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morebedsidebooks's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Murder, Blood, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Alcoholism, Animal death, Car accident, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Trafficking
Minor: Racism, Homophobia, Cancer, and Death of parent
Also contains scenes of genital mutilation and substance abuse.amoremeg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Drug use, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Suicide, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Homophobia, Vomit, and Excrement
sphinx_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
With so many characters and happenings in this book, I tried my best to think what is the overarching theme. The best I have is that everyone has their own circumstances, some way grimmer than others. And while the lives of the characters here tangle in a mess, they end up the cause and effect, the reason for someone's pain, etc. - all of their actions stem from how they were taught around them and how their lives had been. They try to live comfortably or move forward in a way they know. For example,
Lacke buries all what-could-bes through alcohol until it was too late.
Tommy, probably not over his father's death, can't agree with his mother having a new relationship so he thinks of rebelling or stripping himself away from the household instead.
Virginia... deserved so much more.
The list can go on, and the characters makes so much sense because of their narratives and backstories presented. (Except for Hakan, lol. Fuck him.)
My heart goes out for many characters but mostly for Eli and Oskar. Two kids who only want to find connection and play, just like any kids should without having to be bullied. Without having to be chasen around. With all the "flaws" the people see around them, they don't see it as such. They appreciate each other which is wholesome af in a very dark story as this.
There were so many parts that were difficult to read. I abhor the bullying (and all unspeakable things. iykyk) but what made me stay with the story are truly the characters. The characters, man. The characters.
Graphic: Gore, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Bullying, Homophobia, Violence, and Body horror
Minor: Rape
thefigtree's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
the novel is uncomfortable to read and at many parts made me physically curl up and cringe but it's good and it's clever and i liked it. it definitely could have gone on for another 100/150 pages and been an appropriate length too (with a more fleshed out ending!!!!).
it's definitely going to throw you off if you go in for the vampires (or because it often gets advertised just as a 'lgbtq vampire book'), you have to be prepared for the content and how it's handled, but if you are it goes to show that when vampires are done well it really does work.
Graphic: Bullying, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, and Rape
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Self harm, and Suicide
Minor: Vomit, Domestic abuse, and Homophobia
lizardgod'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Homophobia, Murder, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Trafficking, Drug abuse, and Transphobia
vixenreader'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Classism, Death, Pedophilia, Torture, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Outing
Moderate: Animal death, Alcoholism, Cursing, Homophobia, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Sexual content
Minor: Abandonment, Excrement, Racial slurs, and Vomit
There is a graphic scene of a young boy being castrated, and the pedophilia in the book is quite prevalent. The gender identity in the book will bring up a lot of issues in terms of representation of trans youth. Plus there is some scenes featuring unintentional urination._isuhh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.25
Moderate: Homophobia