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rachelisreading91's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death of parent, and Drug abuse
Minor: Child abuse and Pedophilia
stephrand's review
emotional
reflective
sad
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
3.5
Overall a very emotional and sad read. Felt very realistic reading how all of the characters explore and feel grief (spouse, children, best friend, etc). My biggest complaint is that flashbacks popped in and out very quickly and I didn’t love the transitions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Drug abuse
marypaz13's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
"The hardest part of friendship, she'd sometimes thought, was accepting that your friend wants what you think is not worth having."
Format: Audiobook
Medium: Penguin Random House Audio
Narrator(s): Gilli Messer
TWs: Death, Loss of a loved one, Mention of Anxiety, Mention of Depression, Mention of Miscarriage, Mention of Bullying, Mention of Child Abuse, Inferred Sexual Abuse
My Review & Thoughts (more so ramblings though):
--> Read for #BNBookClub
I don't know what to say. I mean, death isn't a topic that's fun & rainbows. I haven't lost a parent, so I can't really relate to the book in that aspect, but I have lost many loved ones. To me, each character depicts the stages of grief (his is good, simplified article explaining it: https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-5-stages-of-loss-and-grief#the-kubler-ross-model">Mourning and the 5 Stages of Grief).
Denial:
--> the phone & voicemail
--> Bill & Ann Marie
Anger
--> Ann Marie 100%
--> Ant being mad at Bill for dating someone 3 months after his mother's death
Bargaining
--> Bill & Alli
Depression
--> Everyone's depressed
Acceptance
--> it's different for everybody
The story is interwoven by the past and present. You see the special moments, albeit not all good, of instances where Annie made an impact in the character's lives. You also get to see how each character change with that particular memory of her. You also see a 14 year-old being an adult to make up for her dad -- honestly, not uncommon. At least these kids, well Ant & Alli, go to therapy, and at some point the dad does too.
Some of my favorite [out of context] quotes:
⇒"...people's sympathy was well meant, but made him feel freakish and set apart, and how bothered he was by that."
⇒"...he had always loved being one of the guys. Being ordinary. Wasn't that weird? Most people wanted to be special and he missed being ordinary."
⇒"I think they both feel like you disappeared your wife. Not that she's dead, but that she has vanished. Which is different and much worse."
⇒"'Was your mother a good mother?' Elizabeth asked. "Did she take good care of you?' Alli nodded. 'You're lucky,' Elizabeth said and turned away."
⇒"'What's the point of grown ups if they can't fix things.'"
⇒"There's some things you can't fix no matter how hard you try.'"
<b><u>Rating Breakdown</u></b>
<b>Writing Style & Pacing:</b> 3.5
<b>Characters:</b> 3
<b>Storyline/Plot:</b> 3.25
<b>Audio Narration:</b> 3.75
<b><u>Overall Rating:</u> 3.375 rounded to a 3</b>
Format: Audiobook
Medium: Penguin Random House Audio
Narrator(s): Gilli Messer
TWs: Death, Loss of a loved one, Mention of Anxiety, Mention of Depression, Mention of Miscarriage, Mention of Bullying, Mention of Child Abuse, Inferred Sexual Abuse
My Review & Thoughts (more so ramblings though):
--> Read for #BNBookClub
I don't know what to say. I mean, death isn't a topic that's fun & rainbows. I haven't lost a parent, so I can't really relate to the book in that aspect, but I have lost many loved ones. To me, each character depicts the stages of grief (his is good, simplified article explaining it: https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-5-stages-of-loss-and-grief#the-kubler-ross-model">Mourning and the 5 Stages of Grief).
Denial:
--> the phone & voicemail
--> Bill & Ann Marie
Anger
--> Ann Marie 100%
-->
Bargaining
--> Bill & Alli
Depression
--> Everyone's depressed
Acceptance
--> it's different for everybody
The story is interwoven by the past and present. You see the special moments, albeit not all good, of instances where Annie made an impact in the character's lives. You also get to see how each character change with that particular memory of her. You also see a 14 year-old being an adult to make up for her dad -- honestly, not uncommon. At least these kids, well Ant & Alli, go to therapy, and at some point the dad does too.
Some of my favorite [out of context] quotes:
⇒
⇒
⇒
⇒
⇒
⇒
<b><u>Rating Breakdown</u></b>
<b>Writing Style & Pacing:</b> 3.5
<b>Characters:</b> 3
<b>Storyline/Plot:</b> 3.25
<b>Audio Narration:</b> 3.75
<b><u>Overall Rating:</u> 3.375 rounded to a 3</b>
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Mental illness
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Eating disorder
mrscorytee's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-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? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse and Death of parent
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