Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - We Are All Made of Molecules

Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen

10 reviews

maya_b's review against another edition

1.5

I liked the blurb and I did like the idea an theme of this book, and totally get what message this is supposed to convey and I can absolutely get behind that, but sadly the book still fell short for my liking.
And not even because I found Ashley tremendously unlikable. Although I did, but actually, I disliked most of the other people, too. I think Steward is the only one I liked most of the time, but even he has his horrible moments, and also I kind of always imagines an eight-year old or something like that, and totally forgot he's 13. Ashley also didn't really feel her age, but a little better. And I think it kind of has to do with Steward being intellectually gifted and socially not so much, but sadly it gave me the feeling of him being more of a stereotype than a real character. And I really disliked how smart he was and how open about things, but at the same time he always held back and didn't say stuff. Like, yeah, maybe stuff could backfire, but at least try! Please!
Ashley I thought was pretty unlikable mostly because she was so superficial and always used people and was pretty nasty, but also I don't think she actually realized any of that (and she was angry, so I get that even when she realized she didn't change her behavior immediately). But especially about the part she didn't realize:
I disliked most of the adults, because none of them (and the worst absolutely was Ashley's mom, I think the rest was actually mostly alright) ever actually talked to Ashley. Or it didn't feel like they tried. And maybe it's because the mom tried before and it didn't work, but I could actually not see it. Any time Ashley was angry, the mom immediately brought up punishment (didn't give her her allowance, grounded her) instead of even taking a minute to, like, try. I'm not asking that much, but I think at least a little more would have been nice. If it wouldn't work, sure, do whatever you feel you need to do (I still wouldn't think it's right or great, but whatever), but punishment without trying? No.
I think the only people that showed up multiple times that I liked are mostly Phil and Michael, Violet and Phoebe and Alistair. Those were alright. But also felt more like side characters, so I'm not sure I'd really count them here.

So not the greatest characters in my opinion, sadly, but the plot (at least the bigger one) was pretty alright. I actually liked the idea of watching the family grow together and learn how to live with the new arrangement, and all of that I thought was pretty alright, but I absolutely hated the Jared-part of the plot.

Or actually not the Jared-part, because I think it's alright to have an obstacle like him and I think it could have worked, but attempted sexual assault was an absolute no-go! Or I could have lived with it, if it would have been handled correctly, or even close to correctly, but I feel like it really wasn't. It felt like a plot point just to make Ashley aware he wasn't nice, and then Steward got a hug but not her, and then nobody ever talked to her about it? What the fuck is wrong with these adults? Like, yeah, I get this book wasn't about the assault and repercussions of assault, but if sexual assault is in a book, I'd really much appreciate it if it was handled sensibly, and it felt like it really wasn't, here. It was just there so Ashley could have some insight, and then it was immediately dropped again and just… why? Couldn't there have been any other way? No matter what? Wouldn't the whole homophobia-thing have been enough? And even that was handled a little more careful than the assault. Which, I'm not saying that that wouldn't have been worth talking about, it's right that it was a topic, but it does feel off to me, that a teenager writing the f-slur on Ashley's father's house gets more attention of the parents, than Ashley being sexually assaulted and almost r**ed! Like, yeah, both is bad, but… that's your child! Doesn't she deserve a little more than people saying that's bad and then Steward getting a hug? (I still can't believe that actually happened, I really don't understand what her mom was thinking right then, because it makes zero sense to me.) Also I think the assault didn't match the mostly lighthearted tone of the rest of the book.

And (this is a very minor thing) I also didn't really like the fact that Ashley mixed up words. I guess it's supposed to be funny, but it sadly made the book hard to read sometimes, because English is not my mother tongue and I didn't always understand what word she actually meant. (Not a big problem though, compared to

the assault. That one really is the one that sadly ruined the book for me, everything else I could have overlooked

.)

Well, I think that's actually all I have to say. The idea was really good, and I feel like a lot could have been done with it, but sadly almost all characters weren't really that likable in my opinion and

then the sexual assault (that happens twice, actually) just ... that was really unnecessary

. Not if, like, a week later, everything seems fine again. Then have some other problem, but please not this.

Content Warnings

isabookabel's review against another edition

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lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

An accessible, enjoyable quick read which included a range of important themes such as grief, divorce, homophobia, hate crimes and sexual assault. It is heartwarming, funny and the characters are well developed. Nielsen did a spectacular job with the character of Jared and managed to make him horribly believable. The relationship with him and Ashley was very well developed and really captured teenage infatuation. Likewise, the choice to make Ashley actively block out the negatives was very well done.

I did genuinely enjoy this book. However, at times I struggled with Ashley's 'using the wrong word' joke - it felt a bit heavy handed and repetitive - but might be more enjoyable for a younger audience.

I also felt like there was an excessive amount of attention paid to weight and dieting. Whilst this narrative is written from the perspective of a image conscious, self absorbed teenage girl so is unsurprising, it also means that we don't really get any critique of why this is a problematic mindset and I felt could normalise/perpetuate unhealthy attitudes around weight and body image/diet culture.

Content Warnings

bookishperseus's review against another edition

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dark emotional inspiring sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Content Warnings

emmaciarciello's review against another edition

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funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

Content Warnings

_nem_'s review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-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? No

3.5

The relationships between the different characters was great especially as there are two narrators that think very differently. I did find the book triggering at times (look at the content warnings) but overall I enjoyed it.

Content Warnings