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sareidle's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Mental illness
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Cancer, Bullying, and Death
cwerber's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.0
I wasn't into this book at first and decided to start skimming ahead but then I found myself engaged and went back to reading what I skimmed. I initially found the characters to be annoying but realized that their arcs grew in the story.
What threw me for a loop was Aidan's suicide. But then again, that was the whole point right? He was suffering and felt like he had no other choice and couldn't talk to anyone about it. I was very sad to see him die and the effect that his death had on his sister and mother who were already suffering at the hands of his mother's undiagnosed mental illness.
I would have liked to hear how the reading list affected some of the other minor characters' lives but then again, they were minor charactes. This book wasn't about them. It was about Mr. Patel and Aleisha and how this reading list (which you eventually find out who wrote it) made them grow.
Once I got into the book, it was a quick read for me. It just takes about 20 pages to dig in. Oh, and I will be reading the reading list myself. I've read most of them but haven't in a while. I think it's time to change that.
I would have liked to hear how the reading list affected some of the other minor characters' lives but then again, they were minor charactes. This book wasn't about them. It was about Mr. Patel and Aleisha and how this reading list (which you eventually find out who wrote it) made them grow.
Once I got into the book, it was a quick read for me. It just takes about 20 pages to dig in. Oh, and I will be reading the reading list myself. I've read most of them but haven't in a while. I think it's time to change that.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Death, Suicide, and Grief
Minor: Bullying
annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-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? Yes
3.25
it was alright. the curve ball third act tragedy was disappointing but i appreciated the reveal at the very end (don't know how i didn't guess it). i just wasn't that into it. i think this book would be best for someone in a similar situation to any of the book's characters who find the titular reading list—lonely, grieving, isolated, etc. reading the eight/nine books on the reading list along with the characters might feel like kind of a static book club, with some interpretation of the books plus insight into how these books' characters, plots, and themes affect the lives of The Reading List's characters.
i listened to the audiobook and read the ebook, and it seems the ebook went through more rounds of editing than the audiobook script did, unfortunately.
cover design review: ★★★★☆. the colors, illustration, and title are all very nice. i like the typeface for the author's name and "A Novel", but i don't like that this subtext is black while the title and tagline are white, i think it detracts from the legibility. and of course i hate the tagline and that it even has a tagline, what is this
cover design review: ★★★★☆. the colors, illustration, and title are all very nice. i like the typeface for the author's name and "A Novel", but i don't like that this subtext is black while the title and tagline are white, i think it detracts from the legibility. and of course i hate the tagline and that it even has a tagline, what is this
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Suicide
Moderate: Terminal illness, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Cancer, and Death of parent
Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Self harm, Abandonment, Animal death, and Blood
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