Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune

76 reviews

elliott_the_clementine's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

In one word: Banter. God-tier banter, with a fun, self-aware plot and characters impossible not to love. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, Death of parent, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Police brutality

flourished1's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Panic attacks/disorders

mallorypen's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

If you enjoy secondhand embarrassment, this is the book for you!

In all seriousness, the cringe of this novel was strong. I get that we're in the mind of a 16 year old boy with ADHD and apparently a high threshold for shame, but I found Nick to be insufferable as a protagonist. The level of devotion he earns from Seth doesn't necessarily make sense - aside from the "becoming friends on the playground as kids" element, I don't understand why Seth likes him so much. Nick is entirely self-centered for 90% of the novel, and even his moments of bravery and selflessness aren't entirely altruistic.

The bad self-insert RPF fanfiction element didn't help with the cringe, either. And I don't think I reacted strongly to it because it was cringy and bad; but it did feel like TJ Klune was inviting us to laugh at Nick through his bad fanfiction, which didn't sit right.

It might have been a stylistic choice, but I also found some of the dialogue to be a little wooden - especially from Owen, who sounded more and more like a comic book villain as the story progressed.

The redeeming factors for this novel were mostly from the relationship between Nick and his father (very believable), the quasi-but-not-entirely unique take on superhero stories, and for the moments of great heart; I personally don't think this is an example of TJ Klune at his heartfelt, empathetic best, but there were definitely bits and pieces that felt poignant and wholesome amid the nonsensical choices that felt like even a step too far for the excuse of "but they were dumb teenage boys."

All in all, not my favorite. I even technically DNF'd because I couldn't stand the final bit of bad fanfic at the end.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Death of parent

thecandiegirl's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• 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

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Cursing, Death of parent, Blood, Grief, Sexual content, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Mental illness, Violence, and Vomit

starsnstitchin's review

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Outing, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Bullying, Child death, Classism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Kidnapping, Murder, Pedophilia, and Vomit

fkshg8465's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny lighthearted 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

3.25

This was a super cute book. I had to see it aside at first because I had trouble getting into it, but once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed it. That said, there wasn’t anything special enough to get this to four stars. The other odd good books I’ve read were much better, but I think this was his debut YA book, and it was a solid very good, and there were several moments I nearly spit up my drink while laughing.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Death, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Grief

djierie's review

emotional funny lighthearted 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

2.75

It was good for a laugh here and there, but all the copaganda put a damper on most of the fun.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Police brutality, Death of parent, and Death

keiwald's review

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• 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

The book is written is such a delightful tone. The author did a great job of narrating in a way that makes you feel inside the main characters head and follow his scattered ADHD  fueled thoughts. 
Also the secondhand embarrassment is real. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Kidnapping

Minor: Death, Drug use, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content

fnord's review

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Superhero self-insert fanfic goes sideways. An excellent fictive description of ADHD drives the main character’s story, with supportive friends accepting his flaws and successes. The story and characters give readers ample clues about what might be going on, but we are kept guessing until the exciting climax. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Body horror

evelynyle_88's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death of parent

Moderate: Ableism, Violence, and Police brutality