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the_maccheroncini's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Chronic illness, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Infertility, and Infidelity
Moderate: Suicide and Eating disorder
anneroza's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Infidelity, Addiction, Chronic illness, and Self harm
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, Vomit, Mental illness, and Infertility
Minor: Biphobia, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Miscarriage
cpratreads'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Self harm
Moderate: Alcohol, Suicide, and Alcoholism
madbet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
As per usual, Sally Rooney can do no wrong in my eyes. I read Normal People two years ago and loved it so I decided to read her debut ahead of the Hulu show and it did not disappoint!
There's a guarantee that with any Sally Rooney book, you're gonna get some complicated, complex characters and that it certainly the case with this book as well. All of these characters are flawed and complicated and it plays a huge part in their relationships with each other, although I did find that there was more focus on Frances and Nick. These characters are definitely pretentious which you can feel while reading, but I felt they sounded more pretentious when speaking to each other rather than when speaking to the reader. She also does not use quotation marks on the dialogue which I love as an added layer of complication in the book. I think this device portrays miscommunication well, and miscommunication between her characters is a big theme.
Another guarantee with a Sally Rooney book is not much of a plot. This was definitely a character driven novel for sure, which I really enjoyed. I think that since this book is so character heavy that I was not bothered by the lack of plot. This book is definitely a character study. I also found this book subject matter and these characters to be darker and grittier than Normal People. This book examines adultery and open relationships in a realistic way that I found very interesting and engaging.
This next part gives away a little.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I would only recommend this if you're a fan of Normal People though as this book is in a very similar vein! Very much looking forward to the show!
⚠️ TW: adultery, self-harm, suicide.
Graphic: Chronic illness and Self harm
Minor: Suicide
buckys_plum's review
- 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
4.75
Moderate: Abandonment, Self harm, and Rape
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
anna_2022's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I loved Normal People so this Sally Rooney book was a bit of disappointment. I also think there should have been more content warnings.
Graphic: Suicide, Self harm, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Sexual assault and Suicide attempt
grasshopperjungle's review against another edition
4.5
Only thing I do have to mention negatively about this book, and Sally Rooney’s other works, is the negative portrayal and connotations behind kink and BDSM. I get it, it’s social/sexual commentary and I do think it’s valid, but that doesn’t make it any less harmful, shameful and sex negative.
Graphic: Self harm, Chronic illness, and Mental illness
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicide, Alcoholism, and Suicidal thoughts
o_ro_se_do_bheatha_abhaile's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Self harm
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts
riseisbookapp's review
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Blood, Chronic illness, Cursing, Eating disorder, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
aghostintheroom's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts