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gracer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The downsides to this book are basically the MFA-writing and the dramatic last 15% or so. The MFA-writing was mostly beareable, aside from the overuse of the word slick:
"the world spun in slow, dark, slick circuits." (p. 20)
"There was something slick in the water" (p. 29)
"some inner surface goes slick and hot" (p. 84)
"he peels back [the apple slices'] slick skins" (p.173)
"slick with sweat" (acceptable. p. 259)
"the slick, cool countertop" (p. 291)
"slick with sweat" (p. 298)
"the smooth, slick concrete stairs" (p. 316)
There's only 8 mentions in the whole book but wow I found it distracting. Mr Taylor, please, retire this word from your vocabulary.
Sorry to dwell on that. I really had to get that off my chest.
More importantly: this is a book about a weekend when everything and nothing happens. It is about a very strong internal life and feeling completely ostracized and alone. It's also about racism and homophobia. (side note: as a white person... damn. This is why we need to read more books by Black authors.) The writing (aside from the previously mentioned) was really engaging; scenes were strong and visual as well as atmospheric. There were almost too many characters, but the way they were introduced, mostly as groups in scene-like situations, made it work - I was only confused a couple times, and only about minor characters (and then the kindle x-ray feature solved any lingering questions).
Gotta love that the token racist, homphobic, manipulative, coddled b**** is a Pacific Northwesterner.
This book was full of really reflective and interesting musings on the nature of being in grad school, how consuming it can be and how hard it is to be part of the "real world" when you are consumed by the world of grad school.
But be warned, it's not for the faint of heart. There's a lot of intense stuff that happens at the end, and a lot of characters unpacking lots of issues throughout. A fast read, but not at all a light one.
Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Cursing, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Vomit, and Violence
Moderate: Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, Rape, Toxic friendship, Violence, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Animal death, and Homophobia
Minor: Vomit, Abandonment, and Cancer
headinthepages's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Rape, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Racism and Homophobia
macca23'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Rape, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Racism, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Abandonment, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Death of parent, Grief, Alcohol, Violence, and Physical abuse
solenodon'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
4.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Racism, Homophobia, Rape, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Child abuse
Moderate: Abandonment, Vomit, and Violence
Minor: Racial slurs, Infidelity, Fatphobia, and Sexual content
ukponge's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Abandonment, and Violence
Moderate: Infidelity
leah_alexandra's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Vomit
yavin_iv's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Gaslighting, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Rape, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Racism
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, and Vomit
Minor: Violence
creepycrawlybookworm's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Homophobia, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment