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booksoversecondbreakfast's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. It was so beautifully written. I had just finished reading Jane Eyre prior to reading this, and it was so well timed because of all of the references. I enjoyed the flashbacks and slowly uncovering the events of the main characters past as she processed them herself too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Mental illness, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Sexual assault and Abandonment
luxsona's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Beautifully written. It sort of reminds me of the game, Omori, in that both novels tackle very similar themes about nostalgia and the past.
What I enjoyed most about this book:
What I enjoyed most about this book:
- The voice: This book is written in first person, and almost every single word reveals something about Marin's character.
- The pacing: Nina LaCour knows how to pace this book really well. There were moments where we see brief flits of emotion and description, but there were also incredibly tense moments that hooked me in throughout. I remembered standing up straighter throughout several moments.
- The characterization: This is a very character-centric book. The focus of this novel sits entirely within the characters and gets in their heads quite a fair bit, so life-like characters are vital. Fortunately, Marin, Mabel, and all of their friends and family feel incredibly life-like. You can understand what they go through throughout the entire novel.
Notes:
- (Spoilers for the ending of the novel!)
The one thing that confused me just slightly was the ending. It felt like the novel was trying to emphasize this idea of "moving forward", and accepting the past. However, the novel ends with Marin accepting the idea of returning to Mabel's family home. This plot-beat feels slightly off-kilter when compared to the rest of the novel and the theming that it was going for. This is just a minor nitpick, though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Terminal illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol
kaywhiteley's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Suicide, and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer
skyecharmel's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I found this book at random at a bookstore and immediately put it on hold at my library. As someone who has been living in a space of grief for a good part of my life, I feel like this book is a great, poignant example of that. Each of the main characters has something they're grieving, and the ways each character handled it was well done and relatable. Would recommend to anyone who finds themselves in a similar space, although I urge caution for anyone in depressive episodes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
lifeindelusion's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I can't say yes.’
change & healing doesn’t come smoothly nor easily, this isn’t a fairytale where a single meeting with a fairy or a prince is going to fix all problems
“she didn’t have any character development”
.. yes she did.
her days spent with mabel made her realize some things, her denial, her regret, her love, her loneliness, & most of all her longing for someone to be by her side. mabel forced her back into reality, doused her in cold water when her body was as dry as a desert.
marin, is a very raw & real character, she is so human. she is learning how to move on and become her own person. she is tying up split ends, fixing relationships, working through her grief and finding how to be herself between other people.
this is a story of grief, loss, love & acceptance.
she didn’t need any major character development, the changes she made, even if they started small will get bigger and eventually she will find herself a different person surrounded by things that she can be proud of.
‘ And I have yet another chance, and I take it.
"Yes," I say. "Yes." ‘
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
carenlou's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Suicide
cats33's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- 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? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent, Suicide, and Cancer
Moderate: Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol
Minor: Medical content
eldritch_horror's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Death
noceur's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Moderate: Suicide and Mental illness
icarusandthesun's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
great to read during somber weather.
i wanted to take a little break from science-fiction, and this book seemed to call to me. i liked it—the vibes, the poetic language, the writing style. it was grounding, calming, like stormy weather (but without the lightning and the thunder).
it was nice, but (luckily, i suppose) not relatable for me, right now. i know this is probably a good depiction of grief in many people’s eyes though.
i liked the characters. marin was a little bland, but well, grief does that to a person, so i get it. the author did a good job of telling us about all the things marin used to be passionate about.
the ending was cute, too. it was just nothing special, and wasn’t able to invoke any sort of deep feeling in me, personally.
i wanted to take a little break from science-fiction, and this book seemed to call to me. i liked it—the vibes, the poetic language, the writing style. it was grounding, calming, like stormy weather (but without the lightning and the thunder).
it was nice, but (luckily, i suppose) not relatable for me, right now. i know this is probably a good depiction of grief in many people’s eyes though.
i liked the characters. marin was a little bland, but well, grief does that to a person, so i get it. the author did a good job of telling us about all the things marin used to be passionate about.
the ending was cute, too. it was just nothing special, and wasn’t able to invoke any sort of deep feeling in me, personally.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Cancer, Suicide, and Alcohol