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ruusaer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Rape and Misogyny
Moderate: Suicide, Death, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Drug use, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, and Eating disorder
pixie_d's review
- 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
1.5
There is also unacknowledged racism and sexism. Like The Collected Regrets of Clover, which I also read this month, this author signaled "bad" characters by their looks. Ladies, describing someone as having a "hooked" or "prominent" nose to indicate bad characters or villainy is racist. I'm sure you weren't even aware you did that, but someone on the editing team should have called it out. In this book, she signals the rapist villain by the looks of his wife (not a typo. He's a rapist. The author is unconsciously racist by how she describes the wife's looks.) In that chapter she also signals the antagonist secretary by her fat hips. That's sexist because women should not internalize and then judge other women by those standards, particularly not to signal bad character. Later the main character gives a speech about how you shouldn't judge women, and incidentally people of color, but to throw that in as just a phrase in your speech doesn't make you not a racist. It was a weak attempt to draw that in, where it wasn't integral to the rest of the book. Bleh.
Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Misogyny
Minor: Racism and Fatphobia
theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Elizabeth Zott is an amazing character, and a survivor. She is the embodiment of female power and a force to be reckoned with.
The things Zott experiences in the work place are appalling and no one would call her personal life easy. In real life, a woman in Zott’s shoes wouldn’t be faulted for breaking down or giving up. But Zott doesn’t let anything stop her from reaching her goals. She goes on have a wonderful life in spite of the horrendous things she’s had to survive, because she is a survivor.
Parts of this book had me in tears while others had me fill with so much pride I thought I would burst. At its core, this book is about the strength and resilience of women and I can’t recommend it enough. This will be a book I won’t stop thinking about for a very, very long time.
Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Bullying, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Abandonment, Death, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Infidelity, Suicide, Blood, Gaslighting, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Car accident, Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Violence
Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Abortion, Vomit, Alcohol, and Pedophilia
vanessatombolini's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Grief and Suicide
Minor: Death, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Vomit, Car accident, Racism, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy
pauline_2704's review against another edition
- 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
2.75
Graphic: Suicide, Rape, Self harm, Death, and Grief
Minor: Fatphobia and Homophobia
cavallonee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Rape, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Fatphobia, Death, Gaslighting, and Grief
Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Vomit
belovedb33's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
Graphic: Fatphobia
robyn1998's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
The main character was horribly annoying, stereotypically nerdy, with no indication as to why anyone in her life actually liked her.
The book was very anachronistic. Elizabeth, the main character, seemed to have been transplanted from the modern day into the 1950s, replete with 2022 feminist talking points- most of which, it was implied, everyone else was too dumb to understand.
Add in the graphic and unnecessary rape scenes, the somehow very bleak and pessimistic outlook on humanity, the talking dog, the anti-religion standpoint, and the fact that everyone bad was fat, and this has to be a 1 star read for me.
Graphic: Sexism, Rape, Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Suicide
agathacrispie's review
Graphic: Grief, Sexism, Misogyny, Rape, Death, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Body shaming, Death of parent, and Car accident
Minor: Child death, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Fatphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, and Vomit
khowez'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: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Rape, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Suicide, Death of parent, Misogyny, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Abandonment, and Homophobia
Minor: Pedophilia, Mental illness, Self harm, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Vomit, Sexual harassment, and Child death