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slowburnsrus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The root of my dissatisfaction is that reading about a character playing a game is like reading about a character working out…fun when you do it yourself, excruciating when we read the minutiae of another’s experience.
The strongest part of this book is its work with grief, and the metaphors around gaming in relation to grief and loss. That grabbed me in the second half and kept me reading.
But the writing feel excessively overwrought with not enough payoff in either plot or observations on the human condition to make me enjoy reading it.
I cannot express how much I came to loathe many of the characters, particular Dov, the sexual harasser and groomer who (spoiler) gets a fucking redemption arc at the end of the book.
I was surprised that there were fewer attributions than I would expected in the authors note as I recognized many of the book’s references, and Sadie in particular was prone to insightful wanderings that so had definitely read before.
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use and Abortion
danpolta's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Blood, Vomit, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Racism, Sexism, Stalking, Car accident, Cultural appropriation, and Toxic friendship
boba_nbooks'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
This was such a unique book. I loved the way the story was told not only through multiple POVs but also through video games. As the characters grew up and adapted, so did the storytelling.
Sam/Mazer is such an intriguing character who you can’t quite wrap your head around. He has been invisible his whole life and isn’t quite sure how to love and be loved. His character grows quite a bit but still has his flaws to the very end.
All in all, this was a delight to read.
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Gun violence, Medical content, Car accident, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer, Abortion, and Pregnancy
hanloc'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
5.0
The fictional elements are very well woven into the contemporary world, I believe there really is an unfair games with developers Sam and Sadie.
Graphic: Cancer, Confinement, Gun violence, Hate crime, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, and Car accident
Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Medical content, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Eating disorder and Abortion
jkwel'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: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
rnbhargava'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
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Triggers are either actively in there or suggested somewhere throughout the book. I honestly might have missed some but I really enjoyed this book and its depiction of the years shown and how Zevin’s characters lived through those times.aseppa'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: Ableism, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
the_true_monroe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Cancer, Drug use, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Antisemitism, Abortion, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol
unfoundation'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
4.5
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Racism, and Sexism
aubreyrae_m'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
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug use, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, Mental illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide, Pregnancy, and Alcohol