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okafon's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I never regret reading books, even if they are bad. But I wouldn’t be sad if I never read this book. The beginning was good. It felt like it was going to be a book I enjoyed. But it went down hill very fast. The ending felt unsatisfying and the book was way too long for what it had on it. By the halfway point the storyline became very repetitive. The book could’ve been half the size and been way better. Also, it didn’t help that none of the characters were very likeable. The story is in first person, and listening to the main character’s thoughts gets tiring very fast. She judges everyone and keeps mentioning how everyone is so mean to her and how she needs better friends. None of the other characters made it any better. We don’t get to learn anything about them, which makes it hard to care when their secrets are threatened. Also, two characters randomly have sex. It’s a young adult book. I don’t know, very weird. I wouldn’t recommend this book. Unless you want to read about stupid teenage drama, unlikeable characters with some stupid mystery thrown in. Or just stop reading half way through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Miscarriage
Minor: Abortion and Sexual harassment
zu_reviews's review against another edition
5.0
I think Christa captured the head space of teens super well. Chloe and the others felt real and raw, and I was invested.
I also really liked the juxtaposition of the two battling philosophies - Chloe's very right winged grandparents and very left wing parents. Both were presented with all their faults but neither was completely villainized and it was refreshing to see it presented not as a war but as a question. Chloe's feelings and maturing through it all was kept me invested.
I also really liked the juxtaposition of the two battling philosophies - Chloe's very right winged grandparents and very left wing parents. Both were presented with all their faults but neither was completely villainized and it was refreshing to see it presented not as a war but as a question. Chloe's feelings and maturing through it all was kept me invested.
dani_y3ll's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
A bit slow to get through.
softclquds's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- 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
4.25
dinosgorohr's review against another edition
3.0
3.5⭐️ it was okay. kind of juvenile. reminded me of why i began to stray away from young adult books.
annaalsup's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
carleneinspired's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars
Four-Letter Word tells the alarming story of Chloe Sanders and her sort-of friends as they give in to the whim of the new girl, the seemingly larger than life Chloe Donnelly that gives narrator Chloe a new nickname, Other Chloe. New Chloe comes from Chicago, seems to know about everything, and uses a game to control the 7 friends. What seems to be a simple game becomes something much scarier when the truth is revealed, people will do anything they need to in order to protect their secrets. When the game turns nasty and the friends are turned against each other a plan is formed to shut Chloe Donnelly down, but the truth could cost them more than their secrets.
While I can't imagine myself ever giving in to a game like this, Christa Desir brings the game and the characters to life in Four-Letter Word. I ached for Other Chloe as she dealt with typical and non-typical teenage drama, I wouldn't know what to do in her shoes. Though the believability of the novel is a bit far-fetched, the way the friends treated each other was very accurate. I actually liked the dramatization of the game, this idea that people, especially teenagers, would do nearly anything to both keep secrets and to uncover them. Chloe is the sort of girl who hasn't figured it all out yet, unaware that her naivety is actually a good thing in many ways. She's both independent and codependent, her role created by her so-called friends and the lack of parental supervision. The secondary characters include her previous best friend Eve, Eve's present bestie Hollie, Other Chloe's crush, three other boys, and of course, New Chloe. Each is very well developed and had distinct voices and characteristics even when only being described by Other Chloe. The interactions Other Chloe has with her friends are impactful and very true to reality, at least from what I can remember of high school.
As for the game, it's twisted and not something I would've come up with or been willing to play at that age. It reveals a lot about the characters and about teenagers in general. The ending was lackluster for me and for me, I think a novel of this style should leave a lasting impression and Four-Letter Word just didn't for me. I think Christa Desir did a stunning job portraying the age group and the secrets they feel are most important. The things the teens were willing to do though, it's a bit harsh and a little sad too, as they came across as trying so hard to be adult at an age where they shouldn't have to worry about these things. The teens had a proclivity to make things sexual and that added an even more adult feel to the novel. Ultimately, I would have to categorize this as New Adult or even Adult.
I enjoyed the mystery and thriller aspect of Four-Letter Word, as well as the bits of coming-of-age tale that we got from Chloe. The characters and their secrets were interesting and allowed for a complex novel that kept me fairly engaged.
ARC provided via Netgalley.
Four-Letter Word tells the alarming story of Chloe Sanders and her sort-of friends as they give in to the whim of the new girl, the seemingly larger than life Chloe Donnelly that gives narrator Chloe a new nickname, Other Chloe. New Chloe comes from Chicago, seems to know about everything, and uses a game to control the 7 friends. What seems to be a simple game becomes something much scarier when the truth is revealed, people will do anything they need to in order to protect their secrets. When the game turns nasty and the friends are turned against each other a plan is formed to shut Chloe Donnelly down, but the truth could cost them more than their secrets.
While I can't imagine myself ever giving in to a game like this, Christa Desir brings the game and the characters to life in Four-Letter Word. I ached for Other Chloe as she dealt with typical and non-typical teenage drama, I wouldn't know what to do in her shoes. Though the believability of the novel is a bit far-fetched, the way the friends treated each other was very accurate. I actually liked the dramatization of the game, this idea that people, especially teenagers, would do nearly anything to both keep secrets and to uncover them. Chloe is the sort of girl who hasn't figured it all out yet, unaware that her naivety is actually a good thing in many ways. She's both independent and codependent, her role created by her so-called friends and the lack of parental supervision. The secondary characters include her previous best friend Eve, Eve's present bestie Hollie, Other Chloe's crush, three other boys, and of course, New Chloe. Each is very well developed and had distinct voices and characteristics even when only being described by Other Chloe. The interactions Other Chloe has with her friends are impactful and very true to reality, at least from what I can remember of high school.
As for the game, it's twisted and not something I would've come up with or been willing to play at that age. It reveals a lot about the characters and about teenagers in general. The ending was lackluster for me and for me, I think a novel of this style should leave a lasting impression and Four-Letter Word just didn't for me. I think Christa Desir did a stunning job portraying the age group and the secrets they feel are most important. The things the teens were willing to do though, it's a bit harsh and a little sad too, as they came across as trying so hard to be adult at an age where they shouldn't have to worry about these things. The teens had a proclivity to make things sexual and that added an even more adult feel to the novel. Ultimately, I would have to categorize this as New Adult or even Adult.
I enjoyed the mystery and thriller aspect of Four-Letter Word, as well as the bits of coming-of-age tale that we got from Chloe. The characters and their secrets were interesting and allowed for a complex novel that kept me fairly engaged.
ARC provided via Netgalley.
eve_kaarina's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0