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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I could not handle all of the eating disorder and body dysmorphia in this novel. There are pages of this book that could be cut down if we weren’t subjected to paragraph after paragraph about what food Ani is eating or trying to not eat or how much weight she has gained or lost to fit into more equally over-described clothes. It’s just this ongoing neurosis in the novel that doesn’t contribute to the plot or character’s journey. By the end, we’re supposed to believe that Ami is committed to becoming a better person and to getting help for herself, but her disordered eating isn’t really addressed. It honestly kind of felt like the author included all of that to bag on women and how they treat their bodies and the bodies of others.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Homophobia, Rape, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Mass/school shootings, Murder
Moderate: Ableism, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual assault
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2.5 stars. This book had promise to be a fun kind of menacing, but ended up just being too dark, as well as taking a turn that seemed kind of sloppy and disjointed at the end. I really wanted to quit about 70% of the way through but decided to ride it out. Bleh. Not impressed.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Mass/school shootings
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A compelling listen that had me looking forward to my daily walk, despite the fact I'd already watched the movie. Ani is so unlikable, but you can't help rooting for her, and understanding how she turned out the way she did. I loved the narrator too, she got the tone just right.