amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Outing, Slavery, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Bullying, Colonisation, Cursing, Grief, Homophobia, Misogyny, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Classism, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Islamophobia, Racism, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Domestic abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Transphobia, and Xenophobia
Minor: Infertility
helfire124'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
Graphic: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Violence, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Grief, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Miscarriage, Child abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Body shaming, Bullying, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment
Moderate: Alcohol, Cancer, Homophobia, Animal death, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Racism, Slavery, Domestic abuse, Infertility, and Physical abuse
emily_galloway's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This story is so smart. Incredible.
I cried a few times throughout and would recommend reading trigger warnings however. It's pretty intense in parts.
Moderate: Child death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Addiction, Bullying, Colonisation, Grief, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Classism, Death, Drug use, and Infertility
zara89'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: Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Racism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Chronic illness, Infertility, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Terminal illness, Classism, Death, Body shaming, Child death, Grief, Racism, Violence, Bullying, Abandonment, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Child abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer and Drug use
camoo3032's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
There are a lot of characters so the book can feel like a bit of whirlwind, particularly in the first chapter, and some of the topics covered could've been discussed in more depth. Regardless, I still found this book very eye opening
Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Racism
Moderate: Abandonment, Physical abuse, and Sexual content
Minor: Homophobia, Classism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Murder, Transphobia, Vomit, Child death, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Cancer, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Slavery, Suicide, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Xenophobia
support_lesbian'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
the content can be quite explicit and graphic as just something to be aware of
Graphic: Fatphobia, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, Child abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Body shaming, Bullying, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Incest, Lesbophobia, Pedophilia, Classism, Infidelity, Sexual content, Addiction, Alcoholism, Islamophobia, Misogyny, Child death, Colonisation, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, and Rape
hannahbailey'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
4.5
Generally I prefer not to read character-vignette novels written in third-person. But this novel just goes to show that when done well, I can really enjoy them! I loved the distinct voice of each character and how they would be name-dropped in one chapter only to be the main character of the next one. It built such an interesting and creative narrative without leaving me feeling I didn't know enough about them–which is usually the case for me with character-vignettes.
Surprised to see some reviews stating the character dialogue and mix of poetry/prose was hard to believe and unrealistic. I completely disagree! The inner dialogue of the female characters was relatable and familiar. I enjoyed the exploration of womanhood and motherhood and how this intersects with race in Britain. It was an interesting and sobering read.
It was almost 5 stars, but there was a part where the character overcomes drug addiction by sheer willpower–they literally stay at home for a week without any form of support and somehow recovers? This didn't feel realistic to me especially given the vulnerability and young age of the character. That said, this was one of the chapters that really stood out to me in its exploration of body/gender dysphoria and trans joy.
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Lesbophobia, Racism, Alcohol, Abortion, Addiction, Cursing, Deadnaming, Drug use, Blood, Body shaming, Death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Slavery, Transphobia, and Xenophobia
jo_lzr's review
- 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: Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Child death, Death of parent, Drug use, Gore, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, Addiction, Misogyny, Murder, Racial slurs, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Emotional abuse, Grief, Islamophobia, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Police brutality and Confinement
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Fire/Fire injury, and Cancer
herownbeat'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
3.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Lesbophobia, Racism, Transphobia, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, and Child death
Moderate: Bullying, Rape, and Classism
Minor: Alcohol, Abandonment, Miscarriage, Islamophobia, and Body shaming
mme_carton'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
4.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Sexism, Sexual content, Grief, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Violence, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Xenophobia, Classism, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Islamophobia, and Terminal illness
Moderate: War, Slavery, Excrement, and Self harm
Minor: Eating disorder, Cancer, and Infertility