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growplantsreadbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Chronic illness and Blood
sarah_kula's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Medical content, Death, Death of parent, Blood, Car accident, Chronic illness, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
caroisreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is a story about staring death in the face, and the in-between space of anticipatory grief and grief grief. A scorching, unforgiving desert is the symbolic backdrop, as made obvious by the title. Our narrator is an author, who feels intimately modeled after Melissa, herself, and she is navigating her father's near-death, post-accident condition, as well as her husband's debilitating and amorphous illness. We join her as she's arriving at a Best Western in the middle of nowhere, carving out a space for her own self-pity, care and emotions, and ideally, some writing inspo. When she takes a desert hike on the recommendation of the hotel staff, it unleashes a wild fever dream, where we are trying to grasp the edges of reality and hope alongside her.
Let me just say, the line, "Listen, Best Western cares, but not this much" made me have to put the book down and howl-laugh.
Definitely read this book if you're exploring your own mortality, the meaning of your life, or experiencing grief, but need to laugh about it.
Graphic: Blood, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Excrement, and Medical content
Moderate: Addiction
libby_l96'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? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Medical content, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction
grunbean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
It’s a very reflective, and funny, story. Although I was in suspense for most of her journey! I think the prose is beautiful. I’m not sure how to describe this book in a few words. It’s different, that’s for sure.
Moderate: Death of parent, Medical content, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Chronic illness, Grief, Blood, and Death
a_novel_craving's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Medical trauma, Blood, Alcohol, Grief, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
carly_reads's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“Help me not be empty,” I say to god in the Best Western parking lot.
If I’m honest, I came to escape a feeling- an attempt that’s already going poorly because unfortunately I’ve brought myself with me.
People are such a commitment. I would "reach out" more often if everyone promised not to check in again later.
I always say that I don’t believe a person has to suffer to make art. But that’s only because I imagine it’s true for others (also, I don’t want to be accused of inspiring teen suicide).
Graphic: Medical content, Chronic illness, and Grief
Moderate: Blood and Excrement
rosyapple's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Excrement, Grief, and Body horror
Minor: Blood
breanneporter'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Chronic illness
kaseythefairy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Excrement
Minor: Excrement, Car accident, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, and Death of parent