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joensign's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Suicide and Death of parent
gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
While all 4 of them live in their privileged bubble of the art scene in 2011-2012, it was fascinating to see their character growth when all they need to worry about is how they’ll make money off their art, how they as people are perceived (which is tied to how to make money), their relationships with art and other artists.
The characters find their own muses in a way that feels genuine to them, even if ultimately I felt like shaking them by the shoulders to be like “OMG what are you DOING”.
This academia novel was a delicious jewel to listen to.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Infidelity, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Addiction and Drug use
paradicsomleves's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide
luise96's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Sexual assault
Minor: Death of parent
m1923's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Suicide and Death of parent
erinpoo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
“Often, Karina would come home to find that Louisa had spent the evening painting swampy landscapes or fantastical birds or great, greedy, oceanic swaths of sky, the kind of sky that didn’t exist in New York and never would.”
my reverence for this book transcends all limits of language. in every way, this was a breathtaking kunstlerroman. it was magnetic, and it holds your attention even as it is fractured into different voices and perspectives; you’re never really broken out of the story until you arrive at the very ending (which still haunts me to this day). it’s just such an enrapturing depiction of the [contemporary] art world, of ambition and academia. at some point it unraveled a provocative discussion around how cutthroat the industry is, and how brutal it is to even pursue art in itself with capitalist forces, competition, commercialism, class, or generally the influence art has on its creators and audiences of all genders and ages. one thing i noted was also how it touches on the individualism that is demanded, if not coming naturally, in order to survive in the creative trenches lol
whilst this would have been a five star if there were no men (i don’t even say this to be funny, i genuinely thought their point of views were rather unnecessary and contributed nothing very substantial, louisa and karina is a love story for the ages and i stand by that!
Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Racism, Rape, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide
dixiecarroll's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, Rape, Suicide, Vomit, Dementia, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
cdingler07's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual content
Moderate: Suicide and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism
leefox's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Biphobia, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, and Death of parent
vera_nikolajevna's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Drug use and Sexual assault
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide