stephanieswilley's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Racism, Blood, Death, Suicide attempt, and Mental illness
abitbetterbooks's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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? No
4.75
An absolute masterpiece of a novel! A stunning exploration of grief & mental health, with a touch of magical realism, and prose that will make you weep. The way Leigh’s artistry is woven into the narration through colour is one of the most brilliant literary devices I’ve ever seen. My only complaint is that the ending just felt a bit too neat (esp. with Leigh’s father), otherwise a flawless novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, and Blood
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Abandonment and Alcohol
sarah_speaks's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Blood, Grief, Suicide, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Alcohol and Sexual content
ebb_and_flow's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Blood, Suicide, Grief, Self harm, and Death of parent
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Eating disorder
emilyz05's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I absolutely loved this book so much. I wasn’t expecting it to hit so close to home since I’ve never experienced anything like this. But the main character being an Asian American (like me) and finally connecting to her Asian roots really resonated with me.
The story and plot itself is so immersive. I feel like I am experiencing the exact same thing as Leigh is in the story. The whole book tells such a bittersweet story, you’ll be crying on one page, then smiling with warmth on the next. It actually surprised me that there was also a romantic story in the book because all I expected was to read about loss, but the book is really about exploring all kinds of love. I really enjoyed all aspects of the story.
I also loved the prose of the writing and the style it was written in. The flashbacks were my absolute favorite to read and it was also heartwarming to read about the present, but I was mostly excited to read the flashbacks. I loved how everything slowly unravels and takes time to settle in.
I also like how the author approached the mothers death. I’ve never lost anyone to suicide, but I like how the author does her best to take away/talk about the stigma around it and around mental health.
10/10 recommend. The book made me bawl, it made my heart flutter, it made me smile. Just an overall great experience.
The story and plot itself is so immersive. I feel like I am experiencing the exact same thing as Leigh is in the story. The whole book tells such a bittersweet story, you’ll be crying on one page, then smiling with warmth on the next. It actually surprised me that there was also a romantic story in the book because all I expected was to read about loss, but the book is really about exploring all kinds of love. I really enjoyed all aspects of the story.
I also loved the prose of the writing and the style it was written in. The flashbacks were my absolute favorite to read and it was also heartwarming to read about the present, but I was mostly excited to read the flashbacks. I loved how everything slowly unravels and takes time to settle in.
I also like how the author approached the mothers death. I’ve never lost anyone to suicide, but I like how the author does her best to take away/talk about the stigma around it and around mental health.
10/10 recommend. The book made me bawl, it made my heart flutter, it made me smile. Just an overall great experience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Suicide attempt, and Suicide
ivan_levitt's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Self harm, and Blood
msbarnesela's review
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Moderate: Suicide, Mental illness, and Blood
ashleycmms's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia
ehmannky's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is a hard book to read. It's beautifully written, and the fantastical elements are perfectly interwoven with the more concrete and real scenes. But, wow it is a heavy and tough read. I would recommend it, but I did have to put it down quite often because it dragged up some painful memories in my own life. Pan handles the topic of suicide without demonizing the person who dies or stigmatizing it and without minimizing the impact that this type of death has on the people left behind. I could tell even before I read the afterward that Pan has also experienced this grief personally because it was just so...accurate to what I have felt in my own life.
Pan captures the grief that comes from losing a loved one to suicide so well. The longing and the what ifs and the refusal to accept that they left without any real reason at all. When Leigh comes home in at the beginning to find her mother dead, the entire sequence was nearly a replay of when I came home to find that my brother had died by suicide. Gorgeous writing, impactful and important plot. Strongly recommend.
Pan captures the grief that comes from losing a loved one to suicide so well. The longing and the what ifs and the refusal to accept that they left without any real reason at all. When Leigh comes home in at the beginning to find her mother dead, the entire sequence was nearly a replay of when I came home to find that my brother had died by suicide. Gorgeous writing, impactful and important plot. Strongly recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Grief, Death of parent, Death, and Blood
samvanz12's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Blood