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gabb_reads'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
3.5
Graphic: Sexual content, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Alcohol, Abortion, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Misogyny, Medical content, and Drug abuse
Minor: Infertility and Animal death
toofondofbooks_'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
As for drawbacks to this book, I think that more could have happened in the second half and I'm surprised that it didn't. There was a stretch of pages where it seemed like not much of anything was happening, and though I was never *bored* exactly, I was waiting for the pace to pick up.
Overall, this was a really great, quick read, and if you've been thinking about picking it up, here's your sign!
Graphic: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Police brutality
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Infertility, Murder, Vomit, and War
Minor: Religious bigotry
sunpuddles'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Abortion, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Drug use, Grief, Medical content, and Toxic relationship
pastelwriter'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
My favorite thing about this book is how self-aware Edie is. Edie knows why she does the things she does. She understands the problems in certain decisions she chooses to make.
Edie also openly talks about the emotional labor women put into trying to make a relationship “work”—especially in the case when dating men. This whole balancing act of trying not to be too critical but also not too complacent. She fully understands that she craves male attention and affirmation despite not really needing it to be her own person. She also addresses the exhaustion of having to educate others when she’s dating and vehemently not wanting to do that.
In terms of character dynamics, though, my favorite interactions in this novel were between Edie and Rebecca, and Edie and Akila. With Rebecca, there was just so much rich tension between the two of them that I found myself looking forward to when they would be in the same space together. In terms of her relationship with Akila, I love how both of them are somewhat skittish because they don’t want to exclusively bond over the fact that they are both a young black woman and a black girl living in a predominantly white community. And yet. The two of them end up forming this sweet relationship—a kind of mentor-mentee thing that was also its own delight to read.
All in all, there’s so much more I could say about this book. It’s genuinely the type of book I wish I had read for class because it would make for such rich classroom discussion. Regardless, I see how clever this book is, and I really appreciate it.
P.S. I purposefully did not talk about Eric (is that even his name?) because I really did not care about that boring white man and his mid-life crisis.
Graphic: Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Police brutality
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Domestic abuse
There are a couple of instances where men publicly exposing their genitalia and masturbating are mentioned.cheye13'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
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My critiques, if implimented, would have ruined the book. There was no thread of whimsy to brighten it, which was intentional. The story didn't really kick off until the mid-point, but the depth of the opening was integral. I preferred reading about Rebecca and Akila and wished Eric were less present, but there would be no Rebecca or Akila in Edie's life without Eric.
This novel portrays the tragedy of Edie's reality in the most beautiful way possible, but the portrayal is too faithful to reality for me.
Graphic: Blood, Medical content, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Abortion, Animal death, Death, Death of parent, Infertility, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, and Suicide
Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Car accident, Cursing, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Rape, and Vomit
capote65's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Miscarriage, and Racism
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Infertility, Drug use, Violence, and Misogyny
Minor: Animal death and Suicidal thoughts