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sshabein's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, and Drug use
cholliworth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
Graphic: Drug use and Alcohol
Moderate: Car accident and Sexual content
sorcha's review against another edition
3.5
Moderate: Stalking, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Drug use
Minor: Suicide
knels813's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Drug use
Moderate: Sexual content and Stalking
Minor: Car accident
lay_kone's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Addiction, Sexual content, Pedophilia, Car accident, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, and Drug abuse
Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Mental illness
emm_ugh's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use
katesant's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
Graphic: Drug use and Sexual content
caroisreading's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I was stressed reading this, and truly despised everyone in this book. There were out-of-character moments when Emma Cline wrote really thought-provoking commentary on elitism, relationships, abuse and sexism, but they were moments of clarity detached from the mess that was Alex, stumbling through her journey with pain killers, booze, sex and fear. She's running from an abusive man wanting his money back, while running towards her "safest" option, another man who has money, a vicious cycle.
There were lots of references to Alex thinking she was a ghost, as she moved through life as an accessory, never spoken to, and quite literally looked through. She survived by playing these strangers, by blending in, and appealing to them with sex and pleasant company. Race wasn't a factor in this, and I assumed she and everyone around her were white (lots of "blond hair," "Germanic" descriptions), so this made her deception even more frictionless as she entered these social circles.
I closed this book and was like, yep, got it, I'm depressed and slightly annoyed. And I've been here before with other "messed up pretty girl" narratives.
This is worth a read if you want something darker, grimy, reflective of today's imbalanced relationships and wealth disparity.
Graphic: Alcohol, Addiction, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Physical abuse, Rape, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
thefirstlibra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Minor: Drug use and Sexual content
jdawg1's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Drug use