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marthaalice'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Outing, and Gaslighting
aublyn105's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
i honestly loved this so much. i watched the film before reading the novel, and i really liked seeing each character in my head so vividly. absolutely loved tom and patrick's relationship, but not marion at all. i stand for all marion slander!!! L character fr.
the fact we got to see patrick's journal entries was so exciting. i only wish we got to see tom's point of view, as done with patrick and marion. that would've made the book so much better, tbh.
hated that marion never apologized to patrick nor attempted to get him out of prison, given he obviously did not deserve to be there. and tom not attempting to help either whatsoever. patrick needed him and tom abandoned him completely. L tom.
overall, loved this so much and the entire storyline. i am constantly thinking about it after seeing the movie months earlier. i'm so glad we have a book version too<3
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Outing, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual content, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Cursing and Mental illness
slayharrie28's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Outing, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Police brutality, and Grief
Minor: Death, Police brutality, and Alcohol
sunny_bumblebee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexism
cat_astrophe12'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? No
4.75
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Medical content, Outing, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Medical content
Minor: Death, Miscarriage, and Misogyny
binreads'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
3.25
This book is complicated for me, with characters who are extremely complicated. It's a very sad and tragic story. It's hard for me to completely like or dislike any of them. They all have their strengths and huge flaws. I finished the book and thought "...that's it? that's how it ends?"
I almost wonder if that's the exact reason he chose to marry her. He knew she was in love with him. Maybe he always knew, sensing her infatuation in their younger years. It wasn't fair to anyone involved. He loved Marion platonically but he should've at least tried to show he cared for her. He must've to some extent if he married her? Cut to the part where he finds out Patrick has been arrested and he has the nerve to break down to her. He never had the courage to tell her his true feelings, and yet I guess he suspected she knew? I hate how he gaslit her anytime she stuck up for herself. It was so infuriating. He was way too concerned with the proper way of doing things, his job and reputation and not the people in his life.
I think they were all pretty selfish in different ways. Patrick, for being the 3rd wheel in their marriage, full well knowing here's a woman who genuinely loves her husband and here you are having a secret relationship. Marion, for not leaving Tom and allowing herself to move on - instead writing the dreaded letter that ruins everything and hurts everyone. That was unforgivable. I'll never understand why she couldn't work it out with Tom or just leave him. And Tom, for unfortunately using both people for his own needs.
Heck! Tom should've married Julia then it could've been a Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo kinda situation. An understanding between them all to love whom they wanted in private. I sensed she was also queer and even rooted for Marion to have feelings for her.
I am really excited for the movie because I think it will portray Tom and Patrick's relationship better on screen. That's the one thing that confused me is I didn't expect this to be so much of Marion. I wish we got to see more from Patrick.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Outing, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexual content, Suicide, and Medical trauma
sierrabowers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, and Alcohol
toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book tells the story of Marion, Tom, & Patrick. Tom is a young police officer that Patrick and Marion are both in love with - she as his wife, and he, as his lover in a time where it was illegal to be gay in the UK. The tale unravels from Marion and Patrick's perspectives in dual timelines and as the reader you come to see that no one in this book is an innocent - they each have their pain and they each inflict pain on each other in different ways, and it's often extremely sad to read, but the humanity and messiness of these characters are what made this book so readable and engaging to me, so that was the main thing I liked about it. The writing, too, I thought was gorgeous.
Some issues I had - I don't mind an age gap in a relationship as long as it's ethical as well as legal. Tom and Patrick's age gap itself didn't bother me, but I often felt a little grossed out by the way Patrick was always referencing Tom's youth, his boyishness. It felt....eeeehhh, weird. Didn't love that.
Other than that, I just have this feeling that there was something missing for me during this book. I can't figure out what it was exactly, and if I figure it out, I'll gladly post an update, but whatever it was, it left me feeling that I couldn't give this above a 3 even though I did enjoy it for the most part.
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Medical content, Outing, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Racism and Pregnancy
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Suicide, Transphobia, Vomit, and Death of parent
yasaman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
But I hated -and will continue doing so- homophobia.
Do you know how many lives are ruined every year, because the majority of the people cannot withstand two adults liking each other?
Fuck homophobia. And fuck homophobes.
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Police brutality, and Outing
sib_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Outing, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol