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m_liz'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: Suicidal thoughts and Grief
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Pregnancy
samisreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Terminal illness, Death, Body horror, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts
theoceanrose's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Minor: Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Animal death, and Cannibalism
virsamajor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Grief and Terminal illness
Minor: Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
itsnicholaslashay'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
4.25
Graphic: Grief, Body horror, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
blakeandbooks'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: Medical content, Abandonment, and Grief
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, and Child abuse
Minor: Drug use, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
farrahwho's review against another edition
3.75
The surface of love was a feeling, but beyond this thin layer, there was a fathomless, winding maze of caverns offering many places to see and explore. Wren used to think romantic passion only grew more intense in the depths. But this belief was naive and impractical, a by-product of a certainty-obsessed culture that equates love with longing and views ambivalence as a fatal flaw. Wren saw now how passion was delicate and temporary, a visitor, a feeling that would come and go. Feelings fled under pressure; feelings did not light the darkness. What remained strong in the deep, the hard times, was love as an effort, a doing, a conscious act of will. Soulmates, like her and Lewis, were not theoretical and found. They were tangible, built.
this has lots of my favorite things: lyrical prose, exploring themes of love, loss, grief, hope, change, and relationships; magic realism elements (human-to-wild animal mutations). it was so easy to care for the characters and empathize with their experiences. i want to give wren a hug so bad!!
however, it is structured in one of my least favorite ways of story telling which is though a series of non-linear vignettes making it hard to follow at times. the vignettes seem to get sparser throughout, leaving much to be desired. it also experiments with formatting in the sense that some "chapters" are written as scenes of a play which is fitting given lewis's character, but i felt like there were many times where the flow of the story was disrupted because of it.
might be a nonsensical comparison to make but the writing style gave me slight alone with you in the ether meets our wives under the sea vibes? so if enjoyed the prose in those, there's a chance you'll like shark heart as well
overall, i still really enjoyed this as much as it broke then mended my heart. giving it a 3.75, but it is practically a 4 star
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Domestic abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Animal death, Death, and Pregnancy
kelseyr713's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Grief, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Violence, Death of parent, Gore, Pregnancy, Animal death, Domestic abuse, and Blood
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Abortion
carlyjb16's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Medical content, Death, Chronic illness, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Moderate: Blood and Animal death
Minor: Pregnancy and Abortion
silversparkles50'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
4.0
Graphic: Grief, Medical trauma, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Blood
Minor: Death of parent and Pregnancy