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c_dmckinney's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
The R slur is constantly used against an autistic child. The narrative treats it as a bad and disgusting, unacceptable thing, but it is still used a lot.123urmom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Racism, Kidnapping, and Alcohol
i live in a small town where slurs are said all the time. i read the rword more times than i’ve heard it in my life???? holy shit????hbella's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, and Violence
shayshays055's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Child death, Gun violence, Xenophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Eating disorder
a11yssa'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Bullying and Child death
Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Homophobia, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
ricksilva's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The setup is perhaps a bit overcomplicated, but the author does a nice job of working through the implications of all of this stuff happening at once. There are bullies who take over, only to get displaced by yet-more-evil bullies (we know they're more evil because these are private school bullies from the local boarding school for entitled troublemakers). The bullies soon become full-on comic book villains, complete with imperilment of the heroes' friends and loved ones, scheming and infighting, and the occasional good guy proclaiming that "it's a trap!"
Reluctant hero Sam and smart-girl Astrid take a long time to decide to fight back against the bullies, and they really have a hard time getting anything resembling a win, although they do somewhat pull things together in the climactic bit. Nobody is really all that competent at what they are trying to do, which is part of the point, since they're all just a bunch of middle school kids.
Really, what saves the story are some of the minor characters who mostly stay out of the fighting, but instead work hard to make sure the younger kids are taken care of and that everyone gets fed. I'd read an entire novel about Albert, the kid who, in the midst of the vanishing of all adults and the apparent collapse of civilization, takes it upon himself to keep the town's McDonald's up and running. This guy was the real hero of this story. More Albert, please.
Which we might get, because the book ends with the initial battle over, but without all that much resolved.
Graphic: Bullying, Torture, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Child death and Eating disorder
loz1327'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
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Racial slurs, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
villainessreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
b0redn0w's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Overall a good start. Can’t wait to see what happens next.
Graphic: Child death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Violence, Xenophobia, and Sexual harassment
abyanismangil's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Graphic: Child death, Eating disorder, and Injury/Injury detail