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melissafirman's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
1. I'm a big fan of Jennifer Finney Boylan's writing and a bit less so of Jodi Picoult's. To be honest, I probably wouldn't have picked this up if JFB wasn't a co-author. For those new to her work, I highly recommend her novel Long Black Veil and memoir I'm Looking Through You: Growing Up Haunted. This is the third book of Jodi Picoult's I've read and all have been 3 stars.
2. For most of the first half (perhaps even 3/4) of the book, I was fully invested in the plot, wanting to know what happened. I felt the pacing was excellent, up to a particular point.
3. I loved Lily, felt like I knew her, and was truly sorry she was dead. (Not a spoiler-it's right on the book jacket.)
As we got closer to the end, however, it felt like several key aspects started to unravel. Mostly, I HAVE ISSUES AND LOTS OF QUESTIONS. Rant below:
Some other issues: There's a lot about beekeeping, almost too much. I think those sections could have been greatly condensed. Plus, there are a lot of heavy topics included in this novel (read the trigger warnings) and that felt a bit like trauma p**n at times, not to mention repetitive, particularly regarding Olivia's relationship with her ex-husband. Overall, this could have been much shorter.
3.5 stars.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Murder, Outing, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Bullying, Self harm, and Child death
Minor: Abortion and Stalking
annabelreadsandwrites'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
4.25
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Transphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Death, Deadnaming, Violence, Toxic relationship, Outing, Hate crime, Dysphoria, Murder, Misogyny, Medical content, Gaslighting, and Child abuse
Moderate: Bullying, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Sexual content, Cursing, Torture, Blood, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Mass/school shootings, Stalking, and Car accident
rachelmerrie'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
5.0
Hated part of the ending: (VAGUE SPOILER)
Why did she get a slap on the wrist when he would’ve had his whole life taken from him?
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Transphobia, Sexual content, Stalking, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Medical content, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Alcohol, Murder, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Gaslighting, Child death, Child abuse, Body shaming, Homophobia, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Death, Cursing, Confinement, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Outing, and Hate crime
bitesizedbeet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Deadnaming, Child abuse, Grief, Outing, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Self harm, Transphobia, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Confinement, Death of parent, Animal death, Car accident, Stalking, Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Medical content, Alcohol, and Sexual content