Scan barcode
celery's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Suicide, Child abuse, Confinement, Sexual content, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Stalking, Violence, Vomit, Body shaming, Car accident, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Drug use, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Grief, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship
lqne's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Child death, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Body shaming, Grief, Death, Dementia, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Torture, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Pedophilia, Ableism, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Alcohol, Bullying, Drug abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Trafficking
canisand'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: Drug use, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Torture, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Hate crime, Homophobia, Body horror, Bullying, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Outing, Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, and Violence
effievee'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Rape, Self harm, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Suicide attempt, Violence, Trafficking, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Blood, Child abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pedophilia, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, Vomit, Alcohol, Stalking, and Cursing
aaliyah_lomas15'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
Jude's backstory is tragic. As a result, he is deeply traumatised. I understand the effects of trauma, but what he does is so repetitive. I understand that's the point, the exploration of the cycle of abuse and how it affects him, but the author doesn't add anything new or nuanced to the conversation. It seems like they didn't research the effects of abuse on real life survivors, so they just kept repeating the same ones.
I know this is a fictional novel, but the characters are unbelievable. Unlike others I do not perceive the extent of Jude's abuse as unbelievable, but I do view all of his talents and accomplishments as such. The main four friend group consists of people that are all incredibly successful in their careers and life in general. The only person who really fucks up is JB, but we barely hear from him afterwards which is such a shame as I think his story is personally the most interesting. JB is the only character in this novel who isn't explicitly good or bad. The author writes characters who are black or white (not racially), good or bad. There is no grey area for their characters. The only one who falls into that category is JB, and we don't get to explore his life more. We don't get to explore his feelings on being expelled from his friendship group. After the 200 page mark we only really see JB randomly, usually to advance the plot in terms of aggravating Jude and Willem, to point out how 'shallow' he is with his 'unserious' problems compared to what Jude has faced.
Sure, Jude's childhood is hellish and he's working to deal with it throughout the book. But in his adult life he is surrounded by people who love him (and slightly enable him). All his friends love him; he's incredibly skilled in mathematics, baking, playing piano, etc; he gets a very well paying job in which he is completely idolised; he has a relationship with the perfect person; he is adopted by loving parents at the age of 30. My point is that despite his childhood, nothing goes wrong for him in adulthood (until the last 100 pages). His adult life is so unbelievable. Jude is focused on for basically the entire book, yet I don't think his character is truly explored. What he does is incredibly repetitive, and it's very boring as a reader. This book could easily have been edited down, probably even 200 pages down, and I think it would be more impactful. There are plenty of novels that have truly impacted me far more than this one has. Yes, it's traumatic and sad, but it could be so much more. The writing is beautiful; the characters could be so more nuanced and interesting; friendship could be properly explored (like the blurb promises).
TLDR: This book has a lot of potential. The beginning is well written and fascinating, but it's too drawn out and repetitive. The first half and second half of the book feels completely disconnected from each other. It feels like the author decided to change their focus, and the novel truly suffers as a result.
Graphic: Eating disorder, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Child abuse, Rape, Death, Car accident, Adult/minor relationship, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Blood, Ableism, Acephobia/Arophobia, Grief, Hate crime, Drug use, and Mental illness
Minor: Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Torture, and Abandonment
zyaise'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Also, the triggers list is very very long and you should check it out before picking up this book, personally I don’t recommend it, I didn’t cry (mostly because I didn’t connect with the characters) and I didn’t enjoy it, even though it’s beautifully written and it’s certainly the portrayal of life, I just wish it would’ve been… more. I would’ve also loved it if the whole book was from Harold’s POV, I found his chapters to be the most touching, engaging and emotional.
Graphic: Rape, Drug abuse, Medical trauma, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Body shaming, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Car accident, Mental illness, Ableism, Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Kidnapping, Medical content, Emotional abuse, and Grief
sphjnx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Medical content, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Self harm, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, and Addiction
Minor: Car accident and Death
lilymaexx'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Car accident, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Self harm, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, and Sexual assault
flowersophia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Self harm, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Body shaming, Grief, Sexual content, Death, Car accident, Rape, Blood, and Medical trauma
ghostpuppy'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? Yes
Graphic: Sexual content, Vomit, Self harm, Sexual violence, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Kidnapping, Murder, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Car accident, Religious bigotry, Ableism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Grief, Terminal illness, Addiction, Mental illness, Torture, Trafficking, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts