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seventhswan's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-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? Yes
2.25
I found this book strange, and ultimately not for me, but that's not to say it's badly written. In fact, I thought the writing was really solid and very clearly illustrated a world I have almost no idea about. My big problem with the book was that it tried to fit so much in - it was SO melodramatic, like a soap opera, but with none of the lighthearted vibe that makes soap operas work. Perhaps this really is what small towns in Kansas are like, but I struggled to believe it (though maybe that's just me being naive!). I also found the sexual content to be weirdly... off? I'm not a prude about sex in fiction but something about it really didn't work for me.
I did enjoy the varied cast of characters but I wish we would have got to spend more time with a few of them, rather than a small snapshot of several. So much more could have been done with, for example, Averyadjusting to life as a wheelchair user or David and Miguel's relationship. I also thought that the book was falsely advertised - from the blurb I was expecting a lighthearted comedy-drama, but what I got was a lot of graphic descriptions of hate crimes and only a partial HEA. The structure of the book was more like a collection of related/overlapping short stories than one narrative with a cohesive plot.
Laskey is a talented writer and I'd give another of her books a go! It's a shame this story didn't work for me.
I did enjoy the varied cast of characters but I wish we would have got to spend more time with a few of them, rather than a small snapshot of several. So much more could have been done with, for example, Avery
Laskey is a talented writer and I'd give another of her books a go! It's a shame this story didn't work for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Transphobia, and Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Alcoholism, and Sexual content
Minor: Ableism, Abortion, Child death, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, and Racism
lilymurph's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Bullying, Car accident, Physical abuse, Homophobia, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Animal death, and Suicide attempt
klein_c's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-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: Sexual assault and Homophobia
Moderate: Abortion, Alcoholism, Hate crime, Rape, and Sexual assault
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