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realmagicfakereality's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Islamophobia, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Murder, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Racism, War, Vomit, Sexual content, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Rape, Racial slurs, Infidelity, Drug use, Bullying, and Blood
bookhoarder2022's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I went into this book with high hopes & a friend’s recommendation.
It took me 6 months to read it, because I just couldn’t get GOING.
Once I finally made progress, my average expression was a grimace: there are so so so many fatphobic descriptions I could barely blink without some other mention about how someone was less attractive than high school with weigh gain playing a part every time.
Speaking of attraction, there is so much longing in this book for HS lovers the now almost-30-year-old main characters want to get back to & HS sexcapades that honestly just feel gross to me, reading as a just-turned-30 myself & thinking about my HS self. It’s weird.
Overall, there’s a strange way that HS seems to possess the minds and hearts of these characters in a way that just disturbed me.
2 stars for excellent characters (even though I found them miserable) & some interesting plot decisions. Would not read again.
It took me 6 months to read it, because I just couldn’t get GOING.
Once I finally made progress, my average expression was a grimace: there are so so so many fatphobic descriptions I could barely blink without some other mention about how someone was less attractive than high school with weigh gain playing a part every time.
Speaking of attraction, there is so much longing in this book for HS lovers the now almost-30-year-old main characters want to get back to & HS sexcapades that honestly just feel gross to me, reading as a just-turned-30 myself & thinking about my HS self. It’s weird.
Overall, there’s a strange way that HS seems to possess the minds and hearts of these characters in a way that just disturbed me.
2 stars for excellent characters (even though I found them miserable) & some interesting plot decisions. Would not read again.
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Addiction, Misogyny, Self harm, War, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Hate crime, Islamophobia, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Xenophobia, Drug use, Infidelity, Fatphobia, Sexual violence, Rape, Chronic illness, Religious bigotry, Body shaming, and Racial slurs
Minor: Infertility, Abortion, Eating disorder, and Suicidal thoughts
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