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ottercorg'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? No
3.0
On top of that, it took me almost half the book to really get into the story. I almost gave up, until things started to get interesting between Jean and Howard. That's precisely what kept me reading - the true plot of the book itself was not particularly interesting to me.
All in all, I don't have much to say about this novel from Chambers. I give it 3 stars because I think it was well written, I enjoyed Jean as a character (in many ways I feel I can relate to her), and once I got into it I did enjoy it.
But I have to say I hate how everything resolved. I could not be more disappointed, on all accounts.
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Dementia, Grief, Abortion, and Lesbophobia
ruby_mae_read's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Rape, Grief, and Abortion
swaino's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
It’s the plot that has given me the mixed feelings. I regret to say that I believed it to be quite predictable, with the origins of the virgin birth being what I had expected from the very beginning. The ending was also quite unnecessary and, if I dare say, almost ruined the book for me (whether that was out of heartbreak for the main character or a somewhat lazy plot, I am not so sure).
Before the end, I wanted to give this book 4/5 stars, but the ending took me back. Perhaps after a few days of ruminating over this book I may change my mind.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy
imds's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
Graphic: Ableism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Antisemitism
laurennicole98'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
4.75
Graphic: Abortion
Moderate: Confinement, Death, and Grief
Minor: Cancer, Mental illness, Rape, Dementia, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
sundaybookclub's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy
Minor: Cancer
skudiklier's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Overall I liked this book. I knew absolutely nothing about it going in--not the premise, not the genre, nothing. I picked it solely based on the cover. Throughout the first half of it I just felt a sort of rising tension, as I waited for the shoe to drop. This book was well-written and while the ending devastated me, I don't think it should have been changed.
This book makes me want to read more by this author, because I really liked how well it showed tiny social things that feel hard to capture/explain but can make a real impact on how a situation feels or a relationship progresses. Small things that Jean worries over momentarily, that just felt really well-done.
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Sexual assault, and Abortion
Moderate: Infidelity, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Antisemitism, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Cancer, Incest, and Lesbophobia
biareads100's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Grief, Car accident, and Abortion
Moderate: Cancer, Infidelity, Mental illness, Medical content, Dementia, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Rape
rosalynemily's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Cancer, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy
bcooper21's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Medical content, and Abandonment
Moderate: Cancer, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual content, Grief, Abortion, and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcohol