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berniebisme'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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Racism, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Rape, Drug abuse, Bullying, Death of parent, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, Islamophobia, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, and Terminal illness
pookiedookie's review
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Terminal illness, Alcohol, Racism, Medical content, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Addiction, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Drug use, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Rape, Cursing, Chronic illness, Child death, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Islamophobia, Grief, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, and Death
haleyrenel'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Racism, Bullying, Death, Grief, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia
Minor: Sexual violence
readandfindout's review
3.25
Themes: 4 stars
Characters: 3 stars
Plot: 2 stars
Graphic: Xenophobia, Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Death, Mental illness, Racism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Violence, Terminal illness, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Death of parent, Islamophobia, Child abuse, Addiction, Grief, Bullying, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Classism
Moderate: Rape, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Police brutality, and Sexual violence
bartvick's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse and Drug abuse
Moderate: Sexual violence
lemonandpine's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Islamophobia
sophiesmallhands's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Racism, Racial slurs, Grief, Death of parent, and Police brutality
Moderate: Addiction, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Chronic illness, Hate crime, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Islamophobia, and Terminal illness
Minor: Sexual violence and Child abuse
tigger89's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I think my favorite part was getting to know our two lead characters, watching them struggle and make completely believable mistakes in the face of adversity. As much as I want to armchair quarterback their bad decisions, I don't know that I would've done any better at seventeen. All three points of view — Sal, Noor, and Misbah — were equally compelling for me to read, and I appreciated the in-universe explanation at the end for why we were being given the historical chapters alongside the present day.
As for what I wasn't so much a fan of, the modern day romance put me off almost immediately. I wasn't prepared for it from the blurb on the cover, and "best friends to lovers" is a trope I loathe, especially when the romance falls apart and you just ruined a perfectly lovely platonic relationship for nothing. This is very much a me problem, but it's worth mentioning since I can't be the only one.
I was also rubbed the wrong way by how the plot where Sal seeks alternate income to avoid closing the motel was written. I was fine with his initial decision(see: realistic bad decisions), but everything from after that up until the scene in the car with Noor felt like a bad after-school special. It was a little bit too carefully-concocted to demonstrate the consequences of Sal's actions, and didn't ring as true as the rest of the book did. After the scene in the car it felt okay again, but for a while there I was rolling my eyes pretty hard.
I think in the end I'm going to have to go with four stars, because the parts that I liked were incredible. It was just a few glaring things dragging it down for me. I would certainly pick up another book by this author, especially if it didn't have a romance in it.
Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Grief, Islamophobia, Physical abuse, Medical content, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Drug use, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Terminal illness
lutz_emily's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Sexual violence, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Racism, Drug use, Alcoholism, Bullying, and Domestic abuse
ekriek'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
4.5
Graphic: Racism, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Grief, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Death
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Addiction, Drug use, Terminal illness, Drug abuse, and Sexual violence
Minor: Misogyny