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mariasdn's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Abortion
leweylibrary's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
4.25
I have to say that I did really enjoy this book! I think my biggest frustration was the miscommunication the two MCs had throughout lol but I really liked the concept and the themes that were explored. The pace picked up so fast in the last 100 or so pages which idk how I feel about that and I felt kinda weird about that because idk what it was driving towards? But I thought the characters were really interesting, especially how they developed together and separately throughout their lives. Oh and the student/professor relationship that like never really went away? Weird. Super weird. But yeah I had a good time reading it overall and there were some really great quotes.
I think my favorite aspect that I don't think I've seen anyone talk about is how Sam is absolutely aro/ace and how much other characters struggle with understanding that. Like Sadie just could not get why Sam never made a move and why he couldn't say I love you. But the friendship love once he did say it to her was really sweet. Honestly Marx was probably my favorite character, he was just such a gem and a sweetie 🥹
I also love a book that ties everything together from the beginning into the end, I really do appreciate that. It makes the story feel complete even if these characters' lives aren't complete.
Quotes:
I think my favorite aspect that I don't think I've seen anyone talk about is how Sam is absolutely aro/ace and how much other characters struggle with understanding that. Like Sadie just could not get why Sam never made a move and why he couldn't say I love you. But the friendship love once he did say it to her was really sweet. Honestly Marx was probably my favorite character, he was just such a gem and a sweetie 🥹
I also love a book that ties everything together from the beginning into the end, I really do appreciate that. It makes the story feel complete even if these characters' lives aren't complete.
Quotes:
- Unless they were unreliable or clearly established as lunatics or scoundrels, characters in novels, movies, and games were meant to be taken at face value--the totality of what they did or what they said. But people--the ordinary, the decent and basically honest-- couldn't get through the day without that one indispensable bit of programming that allowed you to say one thing and mean, feel, or even do, another. (4)
- Sam could be ignored, but the childish shared reference could not be. It was an invitation to play. (34)
- What, after all, is a video game's subtextual preoccupation if not the erasure of mortality? (65)
- There is a time for any fledgling artist where one's taste exceeds one's abilities. The only way to get through this period is to make things anyway. (68)
- "It isn't a sadness, but a joy, that we don't do the same things for the lengths of our lives." (227)
- It occurred to Sadie: she had thought after Ichigo that she would never fail again. She had thought she arrived. But life was always arriving. There was always another gate to pass through. (228)
- Anyone who truly looked at Tuesday could not have possibly seen a coyote. But the woman had not truly looked, and the injustice of this hit him. Why was it acceptable for apparently well-meaning people to see the world in such a general way? (245)
- "The actual world is the random garbage fire it always is. There's not a goddamn thing I can do about the actual world's code." (331)
- "And what is love, in the end? Except the irrational desire to put evolutionary competitiveness aside in order to ease someone else's journey through life?" (355)
- For most of his life, Sam had found it difficult to say I love you. It was superior, he believed, to show love to those one loved. But now, it seemed like one of the easiest things in the world Sam could do. Why wouldn't you tell someone you loved them? Once you loved someone, you repeated it until they were tired of hearing it. You said it until it ceased to have meaning. Why not? Of course, you goddamn did. (384)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Suicide, Sexism, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Antisemitism, Ableism, Medical content, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Car accident and Cultural appropriation
raindropxox's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- 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
There was a lot that I really liked about this book. I read it really quickly for me, in just over a week, and this was because I found the plot addictive. I wanted to know what happened next, and although the characters weren’t always likeable, in my opinion, I rooted for them the whole way through. I liked how this book was truly about life, from birth to death, and all the messy bits in between. I liked the multiple character ‘perspective’, because we were able to see things from both Sam and Sadie’s perspectives, and I liked how thought-provoking some of the lines were at times. I thought that the characters were layered which I love, however I think the reason I didn’t find them likeable was that I didn’t see them grow that much. It’s not a 5 star for me because I feel as though the ending left a lot of the tensions unresolved, which is probably more of a personal preference rather than the fault of the writer or anything like that! Overall I did really enjoy reading this book, I thought it was quite easy to read despite it handling some sad and emotional issues! :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Death
Minor: Abortion
fanni_b22's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, and Suicide
Minor: Sexual content
rudwulf's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Car accident, Suicide, and Medical trauma
nopebook's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Cursing, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Ableism, Car accident, Blood, Classism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Medical content, Death, Medical trauma, Murder, Violence, Grief, Pregnancy, Suicide, Self harm, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
samdwichful's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Suicide, Murder, and Death
dinosnore's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- 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? It's complicated
3.5
So so so many mixed feelings. Did not expect to cry twice. The characters are incredibly flawed and very realistic and I just want to take them all and shake them and to scream at them to communicate and stop victimizing themselves - except Marx. Marx is perfect and can do no wrong.
The story was complicated and interesting and I appreciated some little details that went into it quite a bit more than I think I liked the actual story itself - but the ending still has left me with a somewhat bittersweet feeling. I wish the characters the best in their lives
The story was complicated and interesting and I appreciated some little details that went into it quite a bit more than I think I liked the actual story itself - but the ending still has left me with a somewhat bittersweet feeling. I wish the characters the best in their lives
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident, Death, and Chronic illness
Minor: Suicide and Abortion
cmhuebler's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Suicide
hannahrogers's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Death, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Grief, and Car accident
Moderate: Suicide, Toxic relationship, Hate crime, Violence, and Cursing
Minor: Racism, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Abortion, Murder, and Mass/school shootings