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historianvik's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Gaslighting, and Homophobia
Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, and Addiction
peggymay'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
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Abandonment, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Bullying, Homophobia, Sexual content, Suicide, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Abortion
britt_zonnebloempit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Violence, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Lesbophobia, and Addiction
Minor: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
beffynicole'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? It's complicated
3.25
It kept me engaged and discussed a lot of great topics, such as coming out, misogyny, "boys will be boys", mental health, and complicated family relationships.
But the writing for a lot of the book was so bad and just was unable to keep myself connected. Sonya was extremely one-dimensional whereas Coley had a lot of depth. I couldn't figure out why Coley even liked Sonya to begin with. We saw a little bit of their friendship but not a ton and Sonya was truly terrible so much. I also don't think that she is that dumb that she truly believes "that's just how all guys are." It's one thing to have a trauma response or rose-tinted glasses, but this was another level.
I'm also sick of writers writing about small towns terribly. I don't know if the author has spent a lot of time in a small town but it felt very out of touch. I shouldn't have to withhold belief so much for a contemporary book. Even in small towns, no 17-year-old boy won't let you put anti-itch cream on if it's pink. He might complain but come on.
Also the ending just killed this for me. I get it, not everything has to have a happy ending, but I feel like there wasn't really a resolve? Personally, I think this would have done far better if it wasn't pushed as a romance book, but instead a story of self-exploration and the story of Coley coming out to her dad and such. Like her relationship with her dad was get (though again, really jumped around sometimes and wasn't super realistic).
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Suicide