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Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Stalking, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Grief
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Gore, Grief, Stalking
Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Antisemitism, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Alcohol
Read most of this while on the beaches in Greece, and was an amazing companion.
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Racism, Sexual content
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Sexual content
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder
Moderate: Child death, Suicide, Toxic relationship
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
This will be the one to beat in 2025 for me. Loved it. Wish my book club could read it but it’s basically a 2 month commitment.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Stalking, Murder
Some notes I took while reading:
• Excuse me, the 16-year-olds dancing was “sexy?!” Creep.
• Sex as the cure for a headache from almost OD-ing?! You wish, Stephen.
• Yes, I’m sure her most pressing concern after being traumatically attacked by her abusive ex-husband is how she looks in front of her current boyfriend.
• SADIE “THE VIRGIN” AS HER IDENTIFIER?? SERIOUSLY.
• Yes, because she needs a man to make her obviously very accomplished life worthwhile.
• And I hated the frequent use of phrases like “smoothly naked” and “her formidable bosom.”
In conclusion, I would hate to be written by Stephen King and I wish I could unread this book.
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
King’s in-depth research resulted in details that bring the past to life - TV shows, advertisements, hair products, clothing styles, food. The cursing didn’t seem in keeping, though. My parents were the same generation as Jake, the protagonist and I don’t think middle class people would have cursed; they certainly wouldn’t have used the more vulgar words. (I’m not against cursing at all, but I don’t think it fits with the characters.)
Unfortunately, the book is bloated. It would have been better if it were about a third shorter. Also, as with all stories with annoying characters, I just wanted to shake Jake and tell him to get on with it.
I’m glad I read it and I think the story and the details are good but it was just way too long.
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Gun violence