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itsbrianascall'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
4.25
Graphic: Outing
Moderate: Gaslighting, Biphobia, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Alcohol
genevieve_eggleston'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
4.25
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Sexual content, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Cursing, and Outing
Minor: Drug use, Body shaming, Biphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Classism, Vomit, Homophobia, and Racism
ladybanecourt'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? It's complicated
5.0
Easily one of the best books I've read this year! It's heartwarming and beautiful and made me cry, and really, what more can you ask for in a book? It has long chapters, yes, but it's engaging and it really hooked me right from the first chapter, which I can say doesn't happen very often in my case. The main cast of characters were very lovable, and although a good portion of the plot in the story were some I expected, I still liked the vindication I had at the end of the day because of it.
Definitely already making plans to reread this book again.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Outing, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual assault and Stalking
annahamburger'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: Sexual content, Outing, Biphobia, Cursing, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Classism
Moderate: Xenophobia, Addiction, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Grief, Racism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Confinement
Minor: Rape, Pedophilia, Cancer, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Ableism, Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, and Sexism
akvolcano's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Bullying, Classism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Alcohol, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Sexism
aingram'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
4.0
Overall, it's a great fiction romance story surrounding queer characters.
Moderate: Colonisation, Homophobia, Death of parent, and Sexual assault
Minor: Gaslighting, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, and Racism
The trigger warnings are mostly minor, if labelled as moderate it's because they come up a number of times. But nothing is described in any great detail. Even homophobia which is the most like significant is only in a certain high level sense and direct to a main character from other characters that do have a mild redemption. Overall it's an ensemble of characters who deeply care and respect each other. Also given the position of the main characters (politically, which I believe is in the book blurb) the discussion of homophobia and some of the other factors makes a lot of sense. This isn't meant to be a fictional universe like Schitts Creek (TV show reference) where the world has no misogyny or homophobia. It's meant to be a universe that has those things but paints a picture of progress.ellaticonstellation'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: Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Homophobia
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting
maca_vr'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? No
4.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, and Outing
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Cultural appropriation, Classism, Colonisation, and Grief
Minor: Drug abuse and Drug use
athenathestorier'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
And I think part of the thing, right? They felt real. Everyone had nuances and interests and stories. And while Alex is significantly more crass, reckless, and rebellious than me, I saw myself in him perhaps most of all. He dreams of a inspired and honest future, observing and calculating everything in the hopes of watching that future take shape. He's so focused on this dream and where he fits in it, that he plans and plans and plans. He's repeated it to himself so much, painting it in his mind with as much permanence as the paintings in the white house, that when circumstances change, he has a hard time adjusting. It makes him question everything.
Between Alex's lists and Henry's prose, both of them bonded over popular culture, queer history references, and shared societal pressures, I easily got swept away in their developing friendship and romance equally.
Memorable Quotes:
- What kind of garbage country eats bland beans on white toast for breakfast? He can't decide if his Mexican blood or his Texan blood is more offended.
-"Er," Henry says, adding to the list of vowel sounds he has to show for himself. It is, unfortunately, also sexy. After all these weeks, the bar is low.
- He's sure he used to know quite a lot of words, in more than one language, in fact, but he can't seem to recall any of them.
- Exploring your sexuality: healthy, but does it have to be with the prince of England?
- Thinking about history makes me wonder how I'll fit into it one day, I guess. And you too.
- I used to think, if I pictured the person I wanted to be and took all the crazy anxiety in my brain and narrowed it down to that point, I could rewrite it. Use it to power something else. It's like I never learned how to just be where I am.
- "Nora, what's the math?" June says, rounding on her, a slightly frantic look in her eyes. "I majored in nouns."
Moderate: Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Homophobia, and Sexual content
Minor: Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Grief, Racism, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
kimmag92'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? It's complicated
5.0
Minor: Addiction, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Gaslighting, Racism, Outing, Biphobia, and Panic attacks/disorders