcoholism, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Fatphobia, Abandonment, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
Minor: Adult/minor relationship