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melliedm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I’ve seen the movie before, and even though I knew most of the twists, the text was still very worthwhile. Lots of background and perspective shifts that a movie simply can’t portray, and the movie also changes the main character into an addict, which impacts the plot thoroughly.
Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Sexual harassment, Body horror, Violence, Gore, Car accident, Ableism, Torture, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Rape, and Gaslighting
Minor: Cancer, Death of parent, and Terminal illness
buer's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I want to like this book - it’s fast-paced, easy to read, and has an overarching theme of a young woman realizing that she is a better, stronger, and more resilient person than she could have ever imagined. Taylor Adams has a simple, visceral writing style that I like and introduces several interesting twists.
However. Much like one of the characters in this book, Adams feels like the kind of person who knows how to convincingly wear a mask. The mask he has chosen is that he’s the kind of person who believes that women are strong and capable, but considering that he sexualizes every female character in his book with varying degrees of brutality, I’m not convinced.
I also find it difficult to enjoy a book in which the author goes out of his way to introduce prejudice into the story. Taylor names an imaginary geographical landmark with a slur. He has a character tell multiple misogynistic jokes and a racist one that involves yet another slur. He uses the r-word and repeatedly references a probably homophobic piece of graffiti that he invented for the bathroom wall at the rest stop.
Maybe I’m wrong about Taylor, but I can’t recommend this book in good conscience. There are too many moments that got under my skin for reasons that weren’t serving the plot or adding depth to characters.
There are plenty other books that accomplish what this book does without also reeking of ick. Read those instead.
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Gun violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Torture, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Violence, Animal death, Murder, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Cursing, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Confinement, Addiction, Bullying, Ableism, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Fatphobia, and Fire/Fire injury
jjxssx's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Gore, Body horror, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Trafficking
Minor: Death of parent and Vomit
tinyy's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Body horror, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Murder, and Torture
Moderate: Death of parent, Cancer, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Trafficking
Minor: Sexual harassment, Racial slurs, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, and Pedophilia
annabulkowski's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Car accident, Violence, Vomit, Trafficking, Terminal illness, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Cancer, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Gore, Confinement, Alcoholism, Torture, Sexual harassment, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Cursing, Blood, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, and Death of parent
mostlyliterate'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
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Misogyny, Stalking, Terminal illness, and Torture
Minor: Ableism, Dementia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, and Vomit