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peachyykenn'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Bullying, Cancer, and Medical content
reallbee'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Violence
sierrabowers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
ziggypop's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use, Self harm, Suicide, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Animal death and Vomit
midnightrain_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
it's strange to know that whenever I remember myself at fifteen, I'll think of this
This novel is in conversation with Nabokov's Lolita, which I quite enjoyed, especially given that the name of the novel comes from the author's 'Pale Fire'. One thing that's different from Lolita though, is that this is the perspective of the victim. The writing style manages to pull you in, while staying quite simple and accessible.
Some moments that really manage to capture my reading experience:
I wonder how much victimhood they'd be willing to grant a girl like me
The excuses we make for them are outrageous but they’re nothing compared to the ones we make for ourselves
When Strane and I met, I was fifteen and he was forty two, a near perfect thirty years between us. That’s how I described the difference back then - perfect
Because even if I sometimes use the word abuse to describe certain things that were done to me, in someone else’s mouth the word turns ugly and absolute. It swallows up everything that happened
This isn't a book that you will enjoy, mainly because your jaw might be on the ground for half of it, and if you're sensitive to the topics in it (or have experienced being groomed) then it's definitely not for you. However it is absolutely a book that helps you understand and sympathize with victims, and is an important read for people, who have never went through such trauma. Definitely check the trigger warnings beforehand though!
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Misogyny, and Death of parent
Minor: Medical content and Alcohol
clo_l's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Dark, beautiful, captivating, nauseating, intense.
Amazing.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Animal death, Eating disorder, Excrement, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
va1entine'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
i find it deliciously frustrating to not know and understand what goes on in strane’s head. we never know if she was the only one. we never know how far things went with others.
i also find the depictions of vanessa’s dissociation from the sexual acts perfectly showcases what she experienced in this relationship. for strane, that was his priority—that’s why he forces so quickly to that point once they reached it the first time. but for vanessa, the parts she fixated on and remembered so deeply are the emotional moments. she remembers the moments they shared together that were emotionally intimate and vulnerable. at her core, vanessa wanted camaraderie and for people to be around her. strane took advantage of that, as a predator, to get what he wanted.
it’s a haunting, chilling story. i found it hard to read and harder to put down.
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Rape
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Alcohol
matildamercury's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
bookmark3brodi'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? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
alishamegan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
if masses of people misinterpret your book for exactly the opposite message of what you as the author intended maybe it is not a good enough book to convey that message?
if society has not reached that level of collective consciousness where they would read lolita and automatically condemn the abuser and rally around the victim-survivor then maybe it needs to be more EXPLICITLY anti-CSA and supportive of the victim?
THIS book is that. By being from the perspective of the girl child (and later woman) and her being a complicated, 'imperfect' (whatever that and whatever 'perfect' is meant to be) victim-survivor it gives a real, grounded narrative and experience.
I felt sick reading this but I could not stop reading it constantly. It also made me angry.
men are so $%^$%&$^*"^%^$%^5 URGH like FUCK OFF YOU CREEP
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment