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Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'
Only Mostly Devastated. Prawie w totalnej rozsypce by Monika Wisniewska, Sophie Gonzales
145 reviews
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-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
Well this was adorable and emotional in probably the best ways possible. It felt very much like a teen novel, right down to the romance. There were some great discussions about queer identity, especially relating to bisexuality, and I am always here for that. Ollie and Will had great chemistry and even though their relationship wasn't always smooth sailing, it felt realistic for a relationship in high school.
The friends that Ollie meets when starting school in North Carolina are also well fleshed out, creating a fun little group where some of the relationships mirrored other ones. Ollie's relationship with Lara was probably the most interesting, especially since it seemed like they didn't hit it off at first. The evolution of their friendship was fantastic.
A lot of the emotional aspects come from Ollie's struggles with his aunt's cancer, and there are some really devastating scenes in here. They felt realistically portrayed, and I even felt myself tearing up at times listening to the audiobook.
The only thing I think I wish would have been done a bit better, and this could have been because I listened to it rather than read it, was clarity between the flashbacks and the current timeline. It always took me a minute when they were going back to the summer, which made things a little confusing.
All in all, if you're looking for something in the vein of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, this is definitely a book for you!
The friends that Ollie meets when starting school in North Carolina are also well fleshed out, creating a fun little group where some of the relationships mirrored other ones. Ollie's relationship with Lara was probably the most interesting, especially since it seemed like they didn't hit it off at first. The evolution of their friendship was fantastic.
A lot of the emotional aspects come from Ollie's struggles with his aunt's cancer, and there are some really devastating scenes in here. They felt realistically portrayed, and I even felt myself tearing up at times listening to the audiobook.
The only thing I think I wish would have been done a bit better, and this could have been because I listened to it rather than read it, was clarity between the flashbacks and the current timeline. It always took me a minute when they were going back to the summer, which made things a little confusing.
All in all, if you're looking for something in the vein of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, this is definitely a book for you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, and Homophobia
Moderate: Biphobia, Fatphobia, and Grief
fireandstars's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, and Homophobia
Moderate: Biphobia and Fatphobia
pat26's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-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
3.5
An enjoyable, at times funny, at times heartwarming, at times emotional, and at times beautifully reflective read. Great characters who developed over the course of the book. Found the main character Ollie especially relatable. Mainly lighthearted, with some more heavy emotional topics scattered about. Would recommend!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer and Death
Minor: Biphobia and Homophobia
princess_peach's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Terminal illness, and Grief
Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol
Minor: Body shaming and Gaslighting
brennap6's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.0
Loved the kids, hated all the parents. What can you do.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Chronic illness and Homophobia
abby3890's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Biphobia
ripplingriver's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- 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? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Alcohol
itsmeyseniab's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Man, this was a huge disappointment. I went into this thinking it was going to be a new favorite based on just the description alone, but sadly I was wrong. :(
The plot was pretty unmemorable to me if I'm being completely honest. It wasn't bad by any means, but I just didn't feel invested in it at all. I didn't really buy into the romance between Ollie and Will and I also didn't really connect with any of the subplots (i.e. Ollie's aunt being sick, Lara's unrequited love, etc.) I left this book feeling very "meh." I have to say though, I REALLY DID NOT LIKE THE ENDING (and I'm still shaking my head at it).
The characters were also... meh. I LOVE how Sophie Gonzales did a bit of a "Grease" re-imagining and you could definitely tell who was supposed to represent who in terms of the main characters, but ultimately that's what it felt like. I didn't think any of these characters brought anything "new" to the table. I loved how this cast of characters was WAY more diverse, but I couldn't really tell you anything about them beyond that. I know Will was a jock and Ollie was a musician but that's about it. It all felt very surface-level.
Maybe my expectations were just too high? If this book is on your radar I would still give it a shot, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it over others in the genre.
The plot was pretty unmemorable to me if I'm being completely honest. It wasn't bad by any means, but I just didn't feel invested in it at all. I didn't really buy into the romance between Ollie and Will and I also didn't really connect with any of the subplots (i.e. Ollie's aunt being sick, Lara's unrequited love, etc.) I left this book feeling very "meh." I have to say though, I REALLY DID NOT LIKE THE ENDING (and I'm still shaking my head at it).
The characters were also... meh. I LOVE how Sophie Gonzales did a bit of a "Grease" re-imagining and you could definitely tell who was supposed to represent who in terms of the main characters, but ultimately that's what it felt like. I didn't think any of these characters brought anything "new" to the table. I loved how this cast of characters was WAY more diverse, but I couldn't really tell you anything about them beyond that. I know Will was a jock and Ollie was a musician but that's about it. It all felt very surface-level.
Maybe my expectations were just too high? If this book is on your radar I would still give it a shot, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it over others in the genre.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, and Terminal illness
odetojersey's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- 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
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Homophobia
leaf_arrow's review against another edition
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Homophobia