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agatha's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.75
Die Handlung war ebenfalls sehr interessiert und ganz anders, als alles, was ich seit langer Zeit gelesen habe. Edie ist so schonungslos ehrlich mit sich selbst und ihren Gefühlen und Gedanken und wie sie andere Menschen um sich herum wahrnimmt und diese deutet.
Viele Dinge bleiben ungesagt in diesem Buch und man konnte sich nicht wirklich an die Charaktere gewöhnen und sich mit ihnen anfreunden, weil dafür nicht genügend Zeit war.
Aber es war ein sehr, sehr interessanter Einblick in das Leben von Edie, in die Vorurteile und die Angst, die sie begleiten. Ich fand die Beziehung zwischen ihr und Akila jedoch sehr schön. Es wurden viele Themenbereiche abgedeckt - wie die Comic Con, Kunst, der Job als Patholog*in, die Vergangenheit von Edie und ihren Eltern etc. Vieles davon hat auf jeden Fall neugierig gemacht und vieles war auch tragisch zu lesen. Das Ende ist sehr offen, aber wunderschön geschrieben.
Graphic: Death, Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Alcoholism, and Abortion
codecat'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness and Miscarriage
Moderate: Racism, Classism, Eating disorder, Gore, and Racial slurs
Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, and Animal death
gummifrog's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicide, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Abortion, Blood, Miscarriage, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Medical content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Excrement, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Infertility, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Alcoholism, and Murder
Minor: Vomit, Gun violence, Car accident, and Animal death
alsri's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A rich deep and honest look into a life I will never understand being so far removed in my own personal circumstance and yet I was still able to relate with many of Edie’s thoughts and emotions. There were times I felt pity and care for her and times I felt jealous, her artistic ability, her confidence, her ability to understand and acknowledge her emotions.
I wouldn’t recommend this book to everyone but I wish that many people discover it them selves
Graphic: Miscarriage, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, and Racism
Moderate: Abortion
prey4thefemale's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Police brutality, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Miscarriage, and Racial slurs
Minor: Animal death
megmahoney1'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
4.0
Graphic: Police brutality, Toxic relationship, Miscarriage, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Racial slurs
Minor: Racism, Car accident, Cursing, Self harm, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, and Drug use
vrcreads's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Medical content, Racism, Grief, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Suicide, Blood, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Police brutality, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Death of parent, Addiction, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Drug use, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Animal death, Car accident, Adult/minor relationship, Racial slurs, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Vomit
graciekay's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Abortion, Infidelity, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Sexual content, Alcoholism, and Death
writtenontheflyleaves's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
🌟🌟🌟🌟
🏠 The plot: Edie is just scraping by. She's coasting in a dead-end job at an all-white office, having unfulfilling encounters with men, and she's barely doing the thing she really loves, painting. Starting an affair with an older man soon takes an unexpected turn as she moves in with his family: his (kind of intense) wife and adopted black daughter.
I went into this read knowing that it has a divisive main character, and I can kind of see why. Edie's narration is depressive and one-note for much of the novel, especially in the first half, and she is wilfully self-destructive in her relationships. Reading it directly after another book with a mentally struggling main character, I did find it very heavy reading at times.
However, as the novel unfolded I thought the style of narration was very clever, and I found that the connection I formed to Edie was more interesting because of her more complex motives. Particularly as she developed a friendship with her lover's adoptive daughter - and tried to teach her things that her white parents had neglected to - I thought the way she opened up to the reader was really powerful.
To be honest, I suspect a lot of the discomfort around this book - mainly, it has to be said, from white reviewers - comes from the fact that Edie is scathing of white spaces and the behaviour demanded from her to assimilate into them. The book also draws a clear connection between this generalised hostility and police violence. It's a really powerful novel, especially for a debut(!!) so don't let the "unlikeable narrator" label from many reviews put you off!
🏠 Read it if you liked My Year of Rest and Relaxation or if you like unflinching portrayals of difficult relationships, grief, racism, and depression.
🚫 Avoid it if you're avoiding scenes of police violence, sexual violence, and workplace discrimination.
Graphic: Miscarriage, Police brutality, Racism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Racial slurs, Death of parent, and Mental illness
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcoholism, and Addiction
bethvance's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Abortion, Blood, Death of parent, Police brutality, Pregnancy, and Racism
Minor: Alcoholism