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booksnart2023'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
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
amyherman'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Vomit
oceanbluetay'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
4.75
Graphic: Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Police brutality, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Vomit, and Alcohol
hmwoodward's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book shows you a side of police brutality that we don't get to see - how those who are left behind process and respond to it. Star grapples with her responsibility to her murdered friend and the risk of speaking about it to the public. You watch as life goes back to "normal" as you follow Star to school and with her family. Though the death is no longer the only focus, it is a grief that weighs on Star and the community, on top of all the other trauma they experience in the form of poverty or drugs or gang activity, etc. The world stops at the news of a death at the hands of the police AND at the trial AND at the decision, but they're gone when the news cycle ends again.
Through the course of the book, you get to know and love (most of) the characters, despite their many flaws. You get to understand why people in challenging situations pick what appears to be a wrong choice since the odds are stacked and no choice is a good one sometimes. You watch as the people around Star grow and hear the stories of others who grew in their challenging environment.
I listened to this on audiobook and appreciated the narrator because it felt like I was in Star's head. The narrator brought these powerful and emotional moments to life so vividly.
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Blood
Minor: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
evelynnnn33333'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality, and Grief
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Toxic friendship
Minor: Sexual content
_ren'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: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Child abuse and Abandonment
Minor: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
kashrae99'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
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Minor: Sexual content and Slavery
jayden_chancery'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol
pacifickat'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? No
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Gaslighting
Minor: Alcoholism and Confinement
PTSD, guilt, shame, fear, gang violence, threats of violencetrashgobby'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? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol