Scan barcode
weenyreads's review against another edition
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Pregnancy, Death, Death of parent, and Infertility
lasivaranasi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Dennoch habe ich die Schreibstil geliebt und viele Sätze und Analogien markiert, um sie mir zu behalten. Alles in allem ein gutes Buch. Ich würde es jedoch nicht empfehlen, wenn man es in Buch lesen möchte in dem viel passiert/ sich die Charaktere stark weiterentwickeln.
Graphic: Death, War, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child death and Child abuse
silverseaslug's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Minor: Child death, Pedophilia, and Suicidal thoughts
seventhswan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I do wish the novel hadn't opened with
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Animal death and Child death
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, War, and Homophobia
oopscara'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
2.0
I was constantly wondering if there would come a big reveal like how her friend was made up all alone, or a huge character development where Agnés would come to the realisation that she is being used for personal gain by many of her surrounding adults, but alas.
Often times the prose was very good and thought provoking, but for 90% of the time I just wished this book was over with.
Thankfully it was an easy read.
Minor: Suicide and Child death
deedireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This is a tricky book to review. It definitely wasn’t want I expected, even though the synopsis paints a fully accurate picture of the events of the book. It’s told from a woman named Agnès’ perspective, fully in flashback as she tells us about her (not very healthy) childhood friendship with a dynamic young woman named Fabienne.
Ultimately, this ended up in a “liked a lot” instead of a “loved” category for me. I think it was just a little too much “and then, and then, and then” held away at juuuust a little too much distance. But also, the prose was excellent, and some of the philosophical musings Agnès tugs from her experiences are really striking. There’s a lot to unpack here about girlhood and girlhood friendship, plus class and generational class changes. I will definitely be reading more of Yiyun Li’s work, and I’m excited that she’s on the Booker Prize judging panel this year.
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Animal death
rachel06elizabeth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Minor: Child death and Animal death
lemmonflowers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, and Death
mollybryann's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Gore, Animal cruelty, War, Child death, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Classism, Blood, War, Racism, Miscarriage, Rape, Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Violence, Murder, Grief, and Gore
“When I was first married to Earl, he often took pleasure in teaching me things that I had not known. Once, he explained to me about the Mohs scale, which was used to test the hardness of minerals and gems. Diamond is the hardest, he said, and diamond can scratch any gem on the scale, but every other gem can leave only a scrape on those softer than itself. None of them would do anything to a diamond. Perhaps I was born a material different from my parents. I was born a hard person, harder than most people in my life, so I have only myself to blame when I cannot feel the love of others, my parents among them. Love from those who cannot damage us irreparably often feels insufficient; we may think, rightly or wrongly, that their love does not matter at all.” “But her personality, I now understand, was impaired by her desire to be good and to be right. To be good was in her nature. She took genuine pleasure in being good. However, where does the desire to be right lead one, if not to the wrong place? Knowing Mrs. Townsend's mind and speaking on her behalf-these Catalina did with perfect ease and confidence, as she must have spoken on behalf of other authorities before Woodsway, and would continue to do so after Woodsway. I was too young then to dread a person like her. I have since encountered other versions of Catalina; each time I have to reeducate myself in avoiding people's good intentions.”graceesford'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
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Moderate: Alcohol, Child abuse, Classism, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and War