Scan barcode
princejello's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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
3.5
The characters' differences and what they struggled with were really interesting to get into. The "plot twist" wasn't much of one, but it was still pretty intense toward the end. I always love to see autistic and trans rep.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Car accident, Classism, Addiction, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Murder, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, and Violence
angienotandy's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I think the idea of the story was really cool, especially when involving the rpg into the entire thing, but the execution was mid. I ate this up though, which made it enjoyable to read. Overall though it was a predictable story that felt a bit surface level, the characters were interesting but could of had more depth. Not bad, just not great.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Gore, and Murder
Minor: Transphobia
savreads28's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, Hate crime, Medical content, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, Murder, Transphobia, Ableism, Addiction, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Grief, Bullying, Drug abuse, and Mental illness
rxanne5's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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? N/A
4.5
I have re read this book a few times by now. I do love this book a lot.
I'm a huge nerd so it's only natural I'm liking this book so much. It has been a while since I read it again though. There are spoilers ahead!
I love the character building in this book. I like how Marieke Nijkamp builds characters disabled or lgbtq+ people can relate to without it being a huge plot point or something that tries to get 'fixed' throughout the book.
I could also relate to some of the characters. I do like the plot twists in this book, but I had a bad feeling about Liv the whole time already. This is definitely my favorite book if the two I have read by this author and I also got a friend hooked on this.
There are some beautiful quotes in this book, that also made me think for a while. Great book.
I'm a huge nerd so it's only natural I'm liking this book so much. It has been a while since I read it again though. There are spoilers ahead!
I love the character building in this book. I like how Marieke Nijkamp builds characters disabled or lgbtq+ people can relate to without it being a huge plot point or something that tries to get 'fixed' throughout the book.
I could also relate to some of the characters. I do like the plot twists in this book, but I had a bad feeling about Liv the whole time already. This is definitely my favorite book if the two I have read by this author and I also got a friend hooked on this.
There are some beautiful quotes in this book, that also made me think for a while. Great book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Child death, Transphobia, Hate crime, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Ableism, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Murder, and Self harm
rosesandstuff's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
4.0
I wish we had more of the murderers perspective, the look into Liva’s mind really made the book for me but overall this book made me so happy and tense and I loved it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Addiction, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Ableism
Minor: Car accident
bradley's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Child death, Mental illness, Car accident, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, and Violence
Moderate: Hate crime, Ableism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Toxic friendship
hctown's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Ableism, and Transphobia
onceuponabookcase's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
- 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? No
2.5
Even If We Break by Marieke Nijkamp was a book I had been intrigued by for a while, so I was really looking forward to it when I picked me up. And while I was really enjoying it at first, by the end, I had mixed feelings.
It's told from the perspective of all five characters. Everyone has something going on in their lives that the others don't know about. Things have been strained in their friendship group ever since Finn was the victim of a transphobic attack that Liva witnessed and did nothing. Maddy has also been struggling with the chronic pain she now deals with since having a car accident, Ever's family are extremely poor, and they feel the pressure of trying to look after their little sister and doing what they can to make things less awful. Carter's family expect him to do what they want him to, no matter if he feels differently, and Liva comes from a wealthy, privileged family, and that comes with it's own kind of expectations. What brought them together, and continues to hold them together, is their RPG LARP game, and they've gone to Liva's cabin up a mountain for their final game; some of them are off to college in the autumn. It's their last chance to try and fix things, and their last adventure together within the game. But soon the game becomes twisted, and people begin to die.
I was really into Even If We Break at first. I didn't know their were RPGs other than Dungeons and Dragons, and hadn't heard of LARPs before. It was brilliantly geeky, and I got really into the idea of their game. It was a murder mystery, as all their games were, with Ever as game master. We have the narrations of the game, followed by the friends performing in character, trying to figure out who killed someone. It was so fascinating, and right up my street, that I was actually kind of disappoint when the game was stopped because people started dying.
The tension was fantastic! I guessed early on who the antagonist was, but I had no idea exactly what was happening, why, or what was going to happen next. I was completely gripped, right on the edge of my seat. It was just brilliant; all alone in a cabin up a mountain, their phones stolen, and no easy way of getting out. It was right out of a horror movie, and I just loved it! But then things started to change. As I mentioned, everyone had secrets, things going on in their life they weren't talking about with other people. But those things mattered in regards to the situation they found themselves in, so there would be flashbacks. But they weren't handled very well, in my opinion. The tension would be high, and you're just waiting for something to happen, and then there would be a flashback that lasted several pages. It slowed the pace right down. Once we got back to the present, the tension was gone. It really threw me, having something awful happen without the tension, because what was built dissipated with the flashback. And then there were times in the present when there was a lot of waiting for the next bit. The characters were scared and on edge, but nothing would happen for quite a while, and again, it slowed right down.
When we have the big reveal, I was also disappointed. We were left with too many questions. I never fully understood why they were doing what they were doing. I wish that had been explored further, or if there had been an actual conversation where the antagonist explained themselves, rather than us having a brief explanation. What was the plan? Why were they doing what they were doing? I have a rough idea about then, but it would follow up with another why? What did they expect to get out of it? What was the end goal? It was too brief, and over too quickly for me to understand what was going on. And I don't think the characters really understood either, because they weren't told.
And then on top of that, there were several chapters that followed the reveal, where the survivors had survived, and they were just very samey. They're finally honest about what's going on with them, and they have the others say they're there for them and will support and help them however they can, basically. And it was just too earnest; it was really sickly sweet, and had a similar vibe as when books are quite preachy. There were several chapters of this once the antagonist was dealt with, of just these conversations, before it ended. Again, it slowed things right down, and you see you still have a fair few pages left, and are wondering what could possibly happen next, is there another twist? No, just the characters talking. I am not saying you can't have a thriller where the characters are dealing with other things. Of course not. I mean, it's integral to most thrillers, having the antagonist knowing the others' secrets. But it just didn't work here. They weren't woven into the story well enough, and started to feel like two separate stories being told at once. Honestly, I started to lose interest in what was going on with them, because it was so frustrating constantly being thrown out of the thriller.
There was a lot of representation in this book, though, that I really appreciated, and thought was done really well - though I am privileged in most cases, so can't comment on accuracy. Finn is trans and disabled, and uses crutches; Maddy is autistic and bisexual, and has chronic pain; Ever is non-binary; and Carter is bisexual. Nijkamp is non-binary, queer, autistic and disabled herself, so a lot of the rep is #OwnVoices. I also really liked how Even If We Break kind of battled stereotypes within the thriller narrative. Finn being disabled means he's slower than everyone else, and with her autism, Maddy has several panic attacks due to being overwhelmed on all fronts and struggling to cope with the situation. Easy pickings, right? Wrong. They weren't weak characters because of their disability or autism; they weren't a non-issue, but they didn't stop them. They still fought, they still tried to get out, and never at any point did the others leave them behind. I really loved it.
But I was pretty disappointed with the story overall, which is a shame, because I loved Nijkamp's This is Where it Ends and Before I Let Go. This one just didn't work for me, sadly.
It's told from the perspective of all five characters. Everyone has something going on in their lives that the others don't know about. Things have been strained in their friendship group ever since Finn was the victim of a transphobic attack that Liva witnessed and did nothing. Maddy has also been struggling with the chronic pain she now deals with since having a car accident, Ever's family are extremely poor, and they feel the pressure of trying to look after their little sister and doing what they can to make things less awful. Carter's family expect him to do what they want him to, no matter if he feels differently, and Liva comes from a wealthy, privileged family, and that comes with it's own kind of expectations. What brought them together, and continues to hold them together, is their RPG LARP game, and they've gone to Liva's cabin up a mountain for their final game; some of them are off to college in the autumn. It's their last chance to try and fix things, and their last adventure together within the game. But soon the game becomes twisted, and people begin to die.
I was really into Even If We Break at first. I didn't know their were RPGs other than Dungeons and Dragons, and hadn't heard of LARPs before. It was brilliantly geeky, and I got really into the idea of their game. It was a murder mystery, as all their games were, with Ever as game master. We have the narrations of the game, followed by the friends performing in character, trying to figure out who killed someone. It was so fascinating, and right up my street, that I was actually kind of disappoint when the game was stopped because people started dying.
The tension was fantastic! I guessed early on who the antagonist was, but I had no idea exactly what was happening, why, or what was going to happen next. I was completely gripped, right on the edge of my seat. It was just brilliant; all alone in a cabin up a mountain, their phones stolen, and no easy way of getting out. It was right out of a horror movie, and I just loved it! But then things started to change. As I mentioned, everyone had secrets, things going on in their life they weren't talking about with other people. But those things mattered in regards to the situation they found themselves in, so there would be flashbacks. But they weren't handled very well, in my opinion. The tension would be high, and you're just waiting for something to happen, and then there would be a flashback that lasted several pages. It slowed the pace right down. Once we got back to the present, the tension was gone. It really threw me, having something awful happen without the tension, because what was built dissipated with the flashback. And then there were times in the present when there was a lot of waiting for the next bit. The characters were scared and on edge, but nothing would happen for quite a while, and again, it slowed right down.
When we have the big reveal, I was also disappointed. We were left with too many questions. I never fully understood why they were doing what they were doing. I wish that had been explored further, or if there had been an actual conversation where the antagonist explained themselves, rather than us having a brief explanation. What was the plan? Why were they doing what they were doing? I have a rough idea about then, but it would follow up with another why? What did they expect to get out of it? What was the end goal? It was too brief, and over too quickly for me to understand what was going on. And I don't think the characters really understood either, because they weren't told.
And then on top of that, there were several chapters that followed the reveal, where the survivors had survived, and they were just very samey. They're finally honest about what's going on with them, and they have the others say they're there for them and will support and help them however they can, basically. And it was just too earnest; it was really sickly sweet, and had a similar vibe as when books are quite preachy. There were several chapters of this once the antagonist was dealt with, of just these conversations, before it ended. Again, it slowed things right down, and you see you still have a fair few pages left, and are wondering what could possibly happen next, is there another twist? No, just the characters talking. I am not saying you can't have a thriller where the characters are dealing with other things. Of course not. I mean, it's integral to most thrillers, having the antagonist knowing the others' secrets. But it just didn't work here. They weren't woven into the story well enough, and started to feel like two separate stories being told at once. Honestly, I started to lose interest in what was going on with them, because it was so frustrating constantly being thrown out of the thriller.
There was a lot of representation in this book, though, that I really appreciated, and thought was done really well - though I am privileged in most cases, so can't comment on accuracy. Finn is trans and disabled, and uses crutches; Maddy is autistic and bisexual, and has chronic pain; Ever is non-binary; and Carter is bisexual. Nijkamp is non-binary, queer, autistic and disabled herself, so a lot of the rep is #OwnVoices. I also really liked how Even If We Break kind of battled stereotypes within the thriller narrative. Finn being disabled means he's slower than everyone else, and with her autism, Maddy has several panic attacks due to being overwhelmed on all fronts and struggling to cope with the situation. Easy pickings, right? Wrong. They weren't weak characters because of their disability or autism; they weren't a non-issue, but they didn't stop them. They still fought, they still tried to get out, and never at any point did the others leave them behind. I really loved it.
But I was pretty disappointed with the story overall, which is a shame, because I loved Nijkamp's This is Where it Ends and Before I Let Go. This one just didn't work for me, sadly.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, and Addiction
Minor: Blood and Car accident
This book features broken bones, poverty, references to an off-page physical transphobic attack, addiction to prescribed medication, and finger dismemberment.aqulia's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Even When We Break was a fun book to read, but I'm not sure Nijkamp intended that. I loved that there was an autistic character, because characters with autism are really rare. The trans and nonbinary representation was great, too. The interactions between Molly, Finn, and Ever where great, and I love how Nijkamp explored all of the characters flaws. And their game sounded super fun! The death traps, while rather silly, were fun to read.
However, this book has some major flaws. First, some of the POVs sounded too similar. Molly's was distinct, but Liva and Carter's often sounded similar. This problem was worse between Finn and Ever. I actually had to flip back to the beginning of the chapter to differentiate the two. Second, figuring out the killer was way to easy. You can guess before the group starts their game, and figuring it out after the death is trivial. The killer's motivation for committing the crimes was rather non-sensical, and beating the killer felt too easy.
In short, if you are looking for a tense book that leaves you guessing who the killer is, this is not for you. However, if you want to have a good time with the book version of an 80's slasher b-movie, Even When We Break is the book for you.
However, this book has some major flaws. First, some of the POVs sounded too similar. Molly's was distinct, but Liva and Carter's often sounded similar. This problem was worse between Finn and Ever. I actually had to flip back to the beginning of the chapter to differentiate the two. Second, figuring out the killer was way to easy. You can guess before the group starts their game, and figuring it out after the death is trivial. The killer's motivation for committing the crimes was rather non-sensical, and beating the killer felt too easy.
In short, if you are looking for a tense book that leaves you guessing who the killer is, this is not for you. However, if you want to have a good time with the book version of an 80's slasher b-movie, Even When We Break is the book for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Moderate: Transphobia, Self harm, Addiction, and Hate crime
Minor: Ableism, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury
longlost's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- 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
3.0
wow the villain of this book is a real piece of shit huh
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Classism, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Violence, Ableism, Blood, and Confinement
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Car accident, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
Minor: Transphobia