You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
naoml's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
The writing in this book is abrasive, but that's what makes it so honest. It's not a perfect book but it's a poignant representation of mental illness and the different ways it manifests. This book doesn't bullshit you with romanticism or a perfect ending, it is very realistic about pain and closure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, and Grief
Moderate: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Self harm, and Car accident
wet_towlette's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Here is a list of thoughts I had while reading this book, as it might be the only way to articulate the experience of reading this:
The dad is a Canadian hockey player 😭😭
The dad is a Canadian hockey player 😭😭
Bro you're quoting Virginia Wolf keep it in your pants
I just know this author is one pretentious fucker
he won’t play baseball because he doesn’t want to be a black stereotype are you serious right now who does this white ass author think she is
“Did you hit that yet or what” 🧍♀️
Is he smoking in gym class
Why didn’t they just get the other voice actor to do the dialogue for their character. Like why is this man pretending to be a teenage girl crying when you have a woman actress
“She is different from all other girls” bro shut up
“Vampire Diaries is life” this is so real and based
“Clothes off, m*dget” 🧍♀️🧍♀️
Stop talking about space I'm scared
Am I supposed to feel sad now
This is a sad ass authors note I feel a little bit bad now but kinda not really
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Car accident, and Suicide attempt
a_h0204's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
The only slower-paced book (that I've read) that did it in such a way that it genuinely added deeper meaning to the story. I don't believe I'll ever be able to put into words just how much this book means to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Car accident
riosrm1015's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Very deep. But I'd only read it once.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
csims10's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
This book is one of the best books I have ever read. While reading this book, there were many times where I had to reflect on myself. The strong character bonds and hardships were very emotional for me as the reader. While reading this book, the characters reminded me of myself in some areas. There were mental health struggles as the main thing, and it has reminded me of myself and other people. During the process of this book, you could really see the character growth, and really learn to understand them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Self harm, and Suicide
readingsokrates's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, and Suicide attempt
bookw0rmj1nx's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
such an incredible, tragically beautiful book.
i wish we got to know more about violet’s magazine but I can see why it was left the way it was.
i wish we got to know more about violet’s magazine but I can see why it was left the way it was.
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Car accident, and Suicide attempt
whatbidoureads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
(TW: heavy topics are brought up in this review, if you are triggered by mental illnesses, please skip this review and have a great day!)
I bought this book when it first came out and left it on the shelf because the main topic is one that hits close to home.
Then a movie came out (because every best seller needs a movie am I right…) and I watched it. I know you’ll say you should read the book first blablabla and most times I agree with you. But this time I don’t.
The movie I watched, even “enjoyed” to some extent.
BUT THE BOOK.
I usually put a book down when I don’t like it but I finished this one just to write a review. Bare with me as I try to word it out in a clear nice way.
As someone who has an understanding, and first hand experience of the main topics in this book I would never recommend it to someone. I’d go as far as to say it can cause so much harm if I’m the wrong hands (aka someone dealing with S.A and mental illnesses).
I understand this book was written by a survivor of suicide through the loss of a friend and it almost feels like an autobiography dedicated to the love Jennifer had for her friend, and I can get behind that. (note: everyone’s grieving process is different, and I am in no way undermining her grief, or the process she has gone through)
But the take she has on mental illness, and teenagers is appalling.
The book starts nice and gentle with 2 teens connecting under the circumstances of Violet - popular girl- dealing with the loss of her sister in a car accident, and Finch - outcast- dealing with bullying and depression (to make it short). The beginning is sweet as he kind of forces his way into her life and picks her up off the ground to “live again” after her sisters death. But on the other side you have his story. A glorified anti-hero who is at first portrayed as this cool, misunderstood, handsome so called “freak” with personal struggles, who towards the end is portrayed as someone who was trying to get better, and wanted to live. As a survivor myself, I can tell you I didn’t see it. (And I’m one to annotate and highlight my books).
At no point was there any indication of character growth towards that, or any indication of help he could have gotten from others. So on one hand you have Violet, main character, good growth, she eventually grieves all her losses (without any counseling, help group, friend or family’s help but finch - like what), and Finch who was left for dead from the beginning of the book.
There’s a few topics that annoyed me in this book as well, and that in my eyes are cannot be overlooked as they are everywhere in the book.
- Talk of mental illnesses in the sense that some characters are simply restricted to their illness (such asself-harm, eating disorders, depression), and Finch is basically a glorified suicide victim,
-slut shaming,
- body shaming,
- Speech about the girls in the book (they are looked down upon),
- the lack of adult/parental figure. In fact there was literally NO ONE helping Finch to get better. His mother too worried about her own personal struggles, the COUNCELOR too busy explaining that if a student dies on school grounds he will get a lawsuit, his dad with a new family, his so called friends who randomly pop into the story, and the help group with literally one session and no follow ups on that lead in the story.
Overall, this book is very disappointing and if you skip it, you won’t miss anything unfortunately..
I bought this book when it first came out and left it on the shelf because the main topic is one that hits close to home.
Then a movie came out (because every best seller needs a movie am I right…) and I watched it. I know you’ll say you should read the book first blablabla and most times I agree with you. But this time I don’t.
The movie I watched, even “enjoyed” to some extent.
BUT THE BOOK.
I usually put a book down when I don’t like it but I finished this one just to write a review. Bare with me as I try to word it out in a clear nice way.
As someone who has an understanding, and first hand experience of the main topics in this book I would never recommend it to someone. I’d go as far as to say it can cause so much harm if I’m the wrong hands (aka someone dealing with S.A and mental illnesses).
I understand this book was written by a survivor of suicide through the loss of a friend and it almost feels like an autobiography dedicated to the love Jennifer had for her friend, and I can get behind that. (note: everyone’s grieving process is different, and I am in no way undermining her grief, or the process she has gone through)
But the take she has on mental illness, and teenagers is appalling.
At no point was there any indication of character growth towards that, or any indication of help he could have gotten from others. So on one hand you have Violet, main character, good growth, she eventually grieves all her losses (without any counseling, help group, friend or family’s help but finch - like what), and Finch who was left for dead from the beginning of the book.
There’s a few topics that annoyed me in this book as well, and that in my eyes are cannot be overlooked as they are everywhere in the book.
- Talk of mental illnesses in the sense that some characters are simply restricted to their illness (such as
-
- body shaming,
- Speech about the girls in the book (they are looked down upon),
- the lack of adult/parental figure. In fact there was literally NO ONE helping Finch to get better.
Overall, this book is very disappointing and if you skip it, you won’t miss anything unfortunately..
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, Car accident, and Abandonment
littlems_bookworm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I admit to have watching the movie before reading the book it was a challenge trying to not compare what I've seen to what I'm reading. This book was very emotional and most likely not, but maybe exactly what I needed to read. Finch's experience with "sleep and awake" were beautifully described and depicted throughout the entire thing it made so much sense, I related heavily. The author was able to describe what my whole teen life has felt like in plain worded terms.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Mental illness and Self harm
dyagan's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Car accident, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Self harm
Minor: Eating disorder