charliebella's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Body shaming, and Eating disorder
lisamarie_'s review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Drug use, and Self harm
readingwithkt's review
I was fortunate enough to be given access to this title ahead of publication and having just read The Split by Laura Kay (and loved it), I was really in the mood for another great contemporary.
I have read and enjoyed previous titles from Cecelia Ahern, such as The Time of My Life, which was a favourite at the time I read it. I'm not sure how I would feel about it today, but I was still curious to read more from Cecelia Ahern.
I was disappointed in this one. The writing style is very easy to read and engrossing, so I was looking forward to getting swept up in the story. Unfortunately, I kept getting pulled out of the story by these very vulgar descriptions of women.
For example, the narrator becomes fixated on their female landlord's breasts one morning and writes about them in a derogatory way. After conversing with the woman, she remarks "people are so transparent I don't know why we both to fuck". Which is just weird, tbh.
Later, the narrator speaks about a girl in her school who returned to school after giving birth. She describes an observation of her body as "her flesh had grown around her cesarean scar, doubling over like raw dough". What can I even say to that? How hurtful it must be to read that if you have birthed by a cesarean.
I'm tired of this shaming of women's bodies being a central theme in a lot of contemporary fiction.
I have read and enjoyed previous titles from Cecelia Ahern, such as The Time of My Life, which was a favourite at the time I read it. I'm not sure how I would feel about it today, but I was still curious to read more from Cecelia Ahern.
I was disappointed in this one. The writing style is very easy to read and engrossing, so I was looking forward to getting swept up in the story. Unfortunately, I kept getting pulled out of the story by these very vulgar descriptions of women.
For example, the narrator becomes fixated on their female landlord's breasts one morning and writes about them in a derogatory way. After conversing with the woman, she remarks "people are so transparent I don't know why we both to fuck". Which is just weird, tbh.
Later, the narrator speaks about a girl in her school who returned to school after giving birth. She describes an observation of her body as "her flesh had grown around her cesarean scar, doubling over like raw dough". What can I even say to that? How hurtful it must be to read that if you have birthed by a cesarean.
I'm tired of this shaming of women's bodies being a central theme in a lot of contemporary fiction.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Body shaming
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