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cjreadstoomuch's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Racism, and Infidelity
Moderate: Homophobia and Religious bigotry
cameronreads's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I'm not going to lie, I really struggled with how to rate this book. There was a lot about it that I really liked: I liked the podcast element, I thought some of the conversations were really powerful, and I think some of the representation was great, specifically the enby rep (which I can own-voices review). However I really don't know how to feel about the main character, and how she explored her bisexuality and polyamory. Mild spoilers, but she did so through cheating, and whilst the book certainly made that out to be a bad thing, there weren't as many consequences for that as it should have been, and I honestly don't think we need books that have this story line. It's harmful to portray cheating as simply a result of being polyamorous and not knowing it. Speaking of the main character, I didn't really like her. I didn't hate her, but I had absolutely no connection to her. She did feel very realistic in the sense that she didn't always make the right decisions and felt very messy, but I just didn't connect to her for some reason. I did like Max, but he was basically the only character I cared about. I also wasn't the biggest fan of the writing style, but that's not at all a fault of the book, just personal preference. There was only really one mood throughout the book, this sort of strange melancholy, and if that was the goal it was well done, but it also just meant I didn't really have a good time reading it. However, even though I'm criticising it a lot, there was just something about the book that made me like it. I think maybe because it felt so truthful? I would believe that this was a snippet of a real person's life, and that made it very realistic (but also not especially interesting). I seriously don't know how I felt about this.
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia and Religious bigotry
Cheatingmelaniereadsbooks's review against another edition
challenging
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
4.0
This was such a messy book because of how messy the main character is, but I really liked it. I thought it was a pretty unique concept and I enjoyed the podcast parts and the format. I really really love that this book had poly rep because that is so hard to find! This character is definitely not an ideal representation of what it means to be poly but I also think those parts were pointed out well. Even though this character cheats and that is a huge stereotype for bisexual and polyamorous people, but that stereotype is pointed out and it's clear from the characters that this isn't supposed to be a positive representation of that group. I also really loved Max and thought he was a great character to stabilize what was going on with Lee!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Minor: Racism and Homophobia
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