Scan barcode
oversherin'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
This book is incredibly violent and dark. You get right into the mind of the characters who are deeply troubled and hateful people who are wrecked by their environment. Chapters are long dark spirals into the depths of these characters and their darkest thoughts imaginable. Despite this, Melchor is very skilled in giving them just enough humanity that I empathized with them and wanted to stick it out to the end. As other reviewers have said, this book is deeply, disturbingly, honest in a way I have never read before. To me, the hardest part of this book is that most of the characters are children who are wrapped up in the worst of the world. The run-on prose took adjustment, but I found it very natural by middle.
Overall, I thought the story was compelling and timeless. I gritted my teeth through the whole book and had to scan some chapters because I just couldn't stomach it. However, I respect this book and the stories it's telling. There is more truth to this book than I'd like to face. It definitely affected me in an artful way.
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Incest, Child abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Rape
snovella'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Incest, Sexual violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Racism, Murder, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, and Transphobia
chloesevigny's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Incest, Drug abuse, Death, Animal cruelty, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, and Homophobia
savvylit's review against another edition
Graphic: Miscarriage, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, Animal death, Child abuse, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, Blood, Homophobia, Misogyny, Violence, and Transphobia
dogmp3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Incest, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Vomit, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Suicide, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Cursing, Misogyny, Murder, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Police brutality, Sexual content, Death, Drug use, and Rape
marija99's review against another edition
Graphic: Drug abuse, Murder, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Violence, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Rape, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Sexual assault
unboxedjack's review against another edition
- 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
2.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Child death, Cursing, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Hate crime, Rape, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Incest, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Abortion, Death, Infidelity, and Sexual assault
torismazarine's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Child abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Abortion, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Car accident, Child death, Excrement, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Outing, Sexual assault, Torture, Abandonment, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Medical content, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Gun violence, Infertility, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Classism, Rape, Racism, Death, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Transphobia, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
readingwithsierra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Transphobia, Drug abuse, Drug use, Death, Rape, Hate crime, Domestic abuse, Child death, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Gore, Addiction, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Racism, Homophobia, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Incest, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, and Animal cruelty
ecandrews0's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Racism, Torture, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Sexual content, Abortion, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug abuse, Incest, Body shaming, Death, Homophobia, Sexism, Police brutality, Misogyny, Pedophilia, and Pregnancy