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evelynyle_88's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Bullying, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Racism, Gaslighting, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Transphobia, Police brutality, and Suicidal thoughts
fynn_jls's review against another edition
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The book deals with so many important issues and perspectives and I really wanted to enjoy it more than I did but I just wasn't a fan of the storyline at all
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Drug use
demawenda's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
2.25
Szczerze skusiła mnie piękna okładka. Miało być ciekawie, Miało być przyjemnie a było... Po prostu źle. Książka zostawia mnie z przemyśleniem, że była pisana bardzo długi czas i po skończeniu osoba autorska nie wróciła na początek by go poprawić. Samo wydawnictwo też się nie popisało, kiepskie tłumaczenie, redakcja leży. Jak można w skończonej książce zostawić słowo "miększy"? Jednakże staram się pominąć te błędy w recenzji, w końcu chodzi o książkę, a nie o tłumaczenie.
Kontynuując o fabule.... Lark wydaje się postacią do znienawidzenia, podejmuje same błędne decyzje, nie potrafi samo o siebie zadbać. Przez całą książkę nie zostało dobrze wytłumaczone dlaczego głowni bohaterowie nagle zaczęli się nienawidzić.Tylko tyle że oboje myśleli że ta druga osoba nie chxe ich znać. Skoro się tak przyjaźnili to powinni siebie spytac? Do tego opis wyglądu postaci też nie był zbyt dobry. Czytałam w wersji e-book i na stronie 126/406 w końcu jest powiedziane, że Kasim jest osobą trans. Nie wiem jak dla innych, dla mnie to ważna informacja, zwłaszcza, że jeszcze później jest mówione iż nie zaczął jeszcze tranzycji. Został niewykorzystany potencjał z nieznajomym w parku który złamał czwartą ścianę Za połową ksiazki robi się lekko lepiej, postacie faktycznie trochę dorastają, stają się bardziej normalni i myślący. Temat pandemii zdecydowanie za czesto powtarzany, chyba wszyscy chcą już zostawić ten etap za sobą. Do tego rasizm w stronę wszystkich białych. Rozumiem, że czarnoskórzy są bardzo uciskani w społeczeństwie, inaczej traktowani, ale to nie usprawiedliwia tego co głoszą postacie. Stwierdzenie, że nawet gdy biały wspiera czarnoskórych i nie traktuje ich inaczej to nadal jest rasistą bo na tym zarabia? Sic! Zajęcia dodatkowe z pisania na które chodzą głowni bohaterowie są ciekawe, ale to, że opiekun nie reaguje na to co mówią uczniowie? Jak się obrażają? Jak uskuteczniają znęcanie się nad jednym z nich? Do tego dochodzą nielogiczne dialogi między postaciami. Wspieranie zdrowia psychocznego tu nawet nie istnieje gdy dowiadujemy się, że Kasim ma depresję to jednoczenie też mówi, że nie chodzi na terapię chociaż powinien , druga sprawa z Lark, które myśli, że ma autyzm albo ADHD albo oba ale uważa, że nie potrzebuje diagnozy. Tego chcemy uczyć młodzieży? Samodiagnozy?
Podsumowując, książka ma wiele złych stron, ciężko znaleźć jakąś dobrą, poza oczywistą, że książka nie jest długa i szybko można ją skończyć. Zdecydowanie nie podeszła mi ta pozycja, jeśli jesteś wrażliwy na mowę nienawiści i zidiociałe postaci to trzymaj się od tego z daleka.
Kontynuując o fabule.... Lark wydaje się postacią do znienawidzenia, podejmuje same błędne decyzje, nie potrafi samo o siebie zadbać. Przez całą książkę nie zostało dobrze wytłumaczone dlaczego głowni bohaterowie nagle zaczęli się nienawidzić.
Podsumowując, książka ma wiele złych stron, ciężko znaleźć jakąś dobrą, poza oczywistą, że książka nie jest długa i szybko można ją skończyć. Zdecydowanie nie podeszła mi ta pozycja, jeśli jesteś wrażliwy na mowę nienawiści i zidiociałe postaci to trzymaj się od tego z daleka.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Pandemic/Epidemic, Suicide attempt, Drug use, and Cursing
_nem_'s review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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
4.5
Rep: Non-binary (uses they/them pronouns), black & neurodivergent MC, several other trans characters, a few neurodivergent characters, several other POC characters
I related a lot to Lark in this book. The way their thoughts spiral, their non-binary identity and trying to balance social expectations with what you want. I really ended up feeling for them going through all of the different things in the book.
I related a lot to Lark in this book. The way their thoughts spiral, their non-binary identity and trying to balance social expectations with what you want. I really ended up feeling for them going through all of the different things in the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Racism, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship
wintah's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
ich fand das buch echt toll, die charaktere waren super interessant und haben im verlaufe des buches verschiedene entwicklungen vollzogen. die verwendung von geschlechtsneutraler sprache war super angenehm und hat überhaupt nicht gestört und zu sehen, dass so viele charaktere neopronomen benutzen war super validierent. allgemein war es total schön, so einen diversen und queeren cast (?) zu sehen. die deutsche übersetzung fand ich auch echt gelungen, besonders da sie wohl noch eine der ersten dieser art ist. <3
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Drug use, Pandemic/Epidemic, Mental illness, Hate crime, Sexism, Ableism, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Transphobia, and Bullying
mx_sunshine's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.5
What a beautiful story! I loved this the more I read it. The characters felt real. I loved how honesty prevailed discomfort, making way for genuine connections. I loved that the novel created space for so many perspectives and voices. It felt authentic to read the conversations from opposing characters with conflicting viewpoints with neither of them being judged. This was really lovely. I loved reading such a supportive book.
I love Lark and Kasim and Sable and Asha and Jamal and Micha and Patcha and Mr S and Eli and Taye and Lark’s Mum…
Every character had such a unique impact and influence on Lark and on each other. It felt really special to experience their growth.
I loved Birdie and all they represented and meant to Lark.
I’m so grateful to live in this world at this time where authors like Kacen Callender can share their stories and hopes.
I feel like there is so much to learn from Kacen and from this novel. It is definitely one I’d love to revisit.
I love Lark and Kasim and Sable and Asha and Jamal and Micha and Patcha and Mr S and Eli and Taye and Lark’s Mum…
Every character had such a unique impact and influence on Lark and on each other. It felt really special to experience their growth.
I loved Birdie and all they represented and meant to Lark.
I’m so grateful to live in this world at this time where authors like Kacen Callender can share their stories and hopes.
I feel like there is so much to learn from Kacen and from this novel. It is definitely one I’d love to revisit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Mental illness, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Racism, Ableism, and Transphobia
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, and Gaslighting
Minor: Abandonment, Colonisation, Death of parent, Police brutality, and Suicidal thoughts
Main character has experienced traumatic bullying in their past. Two panic attacks are described. In both instances they end up safe. Cannabis is used in this novel. All experiences are positive and with friend/s. Depression and anxiety are discussed. Racism, ableism, and transphobia is discussed at length in relation to the character’s identity. Social commentary is also given on these issues.legalplanner's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This was a wonderful book in regards to representation, loving yourself, and mental health.
Lark & Karim were friends but have recently had a falling out, which has created a huge rift between them. Lark is the kind of person who is always dreaming, but because of their anxiety and neurodivergence they are always trying to please the people they interact with. Karim is the kind of person who doesn't care what people think on the surface because he wants to be fine with who he is regardless of what people think.
The representation in this book was amazing. Most of the cast is african American in a community center in Philly. However, they all come from different classes and that felt very important to me because while they may have one shared experience they all did not experience the same struggles.
One of my qualms that dropped my rating was how brutal Kasim and Lark are to each other. They're constantly trashing each other and getting into fights but clearly Kasim knows that Lark is potentially neurodivergent but still always questions her. That was extremely frustrating to see because they didn't feel like a good friend to Lark. The pacing was also SO SLOW. That was another point that brought my rating down. Overall a great read but took a while to get in.
Lark & Karim were friends but have recently had a falling out, which has created a huge rift between them. Lark is the kind of person who is always dreaming, but because of their anxiety and neurodivergence they are always trying to please the people they interact with. Karim is the kind of person who doesn't care what people think on the surface because he wants to be fine with who he is regardless of what people think.
The representation in this book was amazing. Most of the cast is african American in a community center in Philly. However, they all come from different classes and that felt very important to me because while they may have one shared experience they all did not experience the same struggles.
One of my qualms that dropped my rating was how brutal Kasim and Lark are to each other. They're constantly trashing each other and getting into fights but clearly Kasim knows that Lark is potentially neurodivergent but still always questions her. That was extremely frustrating to see because they didn't feel like a good friend to Lark. The pacing was also SO SLOW. That was another point that brought my rating down. Overall a great read but took a while to get in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting and Mental illness
Moderate: Bullying, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
dododenise's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
5.0
I went through this book thinking I wouldn’t be able to express what I think of it. But now that I’m here, I feel like it deserves me to at least try.
I think this book can be summarised as being about nuance. Especially in a world where there seems no space for nuance, the book tried.
This was surprising to see, as this book would probably be considered “woke bullshit” by conservatives. It very much is gen z through and through. It deals with the beautiful pain that is twitter. It deals with activism. Racism. Transphobia. Homophobia. Bullying. A lot of it is basically what it means to be a teenager in this day and age.
I saw a lot of myself in Lark. Although, Lark is a million times better at communicating their thoughts compared to me. And of course, there’s the very big aspect that I am white, and they are black, which, you know, creates very different experiences in and of itself. Still, our personalities are very similar. Add to that our queerness, both nonbinary and maybe probably neurodivergent, and I got a character which mirrored a lot of myself. It feels like a combination of me with 17 and me now. You can definitely some sprinkles of Kasim in there, who brought different perspectives in there and added to the question I ask(ed) myself.
There were so many deep conversations in this book. Maybe they can get a bit much at times, feel a bit tacky and pseudo deep. Idk. But really, I enjoyed all of them. A lot of the thoughts I have were talked about in this book and that was so interesting. Yet, they were still all teenagers and stuck in their heads. But who isn’t?
And of course, I enjoyed the diversity. A black cast of characters. The mc being black, nonbinary, neurodivergent and polyamorous. The love interests being black, trans and poly too. This was the first time I read about polyamory this openly and I really enjoyed it!
Overall, there was a lot of honesty and thoughtfulness in this book. I am glad I read this in on my break so I had the energy to let myself be pulled along by all those thoughts.
I think this book can be summarised as being about nuance. Especially in a world where there seems no space for nuance, the book tried.
This was surprising to see, as this book would probably be considered “woke bullshit” by conservatives. It very much is gen z through and through. It deals with the beautiful pain that is twitter. It deals with activism. Racism. Transphobia. Homophobia. Bullying. A lot of it is basically what it means to be a teenager in this day and age.
I saw a lot of myself in Lark. Although, Lark is a million times better at communicating their thoughts compared to me. And of course, there’s the very big aspect that I am white, and they are black, which, you know, creates very different experiences in and of itself. Still, our personalities are very similar. Add to that our queerness, both nonbinary and maybe probably neurodivergent, and I got a character which mirrored a lot of myself. It feels like a combination of me with 17 and me now. You can definitely some sprinkles of Kasim in there, who brought different perspectives in there and added to the question I ask(ed) myself.
There were so many deep conversations in this book. Maybe they can get a bit much at times, feel a bit tacky and pseudo deep. Idk. But really, I enjoyed all of them. A lot of the thoughts I have were talked about in this book and that was so interesting. Yet, they were still all teenagers and stuck in their heads. But who isn’t?
And of course, I enjoyed the diversity. A black cast of characters. The mc being black, nonbinary, neurodivergent and polyamorous. The love interests being black, trans and poly too. This was the first time I read about polyamory this openly and I really enjoyed it!
Overall, there was a lot of honesty and thoughtfulness in this book. I am glad I read this in on my break so I had the energy to let myself be pulled along by all those thoughts.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Bullying, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death of parent, Racism, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug use, Transphobia, Homophobia, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Police brutality
astarlia's review
challenging
emotional
funny
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
5.0
I love this. The character is impulsive and naive in such a relatable way.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Racism
lettuce_read's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Bullying
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Racism, and Gaslighting
Minor: Suicidal thoughts