Scan barcode
juliiitschka's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racism, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Blood
snarkycrafter's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
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
Wow! What a book. It's so beautifully and incredibly written. The story is nuanced, and layered, and deep. It touches on the female experience, specifically the Latina female experience who take up space in predominately white spaces. I had a difficult time making it through the book. Not because it was bad, but because it was hitting some hard truths for me that were enraging, sad, and overall difficult to process.
I absolutely loved Anita's character. So strong and powerful. So sassy. So confident in herself and her art. I enjoyed seeing Raquel's growth. Her journey resonated with me. It was frustrating and made me so angry to see her settling for crumbs and being made to feel "less than". Seeing her seek validation from outside herself. It hurt to read a story that reflected a lot of my own experiences during college and spending time in white spaces feeling like the odd one out, and like I should feel grateful for merely being there.
There's the feminist POV. A woman sacrificing herself to uplift her male partner. Her partner who the world assumes is more successful than you. Like people reading "Dr." and assuming the person is male. The man's feeling of entitlement. Entitlement to her time, her body, her affection. The assumption that "he knows best" or that his dreams and desires are more important than hers. And her, willing to disappear herself, make herself small (literally, TW: ED) just to fit into his life.
And finally, the spaces. Elevating men and their work to the detriment of women in the field. And this erasure being perpetrated by fellow women! Who gets to have a legacy? Who dictates who that is?
This was such a good read! Painful and enraging at times, but so, so worth it! Honestly, there was more than once I wanted to "burn the whole b*tch down!"
Specific notes:
- Anita was so friggin' sassy and I loved it so much!
- Jack wanted all the control and power in the dynamic. He can leave when he wants, if he wants. But him? He cannot be “leavable.” She cannot leave him.
- He's the typical needy, mediocre white man who needs his own personal cheerleader at all times. He needs his ego constantly fed.
- On top of everything he needs to be her hero. He needs to be her comforter and soother. He needs to be needed.
- Margot and Claire's entitlement and racism is fricking enraging! The only way a woman of color con obtain a position over them is a result of affirmative action? Please!! Ugh. This section had me screaming in rage.
- Anita's first show in New York is followed by a panel called "How women's art practices have affected male artists social attitudes." Not only was Anita not on the panel but there were NO women on the panel.
- Nick getting Raquel tummy control party hose had me seeing red.
- Narcissists will always accuse you of being the narcissist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Murder, Gaslighting, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism and Sexual content
princessfabulous's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
sad
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Murder
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Misogyny
xolobooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Domestic abuse
oatmilkdyke's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Domestic abuse
ccmarie_'s review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abandonment
bridge_paez's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Would have rated it higher, but the plot took a turn I wasn’t a fan of at first. Wait it out. It makes sense in telling the story by the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gore, and Classism
Minor: Drug use, Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Alcohol
leslielovesbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
3.25
I wasn’t expecting the supernatural aspects of the book and did not particularly enjoy them. Telling the story from multiple perspectives took away from my overall enjoyment of the whole.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
alexisgarcia's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
this book was going to be 4-5 stars until i looked into this book further and found out that it is almost an exact replication of someone’s real life whose family doesn’t approve of this book. the author does exactly what was done to her main character to the real person. there is so much irony here
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
cwalden's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
fast-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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, and Murder