Scan barcode
zombiezami's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Death, Death of parent, Suicide, Murder, and Outing
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship
Minor: Alcohol
Colorismcaseythereader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
- What I didn't realize is that it's also essentially a psychological thriller, as we watch Irene try to figure out why she's drawn to Clare, and as Clare takes ever more risks to insert herself into Irene's life.
- Also, big time queer subtext vibes in here. I'd love to see a retelling or adaptation that plays that aspect up.
Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and Suicide
Minor: Hate crime, Antisemitism, and Slavery
amandas_bookshelf'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: Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, and Death
mscalls'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
3.0
Graphic: Death, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, and Suicide
words_and_coffee's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Infidelity and Toxic relationship
Minor: Murder, Suicide, and Death
thebakerbookworm'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
The story is told from Irene’s perspective, but we get a pretty clear picture of Clare’s struggles too, and both women are compelling leads, complex and far from perfect yet you still wish for their happiness. There were scenes where I sat with Irene in that feeling of “is this really happening right now,” and other scenes where I just wanted her to be kinder to Clare! And then sometimes I wanted to yell at Clare to stop making reckless choices and other times I just wanted to hug her.
This one is more character-driven than plot, though the plot does have its moments to shine. The ending is a bit open-ended, which I don’t usually love but I thought it worked well here. It’s up to the reader to decide how certain things play out.
I haven’t read a classic in a while, but this book reminded me why I love classics, and I’m so glad I finally read it!
Read if you like: The Vanishing Half, the 1920s, women’s lit, gray areas.
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Death
Minor: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Suicide
rmtbray's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Suicide and Death