cakrolik'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Classism, Grief, and Racism
Moderate: Dementia, Death of parent, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Dysphoria, Racial slurs, Hate crime, and Sexism
glammster's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Hate crime, Misogyny, Murder, Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Child abuse, Death, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Dementia, Bullying, Classism, Homophobia, and Transphobia
Minor: Dysphoria
Graphic description of lynchingtheskyboi'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
4.5
Desiree and Stella Vignes are two identical twin sisters who grow up in Mallard, a town too small to have ever made it onto the map. Perhaps too big for their britches or too ambitious for their surroundings, they let out for greater destinies: Desiree as a Black woman and Stella passing for White.
At the center of this novel lies the struggle that Desiree faces in trying to find her long-lost twin, yet there are so many interlocked stories that sprout from this search. Jude, Desiree's daughter, inevitably sparked my interest with her lifelong journey of love and self-discovery.
Although I will refrain from revealing too much of the intrigue contained between the covers of this magnificent book, I will say that I was delighted to read a story that so effortlessly weaved its way through the intersecting identities of its characters: Black, White, trans, gay, and cis.
Bennett's care for these characters shines brightly on every subsequent page, and the attention that she paid to crafting such a satisfyingly connected, intergenerational exploration of identity formation was much more than I could have ever hoped to find.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Violence, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Transphobia, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Outing, and Sexual content
beegster16'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? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Classism, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Death
Minor: Abandonment and Misogyny
titan_reads'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
4.0
Graphic: Racism and Hate crime
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Dementia, Misogyny, and Death of parent
angievansprang'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: Grief, Racism, Abandonment, Classism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Sexual assault, Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Toxic relationship and Death of parent
jamiejanae_6's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Death, Hate crime, Medical content, Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, and Dementia
cptnstphy'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
Moderate: Racism, Bullying, Classism, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Toxic friendship
avacate9'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
4.5
Moderate: Dementia, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Abandonment, Bullying, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
itsheyfay'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Racism, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Death of parent, Classism, and Medical content
Moderate: Alcohol, Mental illness, Misogyny, Outing, Classism, Death, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content