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01ivia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Abandonment, Torture, Animal death, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Blood, Body horror, and Sexual content
Minor: Murder, Drug use, and Addiction
ameliasbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
The writing is strong most of the time, but the story can't keep up with it. Too many side characters, whose stories don't get really elaborated and I could have really done without this totally uninteresting son of a celebrity mother.
I'm rating this a bit higher, because of the strong writing. The story gave me sadness and loneliness (which I'm totally here for), but apart from that, there wasn't enough meat to the bone for me.
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, and Misogyny
Moderate: Drug use and Alcoholism
acorn192k's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, and Violence
Minor: Drug use and Animal cruelty
maevebm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Adult/minor relationship, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Blood, Stalking, Pregnancy, Cursing, Drug use, and Infidelity
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Abortion
calamitydane's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty
bethany_grace's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Infertility, Animal death, Blood, Death, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, and Animal cruelty
sofiajearally's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I want to start by pointing out how gorgeous Tess Gunty's writing is! It sometimes might be over-flourished for some readers but it was mind-blowing for me. Besides, she can really change her style to fit the characters or the setting of the scenes, which makes the writing never boring.
However, I struggled to get through the first quarter of the book and ended up reading it over the course of several months. Both because life happened so I couldn't read much but also because I felt that the story dragged on and on and on. In fact, I felt like there was no story because of the multiple storylines that added up to nothing. That is, until the chapter Variables (the girls that get it, get it). Suddenly, I couldn't put the book down. Then there were a few good chapters until the rise to the climax but I was a bit less invested.
So, when I finished it, I didn't really know what to think. Did I like it? I wasn't sure, beside that chapter. But I knew I wanted to skim it in order to annotate it because of the superb writing. When doing that, it hit me, I understood some of the author's choices way better in terms of storylines and realized it all came together by the end of the book. However, I stand by the fact that some things could have been cut off or shortened to make the whole more coherent and cohesive.
So, if like me you struggle at the beginning, please try to persevere for your own sake, it's really worth it!
To finish, I want to talk about Blandine's character. I didn't like her at first. But as the story went by and especially when I went back to annotate the book, I understood what had happened: she's seen by every character as this I'm-not-like-other-girls type of girl/manic pixie dream girl, and I fell for it too! But when you pay attention when it's her POV, she's just a girl. A teenage girl. Sure she can seem a bit weird but first off, she's traumatized and second, who's never had specific interests others deemed as weird as a teenager or wanted to dye their hair? She's actually very relatable, like when she plucks her leg hairs thinking of all the other things she could be doing instead, or the whole story with James (he's an ass and I hate him more and more by the way). So yeah, go Blandine!
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Violence, Animal death, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood and Gore
Minor: Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Drug use, and Medical content
januaryghosts's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Blood, Classism, Self harm, and Drug use
carlyellefsen's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Drug use and Adult/minor relationship
abisnail564's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Animal death, Sexual content, Death, Animal cruelty, Violence, and Child abuse
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Drug use, and Death of parent
Minor: Abortion and Suicidal thoughts