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afternoondreamer's review
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Suicide, and War
Moderate: Sexism, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault
Minor: Addiction and Miscarriage
krisheiney's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Mental illness, Grief, Child death, Kidnapping, Suicide, Sexism, Miscarriage, Death of parent, War, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Pedophilia and Rape
isabezza's review
2.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, War, Abortion, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Rape, and Pedophilia
courtneyreadsometimes'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
2.0
Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, Death, and Suicide
Moderate: Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual violence, Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cultural appropriation, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Body shaming, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and War
sophieennis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Moderate: Sexual content, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Grief, Death, Car accident, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Rape, War, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Medical content, Death of parent, and Abortion
yooniereads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
It takes a lot for me to feel the emotions an author intends with their work (part of the reason why I didn't cry over A Little Life), but the sense of languishing, regret, nostalgia, and exhaustion felt quite real in this one. The only reason I won't be giving it five stars is because it dragged on for quite a bit. But other than that, it's the kind of novel I'll be thinking about for some time.
Graphic: Car accident, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Suicide
Moderate: Gaslighting, War, Violence, Physical abuse, Medical content, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, and Rape
orlagal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and War
readerette's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It's not a happy tale, which has been my experience with Atwood's other works. There is a great deal of depth in each character, and many different ways that depth is achieved. The level of unhappiness feels true to life--believable, if a bit fatiguing as a reader. There are laugh-out-loud funny moments mixed in with commentary on the meaning of life and wisdom of the choices we make. No character is perfect or overly trope-y.
The pacing was too slow for my taste, and there was too much content that didn't feel like it added anything except length. I believe others might see that as the way the narrator thinks or different characters engage in the world of the narrator, but for me, the excess was just dull.
Overall, I do recommend for anyone who enjoys historical fiction, slow burn mysteries, or reflective characters.
Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Miscarriage
Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, Bullying, Body shaming, Car accident, Child death, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, and Kidnapping
alaskaisback's review
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Grief