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nimeneth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
I wanted to be kind to this book. I wanted to accept that this was going to be a difficult book club read that was gritty and uncomfortable and dark. The blurb was amazing, had a great hook, interesting title, the whole nine yards. Objectively the dialogue was a little flat and the characters felt a little wooden at the beginning, but it would get better, right? I would get through this even if I had to skim or skip scenes, it would be fine, right? Right??? I was optimistic. I was open-minded.
I did not like this book. I did not enjoy this book. The first 100ish pages were fine, mostly. I could accept the racism and homophobia as just part of what it's like in parts of Virginia. The middle is where it started to sour. I especially did not like the last 100 pages of it where it turned into full-on revenge porn. It's graphic, folks. There's no art, just blood. No redemption arc, just death. I think Cosby wanted the final scene to be profound or something, but by that point there's no tying it up into a near little package and calling it hunky-dory.
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer and Deadnaming
gabepants'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
4.5
Graphic: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Minor: Transphobia
tastybooks916's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Violence, and Murder
lemanley's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Violence
evawhite's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Violence, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Transphobia, Kidnapping, and Alcohol
literaryintersections'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
The main point of this book isn’t the vengeance or death or violence. It’s the love and community. And realizing as a parent that we can mess up so bad but there is still time to change and grow, even if that time is physically taken from us. I will think about this book forever.
Graphic: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Transphobia
Moderate: Gun violence and Violence
jan1955's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Violence, and Blood
bl_6210's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Violence, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
citymouse's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Transphobia, Violence, Medical trauma, and Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Hate crime, Excrement, and Grief
Minor: Deadnaming
trisarahtops_'s review against another edition
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia and Racism