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corvuscorax's review against another edition
3.75
I loved the way female friendships were depicted in this, because each friendship was different. There were no cookie-cutter mimosa friendships, and even the ones that were closest to that were dissected in such a way as to raise interesting questions about what we really know about one another. There is a lot of death, both literal and metaphorical, and quite a few goodbyes that manage to pull at your heartstrings. The highlights for me in this book are the most bizarre scenes, like
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Suicide attempt and Rape
caroisreading's review
- 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
This is divided in two parts. Book One was my favorite by far, and as a standalone work, pretty much perfect, a 5.0. I cried at the beauty of her descriptions of the older sister's simple and sweet devotion to her little sister, as well as the strained relationship with her teen daughter.
Book Two is primarily focused on the younger sister, and I had trouble getting through its density -- beautiful writing, though overwhelmingly verbose. The prose doesn't have the back and forth dynamic that Book One does, switching from the teen's journal entries to the narrator's POV. Maybe that switch made Book Two feel more plain. Still very meaningful.
As a whole, this book delivers on what it means to be a woman in this world, the pressures and injustices, sexuality, the obsession with fertility, youth and appearances. The female characters sort through these themes in a heartbreaking, yet brave and honest way. I loved them, related wholeheartedly with them, and rooted for them.
You'll like this if you're interested in female perspectives, solitary main characters, thoughtful and intelligent writing.
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Cancer, Pedophilia, Rape, Body shaming, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Infertility, Death, Death of parent, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Suicide, Incest, and Misogyny
lillypowell's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Graphic: Cancer and Death of parent
Moderate: Rape, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy
Minor: Pedophilia
u_0's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Death, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness
thebookwasbetter_22'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Moderate: Chronic illness, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Grief, Infertility, Medical content, Pedophilia, Vomit, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Suicide, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Alcohol, Bullying, Rape, and Suicide attempt
saskiahill's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Cancer, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Infertility
Moderate: Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Rape, Incest, Alcohol, Body shaming, and Terminal illness
mia_a'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? It's complicated
4.75
Minor: Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Rape, Pedophilia, and Terminal illness
unboxedjack's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Minor: Death, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Suicide, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Sexism, Child abuse, Grief, Pedophilia, Rape, and Suicide attempt
liv_txt'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? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Mental illness, Death, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Rape, Car accident, Cancer, Alcohol, and Abandonment
micamicami's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Misogyny, Death of parent, Alcoholism, and Abandonment
Minor: Bullying, Infertility, Pedophilia, Classism, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, and Rape