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bi_n_large's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
Graphic: Abandonment, Genocide, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Fatphobia and Racism
beccaand'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: Blood, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Gore
Moderate: Death and Genocide
Minor: Torture, Vomit, and Suicide
thepermageek'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
5.0
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Vomit
mandkips's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Gore and Blood
Moderate: Genocide, Car accident, and Death
Minor: Suicide, Torture, and Vomit
bookishchef's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Xenophobia and Car accident
Moderate: Violence, War, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Genocide
Minor: Vomit, Torture, Murder, and Blood
brnineworms's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Also,
I’d recommend Axiom’s End to fans of Stephenie Meyer’s The Host. It has a similar vibe.
Graphic: Blood, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Suicide, Confinement, Self harm, Stalking, and Violence
Moderate: Racism, Death, Antisemitism, Cursing, Drug use, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Minor: Torture, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Ableism, Car accident, Colonisation, Grief, Gun violence, Islamophobia, Slavery, Vomit, Murder, War, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Excrement, and Fire/Fire injury
mind control, not having control over one's own bodycfell's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Gore, Suicide, Genocide, and Gun violence
Minor: Sexism and Torture
peytonktracy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I have seen critique about how the writing style of this book was off, that the pacing was funky, and it could be tightened and expanded in places. While I kind of agree, I didn't have much of a problem with this because Ellis' writing style had all the je ne sais quoi of fanfiction writing, which is a writing style I am familiar with, comfortable in, and frankly adore.
I have also seen critique that our main protagonist, Cora, was passive and uninteresting. While I agree about passive, I didn't see this as poor writing, I saw this as a part of her character. I, too, in her shoes, would probably freeze up and watch and beg direction much more than act when surrounded by aliens and federal agents. It was endearing to have, I dunno, a normal person who would not be your typical heroine be our main character. And furthermore, I didn't feel the point of the book was to be a big character study of Cora or her family or even Ampersand, but a musing on how American society would react to first contact, through the actions of one particular family.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this wild ride and how thought-provoking it was about the limits and lengths of empathy, how the world might respond to learning of extraterrestrial life, and spanning a big cultural and language gap. I'm eagerly diving into book two!
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Violence
Moderate: Torture and Kidnapping
meliroo's review against another edition
3.0
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Torture, and Kidnapping
apersonfromflorida's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Blood, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Torture and Xenophobia
Minor: Sexual content and Suicide