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jessidaisy's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Deadnaming, Police brutality, Abortion, and Child death
Minor: Abandonment, Animal death, and Pregnancy
onion's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Racism, Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Drug use, Alcohol, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Medical content, Miscarriage, and Misogyny
Minor: Pregnancy, War, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, and Police brutality
gracer0sew'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
4.0
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Abortion, Racism, and Police brutality
Minor: Abandonment, Grief, and Pregnancy
davidbythebay'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
3.5
Don't get me wrong, I still have some issues with the story. First of all, it was sometimes disjointed almost in that things just happened and felt like there was no thought behind it by the characters. For example - and this is in the description and not a spoiler - when Edie (our main character) becomes unemployed and invited to live with this family given everything that is knowingly going on here by the parties. It just reads as odd. I get setting aside differences and emotions in an emergency situation, but taking someone in whom you think so little of and then seem to be friends with, back and forth on this endless spectrum of what's going on here.
The writing was absolutely lovely, on the whole. Some things were a little over written (poetic to the point of overdoing it) but mostly it was a pleasant read. One issue I had was, and this is something small, the hipster-vibe of acknowledging and naming the patriarchy/capitalism/what-have-you in the middle of a rant. I just don't like a conversation - and I have actually been privy to these happening in real life and even then they feel staged - where something happens and it is named by the grander concept that it embodies. I know this is a patriarchal matter you are discussing and having opinions on. I don't need to be bluntly slapped by that wet fish.
All of that aside, I enjoyed the writing and liked the story. It touched on several important topics and ideas, but sometimes it dealt with them very briefly and it came across as being dismissive. (I'm talking about the key scene in particular. If you know, you know.) As it stands, it was an enjoyable bit of reading but nothing I really connected with. I may just be done with the whole millennial/Gen Z sarcastic "wokeness" even though I am technically called a millennial/Gen Z. It's something that tends to be blunt and generalized without nuance or tact. Luster did not paint with such a wide indiscriminate brush, but it definitely created some bright strokes.
Better than an average book, but just not my taste. 3.5 Stars
Graphic: Drug use, Infidelity, Blood, Miscarriage, Racism, Sexual content, Abortion, and Alcohol
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, Animal death, Grief, Stalking, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, and Death
Minor: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
blackloreuk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I didn’t really like the fact that Eric was white but raven may have done that to present the racial and gender power dynamics.
Raven gives a backstory to every aspect and helps us understand Edie thought process in everything she does. She doesn’t justify or try and make her character a victim she simply talks about it. Helps the reader really understand what is happening in the book!
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Abandonment, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug use, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, and Medical trauma
biancaaabrown'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
4.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Classism, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Infidelity, Addiction, Abortion, Violence, Police brutality, Miscarriage, and Drug use
nicolepaul_ine'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
4.5
Moderate: Abortion, Miscarriage, and Infidelity
Minor: Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Racism, and Pregnancy
sib_reads'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
1.5
Graphic: Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Medical content, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Minor: Abandonment, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Rape, Infertility, Addiction, Grief, Cancer, Car accident, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, and Physical abuse
saffista'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
1.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Body shaming, Classism, and Emotional abuse
culown'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Infidelity, Medical content, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit