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swagkermit'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
2.25
I've heard rave reviews about Sally Rooney's books both online and in-person, and I thought one of her strengths was crafting realistic characters. Unfortunately for me, I did not realise that 'realistic and flawed' is synonymous with 'unlikeable'. I simply did not like either of these people at all and did not care for them, they fell rather flat.
Most of my criticisms of these characters were brought up in the book (namely Helen calling Marianne self-absorbed) and Rooney attempts to refute this by saying that Marianne genuinely cares about world politics and it's not attention-seeking (as Helen believes). I do not believe that it is attention seeking, but it does seem that Marianne gets a kick out of feeling superior to other people (especially when her History teacher gets his comeuppance for daring to try and teach her history, as if she could learn anything from him). This trait lessens a bit as the book goes on
I found the writing was fine and there were some particularly quotable passages, but I didn't have any kind of emotional response to anything that happened (apart from maybe the first 'break-up' situation).
I thought that there were some good social observations in this book, my favourite being the scholarships and the discussion between Connell and Marianne about the significance to each of them.
Overall I felt like I was living in a bubble of only them, and they were both living in that bubble as well. People drifted in and out of their lives - friends, relationships - but they didn't seem to actually like any of these people and were just passing time until they collided again. Apparently no one understands them like each other, yet it seems they must be desperate for a relationship with anyone because they go running into one with whoever their friend recommends as their next partner with no regard to their own feelings. Is this how people are actually living these days?
I felt like I was missing something key about this relationship and did not find their story memorable at all. That said, I think I will try to watch the series to see if observing real people acting out these events makes them seem 'raw' and 'realistic'.
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
selimhannah'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
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
ryanbada'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
3.25
Graphic: Mental illness and Sexual content
Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Hate crime, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
lisdahl'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
5.0
Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Injury/Injury detail
nora_knight's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Grief, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Minor: Classism
shannnne_reads_words'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Blood, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Abortion, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
jasminealizae'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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
pinings's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Minor: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
abioneil'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
3.25
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Sexual violence, Violence, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Abortion, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail
gailsage_thomps'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
4.5
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Drug use, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Islamophobia and Pregnancy