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glammster's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, Transphobia, Dementia, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Dysphoria
Graphic description of lynchinglindseyhall44's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Transphobia, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Classism
lpdx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, Dysphoria, and Classism
Moderate: Homophobia, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Transphobia and Pandemic/Epidemic
kateyhb'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
5.0
This book is about loss, and the way people grieve the choices they make and the ones that are made for them. Family is family, but real, lasting love comes from relationships where both parties continue to choose each other each day. Chosen family can be blood too.
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Abandonment
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault, Dementia, and Classism
aunticles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism
Minor: Dementia
mezzoanddolce's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Wow. This book is SO. GOOD.
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Medical content and Dementia
laughingrecord's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, and Dysphoria
burnt_milk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I wish we'd gotten more at the end but this was beautifully written and a joy to read.
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Dementia, Stalking, and Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse and Pedophilia
sadiebedford's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Sexual assault and Dementia
yliana'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
3.25
characters I liked: jude, reese, desiree, early, barry
characters i didn't like: kennedy, blake (had to look his name up cuz i couldn't remember lmfao)
and i honestly am on the fence about Stella
i was really surprised when we were introduced to Reese. I've heard a lot about this book since it came out but no one ever really talks about him. From a cis pov, i thought his character was treated fairly well. we were thankfully not subjected to any hate he might've received in his life for being trans. i was happy that we got to see his happiness with jude.
fuck stella's husband, he's a piece of shit. and honestly fuck kennedy too. she gave me bad vibes throughout every scene she's in. i couldn't stand when it was said that she would call her boyfriend the n word because he asked her to like what the actual fuck is that?! i also totally agreed with Stella when she was thinking about how bullshit it was that kennedy was given absolutely everything she could've ever needed and instead of taking advantage of her privileges and advantages, she just threw them away. it's one thing to be passionate about the arts and want to pursue acting and another to end up on ACADEMIC PROBATION when you have every possibility to just fucking make it through high school. especially when jude had to work her absolute ass off to reach medical school and started way, way below kennedy. I just really couldn't stand her and she never even ends up doing anything that she seems to find particularly fulfilling, we just see her be a selfish brat and then just continue being fake for the rest of her life. i'm 100% on the kennedy hate train tbh.
i did really like jude though. I thought it was really sweet and heartbreaking at the same time how desperate she was to find Stella, for both herself and desiree. her and reese are so good for each other and i love how supportive they are towards each other too.
stella...idk. i feel so bad for her because of the sexual harassment and abuse she dealt with when she was working for the Duponts. half of me understands her motives for choosing to live as a white woman but i really just can't get behind her hatred for Black people after she makes that decision. it just feels so icky to me that she was okay with leaving her family and ESPECIALLY desiree, who she very clearly had such a strong love for (i mean, they're twins). and i cannot for the life of me understand WHY she would marry her husband when she literally said she feels scared around him sometimes because he looks like the assholes who lynched her dad. like?!?! it was just really sad to see the way she internalized the racism that she witnessed in mallard so i have a hard time disliking her but i can't say that i like her very much either.
this book was just so so heavy. it was definitely good and i think it was well written but yeah just pretty sad. and honestly the trigger warnings list is gonna be so long.
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cursing, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Dementia, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Deadnaming, Sexual content, and Violence