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picnicatthehangingtree's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
A clever and funny, if overly simplistic and expository, story of totalitarianism and freedom of speech.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Deportation, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Mental illness, and Violence
qrschulte's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book had an interesting premise, but the focus on staying true to the “joke” of the book about letters being removed from a society’s vocabulary being told through letters (epistolary), was a bit much in my opinion. The characters weren’t that compelling, and a whole lot of nothing happened for it all to get resolved real quick in the last 20 pages (which incidentally were pretty blank).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Self harm, and Deportation
Moderate: Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Addiction, Grief, Death, Death of parent, and Classism
Minor: Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Torture, Religious bigotry, and Confinement
leanneymu's review against another edition
challenging
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
A really interesting idea for a story, but the restrictions of the language (and the verbosity of the characters) made it feel more like a writing exercise than a fully-fledged narrative. I think that epistolary novels often foster a bit of emotional distance from the characters, which makes it difficult for me to connect with them. Still, the ideas where compelling, and the themes of censorship were dealt with in an engaging way.
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Ableism, Torture, and Suicide attempt
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