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rileys2194's review against another edition
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Hate crime
minche's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Minor: Suicide, Death, Gaslighting, and Hate crime
luccamaria's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
"He needed me years ago, Marion." (p. 231)
yeah, fuck you marion, but also lowkey fuck you tom for continuing to be in a relationship with her and then blaming her for never leaving while it obviously takes two people to make a relationship.
i know what marion did was by far the most horrible thing in this book & this whole thing is fucked up for everyone involved, and mostly for patrick, but why is marion the only one being blamed when tom could've left her too, considering that he clearly didn't love her & it must have actually been easier for a man with a stable job to divorce and be unmarried in the 50s than it must've been for a woman?
also, we stan queen julia!
yeah, fuck you marion, but also lowkey fuck you tom for continuing to be in a relationship with her and then blaming her for never leaving while it obviously takes two people to make a relationship.
i know what marion did was by far the most horrible thing in this book & this whole thing is fucked up for everyone involved, and mostly for patrick, but why is marion the only one being blamed when tom could've left her too, considering that he clearly didn't love her & it must have actually been easier for a man with a stable job to divorce and be unmarried in the 50s than it must've been for a woman?
also, we stan queen julia!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Outing, Misogyny, Hate crime, and Toxic relationship
valentina05's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Hate crime, Sexual content, Violence, and Outing
madysonyoung's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Hate crime
hmatt's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
I'm not sure I was sold on this story throughout part I, but it came together beautifully and tragically as the perspectives changed back and forth.
Despite how synopses may read, this is absolutely not a book about the title policeman (Tom). While he is the main subject, the story tells us very little about him except for how his wife and lover perceived of him throughout time. It really tells us more about the relationship between his wife and his lover. A reader who neglects to acknowledge the unreliability of these two narrators loses the point of the story entirely, in my opinion. I found it brilliant because they are each so selfishly obsessed with their own idea of this man who doesn't have a voice of his own throughout the narrative.
Despite how synopses may read, this is absolutely not a book about the title policeman (Tom). While he is the main subject, the story tells us very little about him except for how his wife and lover perceived of him throughout time. It really tells us more about the relationship between his wife and his lover. A reader who neglects to acknowledge the unreliability of these two narrators loses the point of the story entirely, in my opinion. I found it brilliant because they are each so selfishly obsessed with their own idea of this man who doesn't have a voice of his own throughout the narrative.
'What about my silence, Marion? Did you ever think about that? You have no idea...' His voice cracked. He loosened his grip on me and turned his face away.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Outing, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Grief and Sexism
Minor: Hate crime, Sexual content, and Violence
period-typical homophobia, sexismneptunereign's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Infidelity
Moderate: Grief and Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol, Sexism, and Misogyny
oliverlang's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- 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? It's complicated
3.25
If you're looking for a book with a happy ending and queer joy, this isn't it. It's a telling of a life from 2 different perspectives - 2 people in love with the same man - and the outcome of those relationships as a result.
I didn't not enjoy this book, it was easy to read and there were some nice parts but it's not a must read for me. As a queer person, it will never not be wild to me reading about the criminalisation of the existence of lgbtq+ people.
I didn't not enjoy this book, it was easy to read and there were some nice parts but it's not a must read for me. As a queer person, it will never not be wild to me reading about the criminalisation of the existence of lgbtq+ people.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Hate crime, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence
trintrin's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.0
THIS. IS. THE. SADDEST. BOOK. I'VE. EVER. READ!! A cruel, raw, story in which three people's lives are utterly ruined, no happily ever after at all.
Not a fan of the writing style. There were wayyy too many Marion scenes for my liking. I don't think I've ever hated a main character this much. Wanted more of Patrick, and Tom was completely absent. But aside form that, it's a pretty good book. Apt to that era of time. Throughout the entire book, I kept imaging the characters as their actors, even thought I've literally never watched the movie (and the movie hadn't even been out when I read this too)
Patrick's jail time was just way too cruel man. Really glad Marion's "plan" backfired so spectacularly. Julia was the best, my fave. This book portrays the kind of prejudice the LGBTQ+ community had to put up with in the past, and still have to in some countries. So this was an eye-opener, in a way. But also, at times, it felt really obvious it was written by a straight white woman.
Anyways, I read this only for Harry Styles :D
Not a fan of the writing style. There were wayyy too many Marion scenes for my liking. I don't think I've ever hated a main character this much. Wanted more of Patrick, and Tom was completely absent. But aside form that, it's a pretty good book. Apt to that era of time. Throughout the entire book, I kept imaging the characters as their actors, even thought I've literally never watched the movie (and the movie hadn't even been out when I read this too)
Patrick's jail time was just way too cruel man. Really glad Marion's "plan" backfired so spectacularly. Julia was the best, my fave. This book portrays the kind of prejudice the LGBTQ+ community had to put up with in the past, and still have to in some countries. So this was an eye-opener, in a way. But also, at times, it felt really obvious it was written by a straight white woman.
Anyways, I read this only for Harry Styles :D
Content Warnings
Graphic: Outing, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Terminal illness and Suicide
sparrymcgraw's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Hate crime and Homophobia