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rachaelwho's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Gosh. Parts of this were so, so good. And parts of it were a huge mess-- over-explained, on-the-nose in a way that didn't seem arch or intentional, overwrought. You could see the wires in a bad way, especially with the unrealistic oversharing body/toilet stuff that she clearly REALLY wanted to work in, but I was kinda ready to forgive that bc the overall story was fun and clever. But then the last three or so chapters were a real disappointment. I think this book was maybe doing too much and it got away from her. I hope her next one is tighter, she can write and is really creative! I wanted to like the whole book as much as I liked most of the beginning, even the first 2/3 maybe, and it bummed me out to cool on it in the end.
Also, for all its handholding, I'm not sure the book managed to say "patriarchy" a single time, which beggars belief-- both bc Robin would absoLUTELY say it and bc it's clearly on the author's mind and she is so very not above beating a dead horse.
Also, for all its handholding, I'm not sure the book managed to say "patriarchy" a single time, which beggars belief-- both bc Robin would absoLUTELY say it and bc it's clearly on the author's mind and she is so very not above beating a dead horse.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gaslighting, Abortion, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Kidnapping, Death, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Mass/school shootings, Racism, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Blood
Minor: Vomit and Abandonment
readwithbells's review
4.0
Chaos incarnate. I think you have to have a really particular set of political beliefs in order to enjoy the satire this book sets up. I cackled the whole way through it, it was hilarious (especially as I was on the plane home from my best friends wedding which I was officiating). I’m writing this review a month later and honestly I forgot I even read this book but it was really fun in the moment. A great bingeable read for the plane.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Murder and Homophobia
Minor: Racism
danajoy's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Animal death, Confinement, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
kellyreadingbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I can completely see why this book isn’t for everyone. And honestly, after reading this book I can see how I’m not everyone’s cup of tea either, and come to find more peace with it. This book is brilliant and addictive. It’s almost this dystopian world of weddings- brides have gotten crazy doing “charms” for their weddings to bring their marriages longevity like sacrificing rabbits and carrying sage and garlic bouquets down the aisle. Robin is a queer badass professor writing a dissertation on this craze when she’s asking to be maid of honor for her “basic bitch” PSL loving best friend Ellie from high school. Besides this strange movement of the government out to endorse weddings and increase the population being an intriguing plot point, I loved Robin. I loved the messiness of her strong opinions and boundary crossing for the things she believes in. She’s such a real and fascinating character to follow. I related so much to her not being able to let things go and harboring repressed emotions for years. This is a book about female friendship and toxicity that can follow it. It’s about societal expectations and gender politics. Beginning this book, everything is so black and white through Robins eyes and then we slowly as a reader follow along Robin seeing how everything is in fact, gray. This is definitely an atypical thriller that is so much more than the premise.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death and Toxic friendship
Minor: Drug use, Death of parent, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Homophobia, and Racism
leslieklein's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Animal cruelty
Minor: Gun violence
jessamichellexo's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
This book honestly makes me want to strangle the author. The one dimensional personalities of Robin & Ellie are so, so infuriating it isn't even funny. The writing is absolutely sloppy & insensitive on so many different levels. Literally the only thing I liked about this book is the cover. 😤
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Homophobia, Bullying, and Gaslighting
Minor: Death of parent
dalmavatai's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
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
This book was surprisingly good - it was a quick read and a fun, silly time which I could have loved even more if we'd gotten more character development and the psychological aspect of the story had been more prominent. I enjoyed the commentary on the wedding and marriage industry and often found Robin to be deeply relatable to my own experiences, but I also thought she had a lot of internalized sexism & misogyny which was perhaps not addressed as much as I would've liked it to. There's also many instances of cultural appropriation, especially regarding yoga and meditation that you would think would be at least acknowledged by Robin - this to me suggests that her brand of feminism is a very white feminism, especially given that race and class as factors that deeply interact with gender are not even mentioned once, despite feminist commentary being such a core part of the story and of Robin's character. So I wish the conversations that the book prompted had gone a little deeper and been more complex, but overall this was a fun, quick read that I needed on the day of a not-so-fun dental surgery.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, and Violence
Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Gun violence, Homophobia, Animal death, and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
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
Robin and Ellie have been best friends since childhood but as they’ve gotten older their friendship has had its ups and downs and they no longer have a lot in common. But when Ellie is due to get married she really wants Robin by her side as maid-of-honour. And Robin, despite reservations about marriage in general and Ellie’s fiancé in particular, agrees.
While telling one cohesive story this book felt like a combination of at least three genres. Parts of it definitely fit the “women’s fiction” genre with Robin and Ellie’s backstories and their now complicated friendship. There is also a lot of satire in the sections focussed on wedding planning. If you’ve ever thought that too much time and money goes into weddings and all the associated events (showers, multi-day bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinners, post-wedding parties…), felt uncomfortable about the pressure to marry and some of the associated customs (brides being “given away” and wearing white to signal virginity), or laughed at the excesses of some bridezillas then parts of this book will have you simultaneously laughing and rolling your eyes. And then the story takes a darker turn veering into suspense/thriller territory when it takes the concept of a woman who will do anything to guarantee the success of her marriage to a whole new level. Add dystopian/speculative fiction into the mix as well, because this is set in society where the pressure to marry and stay married has become immense - women who have not married by a certain age are labelled “rotten”.
A thoroughly engaging and entertaining read, one that had me laughing, raging and perching nervously on the edge of my chair.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Homophobia
readandgab's review
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Murder, and Toxic friendship
keatynbergsten's review
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Murder