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bmpicc's review against another edition
- 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
2.0
I might have felt more (or even something) for these characters if the story had allowed me to be a fly in the therapist office. I personally would have appreciated a chance to understand more what was happening with Sammie and reality as she perceived it rather than sitting in the waiting room. When the "twist" arrived I realized I actually did not care. Bummer.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Miscarriage and Kidnapping
missmarguerita's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cursing, Deadnaming, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
bigolscrewup's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I bought this book with so much hope, thinking it would be one of the underrated work in LGBTQ+ Fiction genre and I even told myself without reading the reviews, that the low reviews might be due to homophobes, but nope, it's a bad book
Hands down the worst book I've ever read in all my years. I can't figure out the point of this book and why it exists. I've only heard great things about Kristen Arnett, but reading this book, I couldn't find a single silver lining. Usually when I dislike a book, there are always some things I can point to and say "This! I loved this particular moment". But with this book, there's nothing. I had been wishing to read this book for nearly two years and I wish I had just never read it.
Literally every character was unlikable and even though it took me only three days to read this book, it felt longer. And the writing in the end of chapters, where the author explores how other characters who interact with Sammie and Monika feels is just weak and feels out of place in this book. It didn't serve anything, I can already see that Sammie is rude, unlikable, delusional, unreliable, probably depressed but wouldn't acknowledge it or do anything about it.
Also, I don't know if this is how the author thinks or it's just Sammie's voice, the prejudice against men in this book is just too much. There are so many bad men in this world, literal monsters, like the person we see at the start of the story, but it's dangerous to prejudice an entire gender for the actions of few. It would be like someone saying All White Women are racists just because they met a few racist white women in their life. I don't even know whether it was intentional from the character or the author because as I mentioned above, literally every character is unlikable, so it didn't make much of a difference in the end.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Alcohol
sadig27's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail
kaki4forks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Update (4.5): I really like this but it's so visceral and triggering that I don't know if I could read it again. So much of the desperation of parenthood hits too close to home for me. The loneliness and isolation of being a stay-at-home-parent. the overstimulation. all of it.
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Medical content, Grief, and Classism
shoohoob's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol
jamie003's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcoholism and Gaslighting
jahncie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
jes312'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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting
Minor: Miscarriage, Vomit, and Pregnancy
undeniableemg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry