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toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition
Graphic: Alcohol, Homophobia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, and Grief
mxbenjaminrose'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? Yes
4.0
Washington handles parent-child relationships, romantic/sexual partnerships, and even professional relationships with insight and gentleness. I don't think there's a single relationship with completely healthy communication, but how many of us can say the same about our own families? Mitsuki and Ahmad are the sweetest and my favorites of the ensemble.
The main characters, Benson and Mike, have a deeply unhealthy relationship dynamic, which is enthralling but hard to read. It's a weird feeling to read a not-quite-romance novel with two POVs and be deeply rooting for each of them, but not rooting for them to be together.
All in all, this is a unique, emotional story with vibrant backdrops, beautiful prose, and angsty inner dialogue, so if that's your thing you will likely love this!
Graphic: Homophobia and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death, and Racism
Minor: Racial slurs and Alcohol
sorcha's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Grief, Homophobia, and Infidelity
Minor: Vomit, Physical abuse, Drug use, and Cursing
agnesg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, and Infidelity
Minor: Homophobia
ceedy'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
3.75
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, and Sexual content
mmaack24's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Grief, Racial slurs, and Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia and Racism
krystalgaia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Everything about this book is quietly tender, quietly palming my cheeks like a bruise. It makes you think of what it means to love, to let go, and to change, and loving the fact that you have the option to let go and therefore change. Whether that’s for the better or worse, no one knows: what matters is there is always an option, a choice, and what’s more important is you choose and act on it.
Washington’s sentences were very clean and clear. He said a lot by not saying a lot. The dialogue was topnotch but this novel’s power lies in the quiet moments, the scenes where it seems like nothing is happening when, in fact, everything is happening. He doesn’t adorn his words and simply tells the story as it is.
As Ocean Vuong said it, “this book made me happy.”
Graphic: Dysphoria, Sexual content, Racism, Death of parent, Cancer, Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Alcoholism
lucinotlucy'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? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Cancer, Sexual content, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Homophobia, and Violence
greatu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Addiction, Alcohol, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Grief, Racism, Sexual content, Cancer, Classism, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
shannahtan'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
3.5
I’m a sucker for a book that’s set in Houston. I loved recognizing the places and stories. It’s beautiful and reads quickly, but maybe I need a break from the trope of wounded people pushing everyone away and being assholes then everyone they love just kind of taking it in stride.
The title is quite poetic though. Memorial for Eiju, for their relationship? For the things they did wrong? But also Memorial Drive & Memorial Park in Houston.
Graphic: Racial slurs and Sexual content