gennyloves's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Gun violence, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Islamophobia
apersonfromflorida'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
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Islamophobia, Sexual content, and Racism
Minor: Alcoholism
emilb'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
4.25
Graphic: Drug abuse, Mental illness, Addiction, Antisemitism, Death, Gun violence, Grief, Suicide, Islamophobia, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, and Kidnapping
beccaand'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
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Self harm, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Racism, Islamophobia, and Sexual content
Minor: Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, and Eating disorder
kanonkita'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
That being said, maybe avoid the audiobook unless you really enjoy listening to tremulous female voices shouting "No no no" over and over again ever few minutes. The computerized sound effect that was put over the Amygdalans' voices in the audiobook could also be grating at times and made it difficult to hear them if there was any background noise while I was listening.
Overall, I would recommend it, but do pay attention to the content warning Ellis provides at the beginning of the novel.
Also, a note that I have not seen this book listed as LGBTQ+ in many places, which I can only chalk up to bi erasure. Cora is bisexual, and it seems unfair that this gets overlooked just because she has a heterosexual romance, especially given that it occurs alongside her very queer relationship with an alien who only uses he/him pronouns out of convenience.
Graphic: Confinement, Body horror, Antisemitism, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Gun violence, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Gore, Suicide attempt, Islamophobia, Addiction, Death, Blood, Xenophobia, Violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness
seullywillikers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Gore, Islamophobia, Confinement, Deportation, Racism, and Addiction
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Police brutality, Infertility, and Eating disorder
gyascutus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I have a lot of grievances with
Spoiler
relationship between cora and kaveh. And the death of kaveh. Like damn. But it ended so nicely with his article?? I wanted to cry ???Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Gore
Moderate: Eating disorder, Dysphoria, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Self harm
Minor: Islamophobia and Racism
tomas_lw'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
That being said, this book is a great depiction of grief and loss, and it has some very well constructed parables about society and current events. It's a very cleverly constructed book and Ellis feels even more confident as a writer in this than the first one that was already a very strong debut.
Graphic: Eating disorder, Xenophobia, Self harm, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Racism, Violence, Gun violence, Suicide, and Islamophobia
Minor: Body horror, Addiction, Abandonment, and Alcohol
moonspren'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
4.25
Graphic: Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Eating disorder, Grief, Islamophobia, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death, Gun violence, and Mental illness
Minor: Addiction and Alcoholism
maddihiggs'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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, and Self harm
Moderate: Violence and Islamophobia