Scan barcode
tkaryn'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Chronic illness and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide
jourdanicus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Maddie as a character is naive in a way that toed the line of believability for me sometimes, esp cially for a gen Z/millennial with the lived experience of being Black in a colonial country. However, the way the themes of racism, misogyny, and sexuality were included is perfect for readers who might be newer to those topics and interested in diversifying their reading.
I did find Maddie relatable in a lot of ways too. The characters and the story were sweet without being saccharine. The plot was a little slow to build, but the second half/third was worth it.
For better or worse, the real life experiences of the author really came through in the story, and I think this book is a well-executed answer to the prompt of "write what you know."
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Moderate: Dementia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Minor: Medical content, Misogyny, Suicide, Drug use, Racism, Alcohol, Biphobia, and Eating disorder
mdavis26's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Chronic illness, Abandonment, Suicide, Panic attacks/disorders, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Grief
nanirump'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? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Medical content, Sexual content, Drug use, Gaslighting, Terminal illness, Misogyny, Chronic illness, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual violence, and Death of parent
wellreadmegs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I read & listened along to the audiobook which were both great. Short chapters helped me get through the book quickly & especially enjoyed the Google searches Maddie had throughout the book. I thought the author did a really great job of tackling a lot of tough subjects and navigating them as a 25-year-old. Your 20s are messy & going through traumatic experiences doesn't help that.
I absolutely HATED Maddie's mom. There was one chapter the author tried to redeem her and I have empathy but overall I don't think she changed much.
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
Minor: Suicide
evawhite'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Sexual content and Racism
Minor: Suicide and Terminal illness
melodyseestrees'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? Yes
4.25
The realistic way her grief flows and changes her was refreshing and emotional for the reader. There is a line referencing that how she is now is her normal after her father's passing and it is something that can't just change without hard, intentional self work.
The distance from the other characters makes them feel way more one dimensional but this may be intentional to reflect the distance Maddie has put or maintained between herself and most of the other people in her life. We, as readers, don't get to know much about any of the other characters because Maddie doesn't really know them. This is revealed within the funeral preparations when she is struggling to type up the eulogy.
For me the hardest hitting aspects were the impulse to support everyone else regardless of how the self is doing, the guilt over family connection, the hurt over feeling stuck having to support everyone else, and the isolation one in that situation learns to be okay with- even though it may not be their preferred state otherwise.
Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, and Death of parent
Moderate: Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Minor: Suicide
mlregal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Minor: Suicide
pickashelf's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Mental illness, Death of parent, and Racism
Minor: Suicide
theinstabookworm'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
3.0
However, Maddie was also very naive, and although I could relate to an extent, she needed to grow a backbone sooner when it came to her mother and brother taking advantage of her. The use of Google was a bit much and grew tedious after a while. I also felt the pacing of the story was off, as some parts held my attention, while others didn't. The writing also wasn't my favourite. It irks me when characters "talk" to the reader, and this book has a bit of that.
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Suicide, Misogyny, Death of parent, and Grief