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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, Blood, Stalking, Lesbophobia, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Child abuse, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Homophobia, and Mental illness
knkoch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I suppose this felt like a very accurate portrayal of difficult people, and of selfish, irresponsible personalities. I can’t say I truly enjoyed the reckless ride, although it was certainly a gripping story. I wavered between empathy and distaste for the characters, similar to my discomfort with White Ivy. I’m curious to see if I can find any interviews where Kristen Arnett talks about her goals for this book. If you’re into very dark, twisted literary fiction, this one’s for you!
Graphic: Alcohol, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, and Mental illness
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
Not trying to tick all the boxes, but this touches on quite a few difficult subjects.eunoiaoftay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Kidnapping and Sexual content
chastitymarie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Minor: Kidnapping, Grief, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, and Mental illness
meghan4's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Cursing, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail
formerbookclubpresident'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: Kidnapping
seekittyread's review against another edition
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, and Kidnapping
Normalizes obstetric abuse and unnecessary c-sections.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, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Blood, and Sexual content
Moderate: Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Child abuse, and Cursing
Minor: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Vomit
abbie_'s review against another edition
4.0
Reminded me a bit of We Need to Talk About Kevin, but not as dark! I also didn’t see the point in the page-long interludes told from the POVs of extremely minor characters who come into contact with Sammy throughout the novel. They felt like a creative writing exercise, something that the author jotted down while writing to make her main characters seem more 3D but then accidentally included.
But still a very good read especially if you love a messy book
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Kidnapping
anxiousnachos's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.5
Did I turn almost 30 and then start unintentionally reading several books that examine the horrific monstrosity of motherhood, my deep fear of having a child when you are clearly not suited to having one, and cementing my desire to not have children.
This is incredible storytelling, despite the lack of plot. It is a character study of a mother through her eyes as she raises a son she hates (and loves) in unequal measure. Interspersed with short extracts from characters who witness the events unfold around this family, we see the story of a queer family revealed in new light. It is a visceral and humid study of the unreliable narrator, expertly told. Very dark and very horrific and had me on the edge of my seat in horror throughout. It has cemented Kristen Arnott as one of my favourite contemporary writers.
Content warnings: emotional and financial abuse, toxic relationship, child abuse, cheating, animal cruelty, sexual assault, attempted kidnapping
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Sexual assault