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rubl_b's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death of parent
Minor: Animal cruelty, Violence, Medical trauma, Gun violence, and Infidelity
graybat'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
4.25
Graphic: Death of parent and Infidelity
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Gun violence
Minor: Chronic illness
linguaphile412'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
2.5
Moderate: Medical trauma, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Violence
Minor: Sexual content and Infidelity
biblioghoul'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
4.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Violence, Gun violence, and Medical content
annalucy29'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Death, Violence, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Chronic illness, Classism, Bullying, and Car accident
liviy0017'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
4.0
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood, Car accident, and Violence
Minor: Cancer, Cursing, and Sexual content
sara_m_martins'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
3.75
In their 50's, living with their mother in a cottage and isolated from broader society for the most part, they start to truly navigate the world and, with that, their dire economic situation. Dealing with poverty, in particular rural poverty, but equally moral poverty (being without responsible adults that teach you how to be in the world), we see the consequences of the cycle of poverty, and of the lies and omissions from their mother. There is also a strong theme of illiteracy which I think it was a very strong, important and unusual perspective.
The writing was very atmospheric, which augmented a feeling of discomfort I had throughout the book.
The plot is on how the cycle of poverty feedbacks onto itself, a spiral that keeps going down, which is amplified by the moral poverty of the characters - their ignorance on what systems exist that can support them (and refusal to ask for/accept them). However, about 75% of the way through the "it gets worse" is drastic, with a change in gears that lost me for a sec, and needed a recalibration (
Their subplots of Julius' romance, and the family's love of music were a nice break from the main plot. I also think Jeanie can be read as asexual, from subtext, although I don't think it was done on purpose.
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Gun violence, Blood, Chronic illness, Medical content, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Infidelity
deals in depth with poverty and homelessnesssjanke2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Minor: Abandonment, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence