Scan barcode
hunni_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Chronic illness, Dementia, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Excrement and Medical content
Minor: Death of parent and Abandonment
cs172's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Excrement
Minor: Addiction, Vomit, Medical content, and Death of parent
sarah_kula'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Chronic illness, Death, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
carojust'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
4.5
This is a story about staring death in the face, and the in-between space of anticipatory grief and grief grief. A scorching, unforgiving desert is the symbolic backdrop, as made obvious by the title. Our narrator is an author, who feels intimately modeled after Melissa, herself, and she is navigating her father's near-death, post-accident condition, as well as her husband's debilitating and amorphous illness. We join her as she's arriving at a Best Western in the middle of nowhere, carving out a space for her own self-pity, care and emotions, and ideally, some writing inspo. When she takes a desert hike on the recommendation of the hotel staff, it unleashes a wild fever dream, where we are trying to grasp the edges of reality and hope alongside her.
Let me just say, the line, "Listen, Best Western cares, but not this much" made me have to put the book down and howl-laugh.
Definitely read this book if you're exploring your own mortality, the meaning of your life, or experiencing grief, but need to laugh about it.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction
alexandryareads'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Mental illness
libby_l96'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
5.0
Moderate: Death, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction
orlagal'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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
libraryoflanelle'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
3.5
Graphic: Medical content and Grief
Moderate: Death, Excrement, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
grunbean's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
It’s a very reflective, and funny, story. Although I was in suspense for most of her journey! I think the prose is beautiful. I’m not sure how to describe this book in a few words. It’s different, that’s for sure.
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
elanuruysal's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Medical content and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction and Chronic illness