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bitterpearl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Suicide, Mental illness, Gore, Physical abuse, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Body horror, Sexual assault, Death, Sexual harassment, Violence, Cannibalism, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Pregnancy, Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Pandemic/Epidemic, Blood, and Child death
nadalien's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Slavery, Sexual violence, Rape, Pregnancy, Kidnapping, Death, Self harm, Abandonment, Death of parent, Child death, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, and Body horror
lyfeistrip's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Body horror, Genocide, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Gore, Medical trauma, Murder, Rape, Slavery, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Child death, Suicide attempt, Animal death, Blood, Death, Gun violence, Self harm, Cannibalism, Sexism, Cursing, and Terminal illness
lilybear3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
4.75
On the surface, the book is very straightforward and sentences are mainly stating what a character is doing or feeling, what the environment is, etc. However, every now and then, we get a poetic and philosophical paragraph that wants the reader to stop and think. This book is not a feel good book and there are some gruesome imagery at times, but it's not extremely pessimistic either. There is hope, even if just a little. Other themes are love, loss, grief, and humanity.
I think this modern classic is really accessible, the writing isn't too complicated, except for a few words here and there that I didn't recognize. I've seen other reviews question why there aren't quotation marks when characters are speaking and the lack of apostrophes in contractions like "cant." These details are intentional. As a reader, I could still understand who was talking based on how dialogue is laid out in other books. I'm speculating here, but I think it represents the fall of structure and formality, almost all of humanity is gone. It might also be hinting at the lack of education and need for written language.
I love a dystopian and I love that there are so many scenarios that fit that description. There aren't a lot of details as to why the world has turned out this way, but I kind of like that the reader doesn't know and that is left to their own imagination. I thought it might be a statement on environmental issues, but we just don't know. Obviously, reading this in 2023 has made me compare it to more recent media like "The Last of Us," but I don't think that's a bad thing. Both The Road and "The Last of Us" have similar themes, as mentioned above.
I could write an essay on this book. I wasn't sure what I was walking into (I encourage you to do this with any book you read), but I ended up enjoying this a lot. I couldn't put this book down.
Graphic: Body horror, Murder, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Death of parent, Chronic illness, and Death
Moderate: Cannibalism
Minor: Animal death, Rape, Self harm, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, and Pregnancy
clarissajs's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
0.5
I didn't find myself unable to put it down or impatient to get back to it. I think I just wanted to finish it so I could start a new book. I said to my partner last night that "I kept waiting for them to explain what happened leading up to this story, by the time I realised that wasn't going to happen, I had less than 100 pages left and thought I may as well finish it."
It was short, continuous and repetitive. You don't find out much about anything, the plot and characters are like poorly kept secrets, that you only get little bits of through the book. Overall, I would rate it as okay. I wouldn't recommend it.
This story could've been something amazing, it could have been a political statement on climate change or something (the world literally burnt). Instead, it left a lot to question and even more to our imaginations.
Moderate: Cannibalism, Death, Grief, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
Minor: Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Violence