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lorraine19's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
I don't like telling spoilers in reviews but I feel like I need to provide examples of scenes to express how unrealistic it was written....
(SPOILERS) The shooter comes in and an auditorium of a hundred students just goes completely silent. When the doors open, not a single person panics or makes a run for it. Everything is controlled and there is little chaos. Police officers find students a couple blocks from the school and BRING THEM BACK. Like what?! (SPOILERS)
Reading the author's note, they state they grew up in a different country and we're unfamiliar with school shootings. They wrote the book in order to "learn about it". Clearly they should've done more research. Insulting to anyone that's been in proximity to violence like this and does not provide a realistic or fair view of school shootings at all.
Graphic: Murder, Suicide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Blood, Cursing, Gun violence, Death, Gaslighting, Child death, Hate crime, Violence, Gore, and Confinement
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Racism, Car accident, Toxic friendship, Dementia, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship
kashrae99's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, Child death, Murder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Suicide, Blood, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Medical content, Mental illness, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Cursing, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Dementia, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Bullying, Car accident, Chronic illness, Religious bigotry, and War
beki_hilda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Grief, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Violence, Gun violence, Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, and Homophobia
Moderate: Bullying, Car accident, Medical trauma, and Sexual assault
unusuallyy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Child death, Blood, Death, Mass/school shootings, and Suicide
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Sexual assault and Rape
coleanne'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
1.25
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Murder, Suicide, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Death, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual violence, Child abuse, Cursing, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual harassment
marisabenn's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
I really liked how the chapters were laid out with the time stamps. The four POVs make this heartbreaking and hopeful. I honestly have few words for this one. It's powerful with so many layers and pieces to be taken away.
It was difficult to keep track of minor characters. I wish the author would have included a list of victims, even if it is fictional. There were so many names either half-remembered or never known that I got lost.
I also wish there was more about Tyler. We don't know why he wanted to mass murder his classmates, but I guess that's not rare for school shootings. In the end it just felt a little..... forced? I'm not sure, but it was lacking something.
Definitely need a light rom-com after this heartbreaker.
Graphic: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Grief, Death, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Dementia, Bullying, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Cursing, Rape, Sexual assault, and Car accident
msestern's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Car accident, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Death, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, Lesbophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Cursing
hrtskatia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Gore, Grief, Blood, Child death, Cursing, Suicide, Death, and Violence
Minor: Vomit and Rape
thatswhatshanread's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Yes, it’s a fast read, and no, it doesn’t glorify school shooters. But everything else about it was so wrong, and didn’t do real life mass shooting survivors and victims any justice. The lack of research on the subject is obvious, which is incredibly disheartening. To me, the book just seemed like a grab for money.
The characters were so one-dimensional, and the familial relationships were confusing because of their lack of depth one minute, and their dialogue being the opposite the next minute. All of the different POVs could’ve honestly been the same person. That’s how little each character differed from the next. None of them stood out except for the school shooter, who was also very cookie-cutter evil from start to finish, giving in to every stereotype, written very lazily IMO, which really diminished the severe gravity of an event like this. None of the characters faltered from their specified roles, unfortunately rendering most of the story rather forgettable.
Also, the town the story is set in is called Opportunity, and was name dropped beyond proclivity. Which just angered me even more. The writing in general was just not great.
Graphic: Grief, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Abandonment, Bullying, Child abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Child death, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Blood, Car accident, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Cursing
ghanshaw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Murder, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Self harm, and Suicide