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writingcaia'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
3.75
In truth, this could have been told as a normal YA coming out and coming of age contemporary story, with a bit more trauma maybe, but the author chose well to explore the themes of abuse, neglect, bullying, school shootings (gun violence), racism, mental health and coming out as gay with a horror story.
The book shifts between two POVs, that of Sawyer, the white, blond, gay boy, abused by all, with a severe psychosis bordering on sociopathy and the main character’s POV, Jake, one of the only Black students at a white Christian school where his brother is the known bad boy all girls fall for and he’s the loser spaced out most of the time because he’s a medium, thus is haunted at all times by ghosts and more, which is how he meets Sawyer.
Give it a go, it’s definitely worth it if the themes interest you and you like funky visual, supernatural horror.
Graphic: Bullying, Gun violence, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Racism, and Blood
Moderate: Abandonment, Vomit, Child abuse, and Pedophilia
Minor: Racial slurs
jackiie'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Bullying, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Racism, Stalking, Car accident, Child abuse, Outing, Violence, Suicide, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Blood, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, and Drug use
saurahsaurus's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
I understand the role that the violence played in the book, and it fit. Just wasn’t prepared for it going in.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Child death, Racism, Death, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Incest, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Mental illness, Outing, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Car accident, Cursing, Gore, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Transphobia
Minor: Animal death, Abandonment, Infidelity, and Police brutality
ehmannky'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? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Child death, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Toxic friendship and Abandonment
wrensreadingroom's review
4.0
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Bullying, Incest, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Cursing, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Classism, Medical content, Car accident, and Child death
helliepad'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? No
5.0
I love that he's gay I love that everybody has a story I love that no page goes to waste. Amazing read and thank God I'm busy with work or else I'll be very sad if I finished this in one day.
Graphic: Homophobia, Bullying, Car accident, Murder, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Racism, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, and Death
Minor: Abandonment
ghostlyprince's review against another edition
Graphic: Abandonment, Ableism, Child death, Gun violence, Murder, Racism, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Mass/school shootings, and Suicide
jo_lzr'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Gore, Murder, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Violence, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Rape and Pedophilia
parasolcrafter'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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Mass/school shootings, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism and Drug use
apieceofjaaay'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
3.5
Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, Mass/school shootings, Violence, Sexual assault, and Abandonment