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gabriella_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Islamophobia, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Misogyny, Stalking, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, War, Body shaming, Bullying, Classism, Grief, Gore, Medical content, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Death, Mental illness, Trafficking, Abandonment, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Xenophobia, Ableism, Child abuse, Hate crime, Suicide attempt, and Torture
hannah_beth_charles'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
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Suicide
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Bullying, and Death of parent
Minor: Infertility, Pedophilia, and Kidnapping
milele23'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
4.75
Graphic: Gun violence, Suicide, Child death, Cursing, Kidnapping, Cultural appropriation, Domestic abuse, Murder, Rape, Mass/school shootings, Self harm, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Physical abuse, Murder, Islamophobia, Deportation, Death of parent, Incest, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Abandonment, Blood, Chronic illness, Slavery, Infertility, and Torture
lucyjxwkes'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
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, War, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Rape, and Torture
Moderate: Hate crime, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Suicide, Medical content, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Bullying, Islamophobia, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Misogyny, Murder, Racial slurs, Self harm, Trafficking, Sexism, Medical content, and Slavery
sadiaa's review against another edition
4.75
Moderate: Cursing, Death, War, Grief, Xenophobia, Cancer, Genocide, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Murder, Alcohol, Deportation, Rape, Body shaming, Classism, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Medical content, Blood, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, and Suicide attempt
yannea'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
3.0
This is a story that deserves 5 stars but it took me three months to actually finish the book. It's a heavy and painful read but it shouldn't come as a surprise when the cover has words like "devastating" and "haunting" written on it.
There were three things that pulled the rating down for me. First of all, I couldn't understand why the main character had to a writer. It depicted a very naive American dream because a 22-years-old immediately getting a book deal that pays all of his bills sounds too far-fetched. Maybe I missed something but I just couldn't see how it played any part in the plot.
Secondly, the "face" of the evil was a blonde, blue-eyed sociopath who worshipped Hitler and wore dark round sunglasses like John Lennon. His description made him a cliché cardboard character. Him being born a sociopath felt such a simple explanation of why someone would support Taliban. It's like someone told you to draw a human shaped monster and this is what you draw. It would be much harder to explain why normal common people do evil things. And normal common people have done a great deal of horrible things.
Lastly, it's written in first person with main character that is not very likeable so sitting so many hours with his regret and insecurity is very difficult. It's a spiral - you think something is bad and then takes place something that is worse. And then it keeps getting worse.
Also if you are triggered by child abuse and explicit violence, then stay away from this book.
Graphic: Self harm, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Pedophilia, and Rape
slayalicious'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: Cursing, Death, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Gore, Grief, Body horror, Gun violence, Hate crime, Incest, Infertility, Murder, Cancer, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Violence, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Pedophilia, and War
mitchell_1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Classism, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Blood, Colonisation, Death, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Trafficking, War, Bullying, Child abuse, Grief, Infertility, Medical content, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, Hate crime, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Violence
greatexpectations77'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
4.0
Graphic: Medical content, Grief, Chronic illness, Death, Hate crime, Infertility, Blood, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Violence, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Toxic friendship, and War
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Police brutality, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Excrement, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexism, Genocide, Gore, Infidelity, Murder, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, and Vomit
Minor: Antisemitism, Body shaming, Body horror, Torture, and Miscarriage
gizzylove'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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Blood, Cancer, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Child death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Torture, Gun violence, Rape, Violence, War, Emotional abuse, Islamophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide, Genocide, and Medical trauma