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michelleka's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Infidelity, Mental illness, and Death of parent
not_another_ana's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I had felt, for a long time, that if I started crying I would not stop—that if I finally ripped, there would be nothing to stop my guts from falling out. I was scared of what might come out of me: the things I would see, what others would see. I was scared the feelings would eat me.
The explosive end of a long term relationship has left Lucy depressed, with a restraining order, and court ordered therapy. Fleeing the desert for sunny California, on her sister's insistence, all she has to do is attend group therapy, housesit, take care of Dominic, the sweetest little dog, and perhaps work on her thesis on Sappho. But healing isn't easy, specially when you don't believe you're the problem, and it's easy to get distracted. Things get out of control when a mysterious surfer with a secret catches Lucy's obsessive attention, sending her on a different path altogether.
The summary calls this "a story about falling in obsessive love with a merman" but that's not what this is really about. This is sad girl lit fic. It's navel gazey, it's existential. You either get it or you don't, there's no inbetween. Did I like this? Did I enjoy this? I'm not sure, but I can't say I hated it. Lucy is a difficult character. She's unlikeable, on a downwards spiral, but this condition makes her able to see the world in a different way and to probe at the status quo. Through her exaggeration of reality shine little pearls of wisdom and reflections about life. Mostly this book, to me, showed that recovery isn't lineal. It's hard work, and it's normal to backslide and crash and burn.
The merman bit was interesting but I would have liked it to go farther.
Graphic: Animal death, Infidelity, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Suicide attempt
bellebeaumont95's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was sort of a brutal read. I both recognized myself in Lucy and felt repelled by her, often simultaneously. It's very much a deep dive into neurosis, a little addictive, with interesting, tiring, funny, disgusting, moving writing spread throughout. Mostly I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the ending, since it's always tragic when depression has a death toll.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Mental illness, Sexual content, Blood, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Misogyny, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
Minor: Car accident
siriface's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body shaming, Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
Relapse, Menstruationleonoralvatron4_5's review against another edition
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
rgrgrg's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
brookeslots'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Animal death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Animal cruelty
amsu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It was intriguing, disgusting, frustrating, vulgar and still somehow beautifully written. I hated the main character at times, but I felt for her and felt with her. Some of her actions were understandable in the context of the book, but then again utterly unforgivable.
As one can see I am undecided, but what I know is that his book evokes strong emotions and made me reflect on love, obsession, mental health and human connections
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Blood and Vomit
academic pressure is one of the main themes!aortiz09's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Animal death, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Addiction and Excrement
lyshbish's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Death of parent