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nookatdusk's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, Death, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Sexual harassment, Police brutality, Drug use, and Abortion
oversherin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This book is incredibly violent and dark. You get right into the mind of the characters who are deeply troubled and hateful people who are wrecked by their environment. Chapters are long dark spirals into the depths of these characters and their darkest thoughts imaginable. Despite this, Melchor is very skilled in giving them just enough humanity that I empathized with them and wanted to stick it out to the end. As other reviewers have said, this book is deeply, disturbingly, honest in a way I have never read before. To me, the hardest part of this book is that most of the characters are children who are wrapped up in the worst of the world. The run-on prose took adjustment, but I found it very natural by middle.
Overall, I thought the story was compelling and timeless. I gritted my teeth through the whole book and had to scan some chapters because I just couldn't stomach it. However, I respect this book and the stories it's telling. There is more truth to this book than I'd like to face. It definitely affected me in an artful way.
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Incest, Child abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Rape
elizafiedler'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? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Blood, Body horror, Sexual content, Sexism, Violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder, Transphobia, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Homophobia, Death of parent, and Abandonment
snovella's review against another edition
- 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: Incest, Sexual violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Racism, Murder, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, and Transphobia
moi_stephanie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Very descriptive, which makes it easy to imagine what characters are going through.
Worst part of it might be that there's no happy ending, but that's reality for many people.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Violence, Pregnancy, Murder, Abortion, Transphobia, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Rape, Homophobia, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Addiction
cat_22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Rape, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Drug use, Murder, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Abortion, Homophobia, Alcohol, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Abandonment, Addiction, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Torture
s4ily's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Rape, Drug abuse, Drug use, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Transphobia, Racism, Animal cruelty, Abortion, Body horror, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, Gore, Pedophilia, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Violence, and Abandonment
amelietherin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Addiction, Racism, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Abortion, Hate crime, Drug use, Infidelity, Rape, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, and Blood
chloesevigny's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Incest, Drug abuse, Death, Animal cruelty, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, and Homophobia
klwooster's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Transphobia, Addiction, Police brutality, Rape, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Sexism, Sexual violence, Abortion, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Homophobia, Violence, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Drug use, Pedophilia, Murder, and Sexual assault