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theworldof11's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Abandonment, Kidnapping, Murder, Bullying, and War
Moderate: Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
kris386's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Blood and Pregnancy
emilia777'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? Yes
4.0
my opinions pretty much stayed the same, i didn’t dislike agatha as much as i remembered, she was actually quite relatable, she didn’t want to be a side character in everyone’s story anymore and i can’t blame her for that.
Simon and Baz are still the ultimate ya couple and i love them for it.
Graphic: Death of parent and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, and Abandonment
becah'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Homophobia and Vomit
isabellabolanos'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? Yes
4.0
Minor: Death, Eating disorder, and Pregnancy
avisreadsandreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Blood, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Confinement, Pregnancy, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Animal death
Minor: Vomit, Homophobia, Abandonment, and Panic attacks/disorders
reannareading'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? Yes
5.0
<Spoiler> Agatha is on drugs
<Spoiler> Baz is a great character and he deserves Simon
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Cursing, Bullying, Blood, Animal death, and Abandonment
allygator's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
And before I get any further -- that's not a bad thing!! I think I've just matured as a reader and as a person in general, and that's had an effect on my thoughts on this book.
First, as much as I love Simon, I spent the entire first 150 pages just waiting for Baz to show up. The build-up of anticipation is well written, I just think it goes on for like 50 pages too long.
Once Baz gets there, though, the pacing of the book immediately picks up. The next 200-300 pages feel like nothing. I sped through them like I didn't have class to go to and homework to do. I adore the narration from all the characters, and the minute the plot picks up it doesn't let go until the book ends.
Also, and forgive me for saying this because I truly truly love Simon and Baz and them together, there were moments, especially right after they got together, that felt a little toxic. There's so many moments where Baz (or Simon) should apologize for something he says or does, and neither of them ever do. There's a lot of unresolved conflict between the two of them, and honestly after this reread I think I'm going to appreciate Wayward Son a lot more.
I think the first times I read this book, I read it with rose colored glasses, and now that I'm reading it for the first time in a couple years, I'm realizing some of the problems with it that I hadn't noticed the first few times around. Little things that aren't big issues in the grand scheme of things, but make a difference as I'm reading this with more queer fantasy novels under my belt.
A few things that could make it better? I'm glad you asked:
- Acknowledgement from Baz that his family was kind of terrible and has bad views about the world and about magic
- Slightly more consistent pacing
- Fixing of the (sometimes more than) slight biphobia that is mentioned more than once after Simon gets with Baz (I have heard that this gets addressed in Any Way the Wind Blows though, so I'll have to get to that to be sure)
- Just a tiny, tiny bit of development between Simon and Baz between when they argue and when they're hopelessly in love -- the jump from the night after the fire to the moment in the White Chapel is jarring
Anyways, this is still a massively comforting read to me, and some quotes still take my breath away ("You were the sun, and I was crashing into you" -- excuse me??? crisis time). Definitely still a solid read, and one that I'll definitely read again. Looking forward to reading the sequels with more mature eyes!
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Biphobia
consucks's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Animal death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Abandonment, Eating disorder, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts
manarnia'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Homophobia, Abandonment, Grief, and Violence
Minor: Bullying and Vomit