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zombiezami's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Medical content, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Rape, and Sexual content
prlprl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
Moderate: Fatphobia
Minor: Animal cruelty
sharrikloves's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Child abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Fatphobia, Sexual assault, and Stalking
cassie7e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book made me feel a lot of things, which is the marker of a good story!! Docked half a star just because it was slow for me to get into at first bc Eleanor is so judgmental at the beginning. We learn more about where these thought patterns come from and see her desire for connection and kind heart underneath. So some warm fuzzy feelings come from seeing her grow in that aspect. This book is also about the incredible importance of small interactions in daily life. Consistent tiny positive relationships with people we see regularly but don't know well lift the spirits so much, as many of us learned when covid cut all of those off.
Hearing about the tragic backstory is of course sad. But what struck me more from an autism* lens was the disconnect between what she thinks is acceptable social practice and what everyone else does. I can see how her judgments and blunt speech come off as rude to others, and also can see how others make little effort to tolerate her difference. She is judged in the way so many autistic people are judged - for not understanding social rules well and coming off as "rude" or weird even when she means well, for adhering too strictly to what are ostensibly social "rules" that everyone knows you're supposed to break; for adhering to rules she was taught as a child that aren't universal or are harmful; for being book smart but socially inept; for not having very good emotional intelligence (due to alexithymia that could have to do w autism AND trauma).... the way thoughts about her self worth and skills come directly from judgments others have thrown at her live on in her mind and make her question if she deserves to have relationships with people.
My heart broke at every interaction because people didn't understand her, because she was hard on herself, and because she comes from such lack that one person actually caring for her as a person means so much. Even as someone with so much richness in their life, her experiences struck a chord with struggles I've had and made me want to be a friend for her who stands up against any who would judge her as I and people like me have been judged and worse.
*While the book is clearly about trauma, no other neurodivergence is referenced. Whether or not she is meant to also be autistic, autistic readers may relate strongly to her.
Graphic: Grief and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child death, Fatphobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Medical content, and Death of parent
zerkleoflife's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
***Read the content warnings before reading.***
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Rape, and Sexual assault
seedsofsunflowers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Minor: Cancer, Child death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Excrement, Medical content, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
travel_in_pages's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
eneto_02's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Animal cruelty and Fatphobia
lynxpardinus's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Cancer, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, Murder, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Incest, Excrement, and Classism
The schizophrenia/psychosis warning is just in case, as a possible interpretation of a certain twist. I'm not entirely sure this is intentionally the case, and either way I don't think it's accurate.sweetsxrrxw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
anyways, i've seen some people saying it was hard for them to get over the first half of this book. i can't tell if it took me a while to get over it for the same reasons as them or becsuse i was busy studying for my semester exams.
however, i can assure this book is a bit of a slow burn. it follows eleanor and how childhood trauma can affect your adult life. this story shows her growth as she overcomes that trauma and learns that people need people. some readers might dislike her because of her initial "quirkiness" (which i believe is just neurodivergent traits) but i think it is worth it to stay until the end and watch her personal development. personally, i couldnt help but feeling proud of her during so many parts of the story. even if you can't relate to her, there's a chance you will end up feeling a tiny bit of affection towards her.
speaking of affection, the second lead is also a really lovable character! raymond's mom is right, he is such a good man, i love how he stuck with eleanor during both her hardest and happiest times. he is the kind of friend that everyone needs in their lives. i admit i was so focused on eleanor's story that i lowkey took him for granted but, thinking about him now, just makes me wish i had a person like him in my life.
to sum up, i can understand why many people have dnfed this book but i believe that if you give it a chance, you can actually find yourself liking it.
ps: there's apparently a movie being produced, can't wait for it!
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child death, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Rape, and Fire/Fire injury