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t_panik10's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
anjiyy's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
hailey_alexis's review against another edition
5.0
I wish I could go higher than 5 stars. This one makes me second guess every other 5 star rating I’ve ever given..
femmeinthestacks's review
3.0
Really deserves a 2.5. I was excited to read a novel with queer characters (as a queer woman) but this had woefully inadequate character development, none of whom were that likeable. It had promise, but just never quite got there. The end felt rather rushed and I was left feeling like all of the “bad” characters got away with their deplorable behavior. The book has more violence and homophobia that I was expecting, and it didn’t feel like it drove the story or the characters along in a meaningful way. So much so that it felt obvious that it was written by a non-queer person.
bookwormjimmy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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
3.75
I'm having a hard time identifying how I really feel about this book. While the characters are interesting and the plot went along at a decent enough pace, there was something about it that just makes me feel icky about the whole ordeal that this book put me through. There's a lot to digest, but I think at the end of the day it's the face that it's a dark, tragic tale of coming to terms with one's identity in modern times where things just aren't really that great. It's not unrelateable, it's not farfetched, and it's not unrealistic. Maybe it was too realistic, too sad, too tragic for me to really get any pleasure from reading this. Yet at the same time, I enjoyed this book much more than other reads out there.
Bunny and Michael became friends in North Shore, California. Their adolescence is anything but trivial, and they each have their own demons that they're trying to get through while at the same time trying to get through high school. Bunny just wants to fit in even though she stands taller than all of her classmates, and hides the fact that her father is an alcoholic. Michael meets men online and anonymously in person, and when his actions lead to gossip and eventually violence, things only escalate from there.
I actually found both Bunny and Michael's characters to be unlikeable yet compelling. I wanted to read more and find out just how messed up their lives were going to be all while they continued to make decisions that simply a little more thought could have saved them a lifetime of agony. But it's these character flaws that still make them so interesting. It's all to easy to disagree with them, but still find their arcs understandable. Like real people that may no longer be in the reader's life but once were, you want to wish them the best when all is said and done.
This is a quick read that I'm sure will be divisive amongst readers. If you're looking for a tragic tale that might be too close to home, check this one out.
Bunny and Michael became friends in North Shore, California. Their adolescence is anything but trivial, and they each have their own demons that they're trying to get through while at the same time trying to get through high school. Bunny just wants to fit in even though she stands taller than all of her classmates, and hides the fact that her father is an alcoholic. Michael meets men online and anonymously in person, and when his actions lead to gossip and eventually violence, things only escalate from there.
I actually found both Bunny and Michael's characters to be unlikeable yet compelling. I wanted to read more and find out just how messed up their lives were going to be all while they continued to make decisions that simply a little more thought could have saved them a lifetime of agony. But it's these character flaws that still make them so interesting. It's all to easy to disagree with them, but still find their arcs understandable. Like real people that may no longer be in the reader's life but once were, you want to wish them the best when all is said and done.
This is a quick read that I'm sure will be divisive amongst readers. If you're looking for a tragic tale that might be too close to home, check this one out.
bethreadsandnaps's review against another edition
4.0
I'd say this book has a fair amount of quirkiness, but I really liked it! Michael and Bunny are memorable characters. They each are left to their own devices as teenagers and neighbors, and they develop a friendship. Both of them get into situations they are ill-equipped to handle, providing moral support to each other.
When tragedy strikes, their friendship is forced to change. I enjoyed watching these characters, and I liked how the microscope was zoomed in on them as individuals. For some, I could see this close-up character examination not working. Again, I really appreciated how the author deftly wrote this and had some quirk. I can also see the threads from this one to her most recent book Margo's Got Money Troubles.
When tragedy strikes, their friendship is forced to change. I enjoyed watching these characters, and I liked how the microscope was zoomed in on them as individuals. For some, I could see this close-up character examination not working. Again, I really appreciated how the author deftly wrote this and had some quirk. I can also see the threads from this one to her most recent book Margo's Got Money Troubles.
kaitlizcolby's review
5.0
I really loved this one. The writing is excellent, and the characters are wonderful. I was worried at first because it seemed like it was shaping up to be one of those literary novels that’s gritty for the sake of being gritty, but that wasn’t the case. Somehow Thorpe managed to make these characters larger than life, flawed in some pretty significant ways, but also relatable and so, so likable. I want to read more of her work!
godessoftrees's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- 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
3.5