The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
bumble_abi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
this is blurbed as 'the most mind-blowing book of the year' which is the kind of hyperbole that can only set a book up for a fall. Marisa and her lovely boyfriend move in together and try to start a family, but Marisa is increasingly disturbed by the behaviour of their solicitous and overfamiliar lodger, Kate. There's a decent twist in this but it occurs only about a third of the way into the book, and then the rest is the long unraveling of how we got to that point, followed by a slightly too tidy ending.
This truly did feel like a book of two halves - the first half is great, tense and confusing and addictive, but it peaks too early and doesn't leave enough meat for the second half. There's not enough depth to any of it to justify its ultimate meandering. There's a (not graphic - the narrative voice just tells you it happened) rape scene which didn't have very much of a purpose in the plot except as a shortcut to creating a character who is unstable, which felt unnecessary and distasteful. I enjoyed it well enough but wouldn't rush to recommend.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Infertility, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Mental illness
Moderate: Rape and Violence
xbernadette'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abandonment
Moderate: Gaslighting, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Blood, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, and Violence
heather077's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, Emotional abuse, and Infertility
Moderate: Rape, Stalking, Sexual content, and Miscarriage
catbells360's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Blood, Child death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Stalking, and Violence
h_rg98'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Infertility
Minor: Emotional abuse
lldavey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Infertility, Mental illness, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
Minor: Abandonment
a_alves00'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
2.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
sib_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Pregnancy, Violence, Abortion, Medical content, Mental illness, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Infertility, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Stalking, Abandonment, Cursing, Pedophilia, and Grief
abbie_'s review against another edition
3.0
Considering how well I thought Day handles topics like motherhood and infertility, I was disappointed with her treatment of mental health issues. Not so into mental health problems being used as plot twists.Â
Graphic: Infertility, Rape, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical content, Mental illness, and Miscarriage
christalla's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Infertility, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Abandonment, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, and Stalking
Minor: Suicidal thoughts