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rochelleisreading's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Car accident, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Gun violence, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Grief, Classism, Drug use, Stalking, and Drug abuse
Minor: Infidelity, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Infertility
mal_reads_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
However, it gave me weird vibes at times.
The "male gaze" experiment at the beginning was weird and didn't relate to the rest of the story.
The anti-religious parents were stereotypical liberals who don't even say "bless you" or celebrate Christmas. They have discussions with the child about private parts and exposing oneself, even buying a graphic sex book for the child. The main character is Christian and saves the child from the parents
There were also fatphobic statements like "she ballooned to a size eight", which is not even fat. The main character criticized her mom for being fat and unhelpful, but all is well when she loses weight.
Other issues include one-dimensional stereotypical characters such the crazy right-wing neighbor and the main character's landscaper Latino friend, and how technology turns children into zombies.
To an extent, I enjoyed the book. I liked its originality with the drawings. Unfortunately, it got heavy-handed with the political and religious ideology, especially toward the end.
Graphic: Murder, Addiction, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Fatphobia, Sexual content, Misogyny, and Racism
annahamburger's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Car accident, Drug use, Grief, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, and Classism
Minor: Confinement, Dysphoria, Infertility, Transphobia, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Cursing, Dementia, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Blood, and Infidelity
alisonfaith426's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Racism, and Transphobia
Moderate: Alcohol, Classism, Cursing, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Dementia
toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
First though, I do want to bring up its merits, because I think that it has some.
Things I liked: It's set in a small town based on a real town that not only is near to where I live but that I've been to several times and it mentions several landmarks that are familiar to me. I also liked the illustration elements and how they get spookier and spookier as the book goes on.
Things I didn't like: Pretty much everything else but especially the big plot twist at the end. Absolutely the stupidest thing in the world. Made half of the book absolutely pointless. This could've been edited down to just 200 pages and it would've been better and not as much of a waste of time.
I only add the half a star because I have a soft spot for the small town that the book is based on.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Racism, Fatphobia, Car accident, Infertility, Drug use, Addiction, Death, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Xenophobia, Excrement, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, Child death, and Infidelity
Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual assault
Minor: Rape
annabulkowski's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Drug abuse, Child death, Car accident, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
moiralyle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Death, and Addiction
Moderate: Blood, Car accident, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Racism
Minor: Confinement, Infertility, and Sexual content