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endraia's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.75
bookish_alone's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I don't think I connected to this as much as I was supposed to be. But liked it though. Also Benson says "I/she/he didn't say shit" just an observation.
audcan's review against another edition
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- 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
Beautifully written but painful
goodbyeisabella's review against another edition
This book isn’t completely horrible but I simply wasn’t enjoying it. Like at all. I had no positive feelings 20% of the way through so why keep reading? Life’s too short
ambergamgee's review against another edition
3.0
I’m gonna be honest, I was a little bored. I had a hard time caring...am I a jerk?
But I really appreciate (spoilers) that they don’t end up together at the end and that that’s OK! I’m always telling folks it’s ok for someone to be an ex, it doesn’t diminish you, them, or your ability to love just because it didn’t work out forever. I have pieces of me, for better and for worse, from each ex, and I don’t even regret the assholes.
But I really appreciate (spoilers) that they don’t end up together at the end and that that’s OK! I’m always telling folks it’s ok for someone to be an ex, it doesn’t diminish you, them, or your ability to love just because it didn’t work out forever. I have pieces of me, for better and for worse, from each ex, and I don’t even regret the assholes.
sadhbhprice's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Infidelity, Grief, Death of parent, Cancer, and Homophobia
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racism, and Abandonment
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Child abuse, Alcohol, Physical abuse, and Drug use
lordfarquaadhaircut's review against another edition
5.0
absolutely could not stop reading. i care so much for these people who are me and also not me. everything felt so deep and hollow like it was filling me up and scooping me out. in every sense except literal i devoured this book. if i could eat it i would but it’s a hardcover. yum but wow. i’m reeling. what a great read. i was dreading getting closer and closer to that last page. acknowledgments broke my heart. no wonder it’s won like every award. 5 stars. 10 stars. whatever. “there are no wastes. either nothing is a waste, or everything is a waste”
sarahkenway's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.0
Very literary so needed a bit of concentration to read but I quite liked the final section of reflecting on how to know if it's the right decision to be with someone - it was interesting to come back to Benson's perspective after hearing from Mike. But overall this one didn't really capture me.
bethchatsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I really wanted to like this book much more than I ended up actually enjoying it. The author has so much potential and I loved the main characters especially Mike, Benson and Mike’s Mother. But the plot lacked focus and felt too flimsy. I know this author is more well known for his poetry and maybe this book was just the authors’ way of working out the kinks in his writing style while he was adapting from poetry to narrative form.
I will certainly read anything else this author writes as his character development was fantastic. But the slow nature of the relationship between Benson and Mike was too frustrating for me and they spent most of the novel apart in separate countries which meant we spent more time with filler narratives than their own on/off romance.
Thanks to Atlantic Books, Bryan Washington the author and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
I will certainly read anything else this author writes as his character development was fantastic. But the slow nature of the relationship between Benson and Mike was too frustrating for me and they spent most of the novel apart in separate countries which meant we spent more time with filler narratives than their own on/off romance.
Thanks to Atlantic Books, Bryan Washington the author and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
easyvisionary's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
“One day, I was lying on the sofa, dozing, and Eiju just stared. I asked what he was looking at.
My son, he said.
Stop that, I said.
Okay, he said, and I knew I'd regret saying that for the rest of my life.”
My son, he said.
Stop that, I said.
Okay, he said, and I knew I'd regret saying that for the rest of my life.”