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sas_lk'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexual violence, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Drug use, Gore, Homophobia, Racism, Terminal illness, Blood, Car accident, and Cultural appropriation
rcarri264'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? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Car accident, and Death of parent
schorlett'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: Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical content, Abortion, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Cancer
adaora_ble's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It did such a good job of fleshing out every character it touched whilst still focusing on the MCs. Even though they were frustrating and complex and unable to hold necessary emotional conversations with each other, I still loved every single character through deep and unabiding love for each other to dispassionate hate to everything inbetween.
Marx really is the better half of Sam and Sadie, the glue that holds everything together, probably the best character from an objective standpoint and certainly the most emotionally healthy of the main trio. However, in choosing my favourite character it has to be Sam, digging into his psyche and all his neurosis and hang ups and things he just cannot say even though he truly wants to I feel so bad for him and simultaneously so mad at him and yet you get his deep fear.
Up until the moment I finished it I thought of this book as contemporary fiction, or as my high school librarian would call it 'That's Life', but when I was tagging/shelving it on StoryGraphs I was suddenly struck with the realisation that it could very well be classed as a sci-fi. Like a low stakes (and less fucked up) Black Mirror; it speculates on the effects/consequences of technology on individuals and society, even if it's something as basic as a 90s video game and not Ready Player One, it speaks to our own world and the problems we face as a society.
I can't recommend this book enough, I was fighting tears on the train at the end and even though the first part (of ten parts) was fairly slow it soon sucked me in and got me invested in even the most brief character.
Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
unicornofthesea'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
4.5
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Antisemitism
signeskov'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
4.5
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Hate crime, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, and Cultural appropriation
escsteger'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? It's complicated
4.75
Moderate: Gun violence and Hate crime
danielcrogers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Suicide, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, Grief, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
ansmith917'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
sierrabowers'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? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail