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piphux's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Murder, and Classism
Minor: Vomit
solitaryfairy'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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Grief, and Classism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Racism, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Child death, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death of parent, and War
actionleaguemeow's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Child abuse and Domestic abuse
Minor: Sexual content and Suicide
emilyinherhead'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
If this is how death finds me, at least it will be different. I have died a hundred ways, but never in defense of another. Not until now.
I make a list of what I need to accomplish, which is long. Then I make a list of people I can trust, which is short. By the time I finish planning, the candle is out, though the smoke still hangs heavy like a ghost.
Cara is a traverser in a multiverse where there are 382 Earths—she can travel to any of these that no longer contains a living version of herself. Over the course of several routine data-collection "pulls," she learns things about her past, her family, and her employer that prompt some tough decisions and a plan that will save lives.
The premise of this book hooked me immediately! I mean, the ramifications of knowing that hundreds of your alternate selves are dead on their respective planets—wow.
This is science fiction, but it feels very rooted in our world and our issues; through Cara's story, and with incredible skill and finesse, Johnson explores topics like race, class, income inequality, sex work, and religion. The character development is great, too. Cara is bisexual, but it's just part of her life, not a plot point or learning moment or coming-out story or traumatic sob fest. I loved her relationships with her mentor, Jean, and her watcher, Dell, and found the characters of Nik Nik and Adam to be especially fascinating.
There are a few twists and turns in the plot, and they are spaced out very well instead of all heaped on toward the end, which made for a propulsive reading experience. Every time I picked it back up, I was fully and quickly immersed. I feel like I'm still learning to like sci-fi, but this book made it easy.
Moderate: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Suicide
troisha's review
- 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
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Religious bigotry
paxson'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
3.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, and Suicide