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mellii's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Car accident, Self harm, Blood, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Grief, Death, and Child abuse
celery'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: Suicide, Child abuse, Confinement, Sexual content, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Stalking, Violence, Vomit, Body shaming, Car accident, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Drug use, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Grief, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship
nnoammoa'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: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Torture, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Hate crime, Child abuse, Trafficking, Sexual harassment, Rape, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Self harm, Death, Mental illness, Grief, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Eating disorder, Sexual violence, and Car accident
hailiejade712'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
3.5
Graphic: Suicide, Rape, Eating disorder, and Pedophilia
syonkerstalz's review against another edition
Graphic: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Ableism, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Violence, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Suicide, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, Blood, Mental illness, and Sexual violence
nuka_zip's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
1.5
Now I finished reading and while at times, I couldn't put it down (it's like a car crash, you just can't look away), I still don't understand the hype at all. If someone who loves this book dearly, could please tell me why, I'd be really grateful.
I have a few thoughts about it though...
First of all:
The chapters are way too long for my liking. I know this is subjective, but I personally think it would have been good to break up those immensely long chapters into smaller sections. Especially, since there are perspective shifts or recountings of the past in the chapters. Why not split those up into separate chapters? But again, this is subjective.
Secondly:
It is perfectly fine to show a realistic depiction of self-harm and sexual abuse and all the things Jude struggles with and suffers through. Trigger warnings would have been nice though.
Another thing that bothers me is that apparently, the author didn't research anything about living with disabilities or the mental health issues that someone with Jude's background might have. That is not to say that she can't write about themes and topics outside of her lived experience. But if you are going to write about these topics, I feel it is your due diligence to educate yourself on them. I myself am able-bodied and cannot speak on behalf of the disabled community, but I feel that the message of the book, that some people are just too broken to "fix" (and in general the use of the words repaired or fixed in regards to Jude's disabilities) is really gross.
A thing I have read several times as well, is that the characters feel super real and fleshed out and I also take issue with that. On the first 100 pages or so, we get a bit of a sense of the other characters, like Malcolm and JB, but very soon they take a step back and at some point just feel sprinkled in to advance the plot. We read of Malcolm anytime Jude moves apartments or builds a house and then that's it. Any of the other times he is mentioned, you might as well strike out his name and it wouldn't make a difference. JB is a little more fleshed out but he too feels very reduced to his profession, apart from
In general, I can't wrap my head around how these characters navigate Jude's mental illness at all. Especially in contrast with how they handled
To conclude this
It does get better. It will be different, but it will be okay.
Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Violence
sleepyaquarius'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
3.75
Graphic: Mental illness, Kidnapping, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Pedophilia, Grief, Gaslighting, Eating disorder, Abandonment, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Body shaming, Addiction, Sexual assault, Ableism, Sexual violence, Rape, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Physical abuse
megshughes_13's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Drug use, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide attempt, Death, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Vomit, Sexual assault, Grief, Kidnapping, Car accident, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Physical abuse, and Medical content
matilidaad'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
4.75
This book has slow relationship development and gives you little peeks behind the characters history curtain before you get your return on investment.
This book quite literally had me crying on the tram in public, it is so emotionally devastating but it is also the most beautiful story of love, friendship, trust, loss and trauma. It is incredible if you can stick with it
Graphic: Self harm
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Grief, Eating disorder, Chronic illness, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Suicide, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault
xaqrii's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual violence, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, Kidnapping, Medical content, Rape, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Confinement, Drug abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Death, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Child abuse, Violence, Self harm, Chronic illness, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit