northernfleabag'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? It's complicated
5.0
Minor: Confinement, Cancer, Grief, Car accident, Pregnancy, Gun violence, Drug use, and Injury/injury detail
ajhowe2'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: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Cultural appropriation, Mass/school shootings, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual violence, Blood, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Body horror, Racism, Cancer, Car accident, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/injury detail, Medical trauma, Sexism, and Suicide attempt
lemonflower'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
4.75
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Injury/injury detail, Suicide attempt, Car accident, Gun violence, Hate crime, and Suicide
Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Grief, Cursing, Death of parent, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Vomit, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Murder, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Miscarriage, Cancer, Misogyny, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Alcohol, Blood, Cultural appropriation, and Racism
martapsalvado's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Loved some chapters but some of them didn't work for me (especially the second to last). I don't know much about gaming, but, for my surprise, I liked reading about the process of making a game, in addition to other themes that are greatly explored in this book like friendship and the development of the characters for 20+ years.
Overall a good immersive read, though, for me, it could be a little more fast paced.
Graphic: Suicide, Toxic relationship, Death, Homophobia, Vomit, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Physical abuse, Car accident, Death of parent, and Gun violence
Moderate: Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Racism, Cancer, Misogyny, Medical content, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, and Sexual violence
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Cultural appropriation, and Abortion
hcop'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: Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Injury/injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Hate crime, Pregnancy, Cursing, Lesbophobia, Blood, Cancer, Murder, Car accident, Eating disorder, Racism, Homophobia, Chronic illness, Death, Sexual content, Ableism, Drug use, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Abortion and Vomit
wenwanzhao'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
On a more personal level, while I enjoyed TATAT, it hasn’t become one of my all time favourites. I suppose it is just not the one for me.
The most important thing I have to say about this book is:
It’s about The Secret Third Thing.
Moderate: Gun violence, Car accident, Drug use, Blood, Animal death, Abortion, Death of parent, Suicide, Death, Mental illness, Grief, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, and Homophobia
cryosphinx'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
I had just finished a marathon of fantasy books, so hard switching into contemporary was difficult at first but I'm glad I stuck with it.
As what is commonly said of this book: It's beautiful. There is little more to say other than this book needs to be read and experienced. As a gamer who read many of the books noted in the acknowledgements and played several of the fames, I loved all the references and nods but it's accessible enough that a non-gamer shouldn't be intimidated or lost and Zev in has clearly written with this in mind, offering explanations so that non-gamers aren't alienated while gamers can still enjoy without being overly told something they already know. It's a must-read tale of friendship and unconventional love across the years. There are a few changes in the storytelling method in the different section that really add to the "meta" nature of the story telling that were some of my favorite cant't-put-down moments.
I will now go wrap myself in a blanket and think about the emotional damage.
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, Chronic illness, and Medical trauma
Minor: Abortion and Drug use
katievh'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
4.25
Moderate: Ableism, Cursing, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/injury detail, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Abortion, Homophobia, Vomit, Cancer, Car accident, Toxic friendship, Murder, Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Suicide
Minor: Drug use
coookiecat'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Car accident, Confinement, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Vomit, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Blood, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Eating disorder, Murder, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Ableism, Cursing, Body shaming, Grief, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Abortion, Gore, Terminal illness, and Antisemitism
Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia and Animal cruelty
zoiejanelle'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
if i could give 6 stars, i would. this book destroyed me time and time again and put me back together with such love and thoughtfulness. my love for these characters is unending, and i can’t wait to read again to pick up on more of the literary allusions and references that really made this book shine.
i am not a gamer nor do i think i ever will be, but Zevin made the gaming world so lush and fascinating AND easy to become immersed in. not only were the various plot threads anf conflicts interesting, the games that Sam & Sadie (and Marx) made made me envious that i wasn’t a character in this parallel world.
the star of the show here was Zevin’s unique ability to develop characters and entice the reader to connect with each. both Sam and Sadie were somehow so relatable to me that my heart felt tugged in opposite directions when their (very realistic, very important) conflicts split them throughout the book. and seeing each of them in each other’s eyes—especially seeing how Sam viewed Sadie throughout their lives despite their disagreements—was so raw and special. i often cried at the warm and affectionate light in which each of them held each other, and that their intimacy and deep, relentless connection allowed them to persevere through the hardest of trials. it was both so easy and so hard at the same time, to believe two people could love and hate each other so much.
the depth of this book, too, was astonishing. the references to other works, the repetition of key phrases with altered meaning, the parallelism, the themes of love, identity, grief, death, and good old fashioned meaning of life… this book really challenged me to ask myself some tough questions but in the same breath was encouraging and comforting in a way i’d never really experienced before.
i absolutely wept at the end, but in a good way. how could i not? this was a truly remarkable book that i can’t wait to read again.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Homophobia, Murder, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Cancer, Drug use, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Sexual content, and Vomit
Minor: Antisemitism, Abortion, and Addiction