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mal_reads_books'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? No
2.25
The writing was messy, disjointed, and oddly paced. The two storylines didn't mesh well, and the transitions between Kitty's and Elise's chapters were jarring. There was a lot more telling and info-dumping than showing. There were too many characters and subplots that didn't add value to the plot, especially in the present day. The first two chapters were the worst. I had to reread parts and was ready to quit the book early, but I stuck with it because this was the book club's pick of the month. Kitty's parts were more readable and interesting than Elise's, but still had the aforementioned issues.
I would have enjoyed this more had Elise's parts been eliminated. I understand why the author included the modern timeline, but Kitty's story would've been fine alone, with maybe an epilogue with the St. Johns. I also would have liked to see more of Kitty's acting career and later life and was disappointed her chapters ended in the 1960s. The ending felt rushed and anticlimactic, leaving a lot of loose ends.
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Rape, Sexism, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Eating disorder, Body shaming, and Classism
Minor: Vomit and Blood
kkulhannie'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: Alcohol, Classism, Racial slurs, Alcoholism, Pregnancy, Racism, Slavery, Abortion, Abandonment, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Vomit, Rape, Sexism, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Child death, Infidelity, Stalking, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Addiction, Hate crime, and Pregnancy
nehaanna'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
4.5
Graphic: Classism, Racism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Hate crime, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Rape, Slavery, and Sexual assault
Minor: Alcohol, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Eating disorder, Addiction, Abortion, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Child death, Grief, Infidelity, and Infertility
torturedreadersdept'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: Classism, Infidelity, Sexual content, Abortion, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Death of parent, Violence, Vomit, Alcoholism, Bullying, Dementia, Drug use, Dysphoria, Medical content, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Infertility, Slavery, Eating disorder, Grief, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Cancer, Death, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Racism, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Cursing, and Racial slurs
sholtie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Cancer
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Police brutality, Addiction, Colonisation, Drug use, Abortion, Classism, and Miscarriage
Minor: Infertility and Vomit