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mattiedancer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
- Fans of sci-fi who aren’t balked by a little sexism/misogyny
- Body horror, death, gore, grief, war, genocide, suicidal thoughts, rape, sexual assault, misogyny, sexism, murder, blood, injury, injury detail,
Graphic: Murder, Alcohol, Sexism, Suicide, Vomit, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Death, Deportation, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and War
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Kidnapping
veronicadidato's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.0
Some characters’ motivations for moving forward felt a little on the flimsy side but overall it was fine.
If you’ve watched the TV series: the first season is pretty accurate in terms of following the book content. You just get some more insight into the characters reasonings in the book. And the book doesn’t have any on-page sex - that was just added to the TV series.
Graphic: Terminal illness
Moderate: Genocide, Murder, Body horror, Death, and Violence
Minor: Rape, Police brutality, and Gun violence
mabel_xo's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
"'Naomi's a good person,' Amos said. 'I like her, you know? Like my kid sister, only smart and I'd do her if she let me. You know?'"
Actual quote from a character we're supposed to have some kind of affinity for.
"The sheet lay pooled on her lap. The sight of her half nude in the dimly lit room gave him an embarrassingly sudden erection.
Naomi panned her gaze up his body, pausing at his midsection, then at the water glass, and said, 'Is that for me?'
Holden didn't know which thing she was asking about, so he just said, 'Yes.'"
Another gem from this critically-acclaimed work.
Despite the stereotypically male-centric viewpoint, the plot did get slightly interesting once one of the key plot points was revealed. Unfortunately, that happened over halfway through this lengthy book. The worldbuilding also had the potential to lead to something worthwhile being said about class inequality, but that theme ultimately felt underexplored—at least in this first book in the series. I can't say the world and premise are worth suffering through the obnoxious dialogue and character choices. Maybe the TV show is better.
Minor: Rape
bookswithbethx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Genocide, Vomit, Murder, Violence, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Death, Xenophobia, War, Rape, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual violence, Confinement, and Body horror
singalana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Moderate: Genocide, Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
Minor: Sexism, Sexual content, Abandonment, Rape, Alcohol, Blood, Vomit, and War
linneak's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Gore, Police brutality, Body horror, Death, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, War, Blood, Murder, Rape, and Violence
hermitqueen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: War
Minor: Rape and Police brutality
xta_07'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? No
4.75
This is my second time reading, and I think I may have enjoyed it even more than the first time!
I love that even thought this book is about war, politics, and discussion on ethics - it takes it down to the human level. The novel is told from two perspectives, one a person who always trys to do the right thing no matter what the consequences might be. And, another who does what needs to be done no matter what that might make him in the end.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes detective noir stories, morally gray hero’s, or hero’s who always do the right thing, and people who enjoy political thrillers. If you’re a sci-fi fan, you’ll enjoy it even more!
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Murder, and Body horror
Moderate: Xenophobia, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, and War
Minor: Rape
coffeebot18's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror and Gore
Moderate: Suicide, War, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Alcoholism, Vomit, and Rape
pvbobrien'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Body horror, Gore, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Cursing, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Police brutality, Medical content, and War
Minor: Suicide, Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Cancer, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Rape, Trafficking, and Vomit