gilnean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Ableism, Fatphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Self harm, Medical trauma, Body shaming, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Xenophobia, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, and Vomit
Minor: Child death, Terminal illness, Cancer, Cursing, Bullying, Xenophobia, Excrement, Animal death, Miscarriage, Murder, Death, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Antisemitism
tessjx'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
4.25
Graphic: Suicide, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Medical content
Moderate: Excrement, Vomit, Body shaming, Forced institutionalization, Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Drug use, Racial slurs, and Racism
lucy_readsbooks13'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? N/A
4.25
I love the writing, and while episodes where she goes in past confused me at the beginning (English is not my first language, yet I read it in English) it was easy to get used to, very approachable and simple to understand.
Some of the moments in the book, resonated deep with me, and I felt confronted and comforted by the same passages, yet, I cannot bring myself to rate it 5 stars.
My first thought, after finishing the book was that the main character, Esther was very underdeveloped, and that every single story could've been more explained and more details added, but thinking back on it, that sort of approach has so much more sense, to me at least.
In a manner, while struggling with the same things she struggles with, things really are that "shallow" and there is nothing beneath the surface, not because everything is hollow and pointless, but the lack of energy to look any further holds me back on wondering and involving myself in life.
All in all, truly a good book and I definitely recommend reading it, it packs a punch and is easy to understand, while being, in a way, complex. The status it has is definitely deserved.
Graphic: Drug use, Excrement, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, and Vomit
Moderate: Vomit, Self harm, and Mental illness