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chuckielittle'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
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Body shaming, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, Stalking, and Torture
Moderate: Kidnapping, Addiction, Alcoholism, Police brutality, Mental illness, Infidelity, Self harm, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Gaslighting
louisallama'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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Stalking, Sexual content, Misogyny, and Murder
Moderate: Car accident, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Confinement, and Gaslighting
headstuckinabook's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Confinement and Death
unnamed_individual's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
2. Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
3. Writing Style: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4. Audience: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
5. Lasting Impact: ⭐️
Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Body horror, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Murder
thebearnest's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Confinement, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Stalking, Infidelity, Murder, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Grief, Car accident, and Death
phantomgecko's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Think of the whiniest, most foul-mouthed little incel you can, and that's this dude. Note how many times he refers to women as objects. How many times he reduces Beck to her sexual availability or genitals. How many times he misinterprets media to justify his actions. Also, lol at how judgmental he is about books. I think this is a more fun variation than being super judgmental about music or comics or video games.
Joe is seven layers of delusional, from thinking Beck is obsessed with him to awaiting the collapse of the internet so he can lord it over with his typewriters to thinking he ever helped anyone. However, some of what I thought he was making up at the beginning turned out to be close to the truth. Like how he says that Beck loves attention and is an exhibitionist. Still, I'd categorize him as an unreliable narrator.
Beck isn't a great person either. She has real issues and a way annoying personality. Joe's observation that she wants to be a writer more than she wants to write is spot on. Nevertheless, a victim is a victim whether or not they are "innocent" or you personally dislike them.
One of the book club questions at the end asked something along the lines of, "did you find yourself wishing Joe would be punished for his crimes or did you want him to get away with it?" And like... ?????????? If you found yourself sympathetic to Joe's self-imposed, imaginary, selfish plight, maybe you need help too?
I honestly cannot adequately express how despicable the main character is. I understand that that is the point. I feel dirty for reading this book, tbh, and I'm not continuing the series. Joe is too accurately written, and that's too depressing for me.
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity, Kidnapping, Car accident, Classism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Death, Misogyny, Murder, Bullying, Confinement, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, and Mental illness
theskyboi's review against another edition
Graphic: Murder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Death, Drug use, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Blood, Infidelity, Child abuse, Confinement, and Gaslighting
wyabook234'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
5.0
Graphic: Stalking, Murder, Confinement, Kidnapping, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: Police brutality
bccorrea's review
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Stalking, Toxic friendship, Car accident, Confinement, Blood, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Death, Murder, and Toxic relationship
shannonleestrouse's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Stalking, Confinement, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting