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flavicou's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Suicide, Medical trauma, and Gun violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Drug use, Grief, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Pregnancy
stephmcoakley's review
- 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
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Blood, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Ableism, Cancer, Car accident, Cultural appropriation, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Panic attacks/disorders, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, and Death of parent
jaimc's review
- 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
2.75
Graphic: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Hate crime, Car accident, Homophobia, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood, Ableism, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, and Pregnancy
Minor: Cancer, Vomit, Abortion, Cultural appropriation, and Drug use
rsagarin's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Blood, Car accident, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Antisemitism, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Gaslighting, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Vomit, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Ableism, Abortion, Cancer, Mental illness, Murder, Terminal illness, and Violence
esme_may'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
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Hate crime, Homophobia, Car accident, Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Cancer, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Sexism, Classism, Mental illness, and Terminal illness
Minor: Drug use
alexandra__rae'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
4.5
Graphic: Grief, Gun violence, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Car accident and Toxic relationship
Minor: Abortion
appled303's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Abortion, Cancer, Death of parent, Grief, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Car accident, Homophobia, and Mental illness
josephdf's review
- 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
Graphic: Grief, Gun violence, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Ableism and Death of parent
elislittlelibrary's review
- 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
4.0
The narration was a little confusing at times, as it jumped between describing and inner thoughts and emotions or characters, sometimes jumping between characters within the same paragraph. So it was sometimes hard to see who we're currently following. At the same time, the author did an amazing job with the time jumps. We see Sadie and Sam as kids and the narration and the way they spoke really matched their ages, there was a noticeable difference between them as kids (in character, but also in speech, etc.) and them as adults. Throughout those jumps and the book as a whole, you can feel the characters growing up. They change the way they speak, lived experiences alter how they behave and interact with each other.
Another aspect I appreciated was the representation in this book- it was really diverse. There was disability rep which felt very real, especially the struggles that Sam had with his disability and accepting himself. But the book was diverse in many other aspects (religion, heritage), which were woven into the story well!
Throughout the story, in accordance with the heritage of the characters, the author used words from other languages. Usually, I really like this in books. However, when you use other languages, you need to make sure that you use those words correctly. Unfortunately, there was an issue with this that really bugged me. In the book, Simon makes a very cute speech (aimed at his husband) to show him how he always felt alone before he met his husband. Because Simon is German, the author uses a German word in this speech (as in "there is a German word to describe the feeling of ..."). The word the author used was "Zweisamkeit", which is a nice word, but does not mean what Simon says it means whatsoever. I happen to be German, I noticed it and found it to be quite annoying. I assume the author meant "Einsamkeit", a possible definition of which is feeling alone even when you objectively have a large social group or are among people (which is what Simon described). "Zweisamkeit" on the other hand means being with another person (and usually has a positive connotation). Both words have good meanings and could've both been applied in the speech by Simon, but unfortunately, the meaning was taken away entirely because of that mistake.
Very long rant about one mistake, but I really liked the book overall, beautifully written!
Graphic: Grief, Chronic illness, Death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Pregnancy, Car accident, and Suicide
annadoesherbest's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief and Cancer