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tovetott'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
I had heard so much about this series and yet I was not prepared AT ALL lol. I got it described to me as "sports anime but with mafia involvement" and like, yes absolutely but it's not ENOUGH
The amount of drama in this made me highly question how they were gonna be able to be any kind of functional as a team or as a group in any way, and I honestly laughed at the amout of teenager-boy-testosterone-feuled fights through like, the first 50% of the book until I realised that is wasn't gonna get better.
And I'm not gonna go say I haven't spent an awful amount of time in the mafia!au fanfictions out there, because I have, but ✨️ b r o ✨️... what the ✨️ f * c k ✨️ was t h i s...
All of the characters are extremely flawed (character-trait-wise) and I didn't feel like I could root for any of them (maybe in the later books???) and Andrew had me very stressed every time he was present until the like, 80% mark or smth?? When he got potentially, possibly, maybe more trustable ??? I was desperately clinging to Dan and Nicky as "stable good people" until the party trip Andrew hosted, iykyk. (Insert "I WAS ROOTING FOR YOU!" -gif here lol)
The description of the game tho and the way the filled arena was described was really cool and really set the scene in a cool way. Loved it ! A breath of fresh air somehow inbetween the insane high stakes that I feel are at ridiculous levels considering it's literally just a sports game but ykno what? I see soccer fans at work on the regular and sometimes it really do be that serious... for some reason lol.
So um... thank you Camille for this highly traumatic experience and I now feel like I HAVE to see what the f*ck kind of insanity the next two books contain bcs wow
Graphic: Drug use, Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Death and Sexual assault
Minor: Sexual harassment and Gun violence
oozesleaze's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Otherwise the plot is pretty interesting and I like the drama.
Graphic: Bullying, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Drug use
enkeli190'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
Graphic: Violence, Drug use, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death
riv_erb's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Drug use, Violence, Self harm, and Alcohol
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Homophobia
Minor: Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Death, Child abuse, Blood, Gun violence, Homophobia, and Death of parent
sunnoahh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Mental illness, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Vomit
allforevermore'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Death of parent
Moderate: Drug abuse, Vomit, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Murder, Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, and Addiction
liyaeshetu'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
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Drug use, and Homophobia
archcon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug use, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Bullying
booksavant's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Drug use, and Sexual assault
emintobooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I struggled with this one. I've wanted to read this series since it originally came out. Every few months, I'll put it on my to do list and just... not, because it's a bad habit I have. I recently saw a post online about it and got the e-book because it was on sale for free. Well. I'm glad I finally checked it off my to do list, but I won't be reading the others. This was a hot mess and not in a fun way.
I sent this message to my friend about it "This book is very 'this boy squad is edgy and dark. Their past is strewn with violence and drugs. Cigarettes are hot' " I stand by that, and on top of it, it was confusing. The whole time, I couldn't figure out what was going on. I felt like I was reading a prologue, and like I was expected to already know the characters. All of the main characters are different shades of the same color. They didn't feel distinct from each other. Honestly, they're all insufferable, and I found myself wondering if we were actually supposed to like them. The plot was very vague, and there are some major parts of the main character that are never explained, again, as if we should already know. When I reached the end of the book, there was a list of characters and what their roles are. Sure could have used that at the beginning.
Other issues: The characters are violent drug users, and that can totally have merit in a book. Here, it felt like there was no rhyme or reason for the violence or drug use.
[Spoiler] There also was a scene where one of the characters spikes the main character's drink. While he is drugged, another character forcefully kisses him without consent. When he tries to escape, the character does it again. Books can't always be roses and sunshine, but this was totally glossed over. We never even find out how the main character feels about this assault and drugging. [/Spoiler]
The story also involves a made up for the book sport, called Exy. Unlike other books I've read with made up sports, this really didn't explain the sport. By page 66, I know the game is called Exy, a racket is used, a court is played on, and offense and defense are terms used. There is a ball, but I don't know what size, shape, or color. I have no idea how the game is played. When the characters are practicing I have no clue what they are doing. Later, there is a game of Exy that goes on for pages, and I had *zero clue* what was happening. None. I didn't understand at all and couldn't wrap my brain around who was where and doing what and what is the goal of the game? Can you score? How do you win? What do the balls look like? ????
[Spoiler] There also is a scene where two of the characters are on a talk show and the dialogue was just... I had to suspend my disbelief for the thousandth time. [/Spoiler]
This book could have used a heavy dose of professional editing, though I suppose it's too late for that.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Ableism, and Drug use
Moderate: Domestic abuse