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kaiulanilee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Violence, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Stalking, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Incest, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Body shaming
Moderate: Colonisation, Drug use, Racism, Torture, Classism, Blood, and Child abuse
jlebon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This is particularly frustrating in that I think the concept of the text is fantastic, being extremely dark in nature, presenting incel culture through the lens of the two main characters Polo and Franco and the destructive effect this mindset has upon both themselves and the people around them. However, Melchor has to be given plaudits in her nuanced presentation of such issues, cultivating characters that are products of their environment and aspects of society. Nevertheless, I do think that this was elongated to an unnecessary extent with a great portion of the middle of the text going over well-trodden ground. However, I understand how this could also be symbolic of the trapped mindset the protagonist Polo finds himself in.
As a final point, given the huge build-up to the climax of the narrative, I found the ending unsatisfactory in its briefness and confusing nature.
By no means a bad book but I definitely think it could have been improved in a multitude of aspects.
Graphic: Sexism, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Pregnancy, Rape, Body shaming, Death, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Cursing, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Mental illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Emotional abuse
joita_mitra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Incest, Rape, Misogyny, and Violence
idahol7221's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Murder, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Rape, and Torture
readingwithgoose's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
4.5
Graphic: Fatphobia, Incest, Misogyny, Murder, Violence, Rape, and Sexual content
Moderate: Kidnapping and Vomit
ninamontagne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Misogyny, Rape, and Fatphobia
reading_sadie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Sexism, Ableism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Classism, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Incest, Body shaming, Misogyny, Death, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Murder, and Rape
joy_lin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Murder, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Rape, and Sexual violence
laneport's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content, Death, Murder, Sexual assault, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Body shaming, Child death, Pregnancy, and Child abuse
Minor: Drug use and Cursing
lsmith36's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Rape, Murder, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Blood