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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
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
bits12's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Violence
brandaisyork'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
3.75
Graphic: Homophobia and Violence
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
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
savvylit's review against another edition
Graphic: Miscarriage, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, Animal death, Child abuse, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, Blood, Homophobia, Misogyny, Violence, and Transphobia
dogmp3'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
5.0
Graphic: Incest, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Vomit, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Suicide, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Cursing, Misogyny, Murder, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Police brutality, Sexual content, Death, Drug use, and Rape
mntb__'s review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Drug use, Violence, and Drug abuse