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living_dead_girl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, and Mental illness
My favorite quote from the book (censored as best I could to avoid spoilers but marked just in case!) : "It really was an intense reaction - almost scary. I can't help but think about how there's a whole spectrum of ways that people respond to things like rape and assault. [ ] and [ ] are so different. And [ ] response was different still. And we're different people, so, of course, we all respond differently to trauma... [ ] says she wants to unbreak her... but you can't take a survivor's journey for them. ... Sometimes fighting for all the women who came after you is the most powerful way to heal...How many discoveries and breakthroughs have we lost out on because women were pushed out of science before they had the chance to make them?"christikb's review
- 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
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault
pedanther's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Sexism, Misogyny, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Kidnapping, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Chronic illness, Confinement, and Death of parent
Minor: Racism and Classism
mediocremasen's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The twists are also very interesting and compelling.
It's a fun read that maybe could have been a bit quicker, but I understand wanting to develop the world and the characters to show the differences with other canon examples.
The friendships were fun and the evolution at the wrapup in the end is realistic, if not a bit sad.
Very interested to see what happens in the next book.
Moderate: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Stalking, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Grief, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Mental illness, Rape, Sexual violence, and Torture
imstephtacular's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Classism, Sexism, Misogyny, Violence, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Torture, Terminal illness, Stalking, Medical content, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, and Cursing
Minor: Grief and Bullying
ivybean's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Minor: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Murder, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Death, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Injury/Injury detail
notabookseller's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Confinement, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual assault, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Rape
mxbenjaminrose's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What Rachael Allen does here, however, was fantastic. The DC Icons series takes larger than life superhero characters and places them in more realistic settings to tell YA stories. Allen has really biting and meaningful commentary here on young women in STEM fields, issues of harassment and abuse cover-ups in higher education, family trauma, and more. In some ways it's a murder mystery, while also being a queer coming-of-age story for a brave young woman who has all the cards stacked against her.
At the same time, it's also an origin story for the anti-hero we know and love, Harley Quinn, and it feels close enough to her characterization in (recent) comics and TV that it *feels* like Harley Quinn. I was honestly impressed and surprised at how well fleshed out and engaging this was! I'm so glad it will be a trilogy, and thrilled to read Allen's take on the character introduced in the epilogue....
Graphic: Sexism and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Physical abuse, Murder, Death, Misogyny, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Stalking, Forced institutionalization, Alcoholism, and Kidnapping
jnl00700's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Misogyny, Violence, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Torture, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Rape, and Emotional abuse