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emilydixon13's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
joana_stormblessed's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this book! Such an important read and i cannot believe that these things happen ! Wow amazing!
Huge TW for sexual assault, rape, slut shaming
Huge TW for sexual assault, rape, slut shaming
fai_aka's review
4.0
This is the kind of book that shed light on things that we may not be as aware as we should be, the kind that could broaden your perspective on the world. So many important topics are discussed in this book. A must read for every teenagers out there.
Rant:
-As beautiful and empowering as it is, sometimes I do find the bond of teenage girls supporting and fighting together a bit unrealistic because the reality are there’s usually soooo much girl-on-girl hate. And how people always used to just do their own business. And honestly it is kind of sad that I didn’t really think those kind of things are possible. I don’t know, maybe I’m just being pessimistic?
-I don’t find the action of Principal Slattery to be believable either. I mean come on! What kind of a teacher is that?!
-Even though there are good guys portrayed in the story, there are times where I can’t help but feel suspicious about all the boys and every time a new teenage boy’s character is introduced, I can’t help being paranoid and waiting and wondering when and what kind of terrible things will this character do (-.-;)
Rant:
-As beautiful and empowering as it is, sometimes I do find the bond of teenage girls supporting and fighting together a bit unrealistic because the reality are there’s usually soooo much girl-on-girl hate. And how people always used to just do their own business. And honestly it is kind of sad that I didn’t really think those kind of things are possible. I don’t know, maybe I’m just being pessimistic?
-I don’t find the action of Principal Slattery to be believable either. I mean come on!
Spoiler
she even went as far as lying to Rosina’s mother that she’s doing drugs and then blackmailing Rosina about her grandmother!-Even though there are good guys portrayed in the story,
Spoiler
like Otis;)sarmende's review
5.0
THIS BOOK.
I’ll be honest, I haven’t read much fiction in a long time. Considering the topic of the book, I was a little nervous to dive into it. I bought this one when I was around 15 years old because I liked how pretty the cover was and enjoyed the idea of having multiple perspectives in a book.
I finally read it as a 21 year old adult. I often pick fantasy and mystery so it took me awhile to pick this one up.
I got chills … CHILLS over this novel. Never have I ever connected to the characters so well.
Everyone needs to read this immediately. I needed this book.
I’ll be honest, I haven’t read much fiction in a long time. Considering the topic of the book, I was a little nervous to dive into it. I bought this one when I was around 15 years old because I liked how pretty the cover was and enjoyed the idea of having multiple perspectives in a book.
I finally read it as a 21 year old adult. I often pick fantasy and mystery so it took me awhile to pick this one up.
I got chills … CHILLS over this novel. Never have I ever connected to the characters so well.
Everyone needs to read this immediately. I needed this book.
wishfulfillment's review against another edition
5.0
2022 review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
One of my favorite books of all-time. Legit, I enjoyed it even more the second time than I did the first. This is the child of novel teenagers should have in their syllabi.
--
2019 review, edited in 2022 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
❖ ❖ ❖ DO I RECOMMEND IT? ❖ ❖ ❖
Yes.
❖ ❖ ❖ CONTENT WARNINGS ❖ ❖ ❖
I am bound to forget a couple but off the top of my head: rape, slut-shaming, transphobia, dead-naming, religion, misogyny, racism, child abuse, deportation, fat phobia, homophobia, vomiting, and many more.
❖ ❖ ❖ VISIBILITY ❖ ❖ ❖
Grace is a cis girl described as "chubby" and "fat" interchangeably or depending on the third person limited point of view. She is white and was raised Baptist (?) in Kentucky. Erin is a het Autistic cis girl and a survivor of rape. Rosina is a gay Oaxacan cis girl. The author attempts to include other identities through minor characters or less than minor characters.
The fat rep felt like an afterthought and the interchangeable use of "fat" and "chubby" was confusing, as it made the character exist in a huge spectrum that did not feel relatable to me, a fat person who is definitely not just chubby.
I did enjoy the way the author emphasized how Autistic folks are just as unique as neurotypicals, with different triggers or symptoms or behaviors or traits. The writing of Erin's mother was absolutely perfect, as professionally I deal with a lot of parents who believe their child's diagnosis is all about them.
The behavior of the principal was terrifying.
I thought about the transgirl a lot throughout the story even though I believe she was only mentioned 3 or 4 times?
❖ ❖ ❖ READER HEALTH ❖ ❖ ❖
This was definitely the goal of the author. The focuses are about rape culture, misogyny, the different ways of being a girl or woman, gender, along with some other topics like race, sexual orientation, prejudice in religions, etc. There were a lot of healthy things being said and I was impressed by how the author was able to include various belief systems. I found it intellectually stimulating to find myself defending men and then challenging myself as to why I felt I needed to defend them, etc. It felt to me like it went beyond basic, which I appreciated.
❖ ❖ ❖ EDUCATION ❖ ❖ ❖
I thought a lot about the above-mentioned topics while reading it. I didn't learn much, but it did feel like my intellectual itch was scratched.
❖ ❖ ❖ WRITING AND STORY-TELLING ❖ ❖ ❖
The author pulled me in with their use of third person and the way they crafted this particular section of the world. I loved the beginning so much I read it twice before continuing on.
❖ ❖ ❖ CHARACTERS ❖ ❖ ❖
I was heavily invested in the protagonists and appreciated the depth of the mother-daughter dynamics, specifically how each mother believes she is doing what is best for her child, and each mother is neglecting or mistreating her child in some way.
❖ ❖ ❖ PLOT ❖ ❖ ❖
It was engaging with enough minor conflicts to keep it from being boring.
❖ ❖ ❖ ENTERTAINMENT & PLEASURE ❖ ❖ ❖
I was completely engaged and read it in one sitting on a weekend.
One of my favorite books of all-time. Legit, I enjoyed it even more the second time than I did the first. This is the child of novel teenagers should have in their syllabi.
--
2019 review, edited in 2022 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
❖ ❖ ❖ DO I RECOMMEND IT? ❖ ❖ ❖
Yes.
❖ ❖ ❖ CONTENT WARNINGS ❖ ❖ ❖
I am bound to forget a couple but off the top of my head: rape, slut-shaming, transphobia, dead-naming, religion, misogyny, racism, child abuse, deportation, fat phobia, homophobia, vomiting, and many more.
❖ ❖ ❖ VISIBILITY ❖ ❖ ❖
Grace is a cis girl described as "chubby" and "fat" interchangeably or depending on the third person limited point of view. She is white and was raised Baptist (?) in Kentucky. Erin is a het Autistic cis girl and a survivor of rape. Rosina is a gay Oaxacan cis girl. The author attempts to include other identities through minor characters or less than minor characters.
The fat rep felt like an afterthought and the interchangeable use of "fat" and "chubby" was confusing, as it made the character exist in a huge spectrum that did not feel relatable to me, a fat person who is definitely not just chubby.
I did enjoy the way the author emphasized how Autistic folks are just as unique as neurotypicals, with different triggers or symptoms or behaviors or traits. The writing of Erin's mother was absolutely perfect, as professionally I deal with a lot of parents who believe their child's diagnosis is all about them.
The behavior of the principal was terrifying.
I thought about the transgirl a lot throughout the story even though I believe she was only mentioned 3 or 4 times?
❖ ❖ ❖ READER HEALTH ❖ ❖ ❖
This was definitely the goal of the author. The focuses are about rape culture, misogyny, the different ways of being a girl or woman, gender, along with some other topics like race, sexual orientation, prejudice in religions, etc. There were a lot of healthy things being said and I was impressed by how the author was able to include various belief systems. I found it intellectually stimulating to find myself defending men and then challenging myself as to why I felt I needed to defend them, etc. It felt to me like it went beyond basic, which I appreciated.
❖ ❖ ❖ EDUCATION ❖ ❖ ❖
I thought a lot about the above-mentioned topics while reading it. I didn't learn much, but it did feel like my intellectual itch was scratched.
❖ ❖ ❖ WRITING AND STORY-TELLING ❖ ❖ ❖
The author pulled me in with their use of third person and the way they crafted this particular section of the world. I loved the beginning so much I read it twice before continuing on.
❖ ❖ ❖ CHARACTERS ❖ ❖ ❖
I was heavily invested in the protagonists and appreciated the depth of the mother-daughter dynamics, specifically how each mother believes she is doing what is best for her child, and each mother is neglecting or mistreating her child in some way.
❖ ❖ ❖ PLOT ❖ ❖ ❖
It was engaging with enough minor conflicts to keep it from being boring.
❖ ❖ ❖ ENTERTAINMENT & PLEASURE ❖ ❖ ❖
I was completely engaged and read it in one sitting on a weekend.
kris_reads4's review
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
drymming's review
This is a book i will not review
I DNFed it after jt put me in a reading slump
It’s a very important story but when i wasn’t reading it i didn’t ever thinking about it…
I DNFed it after jt put me in a reading slump
It’s a very important story but when i wasn’t reading it i didn’t ever thinking about it…
akabdella's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
makaylabrown's review
5.0
this was amazing. really just so good, it was interesting seeing this written from the perspective of living in oregon. especially in the eugene area, having that constant rape culture was something that needed to be addressed. i think people fail to realize that even in a “leftist” area these cases are still high, this book was something i wish i had found when i was still in high school. it’s got a bit of everything and i loved every moment. there were moments where readers needed big hug but i think ignoring that discomfort almost excuses the behavior of these men.
bookishbabe93's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape