unboxedjack's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Child death, Cursing, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Hate crime, Rape, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Incest, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Abortion, Death, Infidelity, and Sexual assault
george_tte's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Abortion, Homophobia, Blood, Sexual content, Sexism, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Pregnancy and Miscarriage
ghast'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
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Transphobia, Blood, Murder, Pedophilia, Homophobia, Torture, Sexual assault, Sexism, and Racism
Moderate: Pregnancy and Police brutality
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Animal death
mjollthelionness's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Miscarriage, Transphobia, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
torismazarine'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
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Child abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Abortion, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Car accident, Child death, Excrement, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Outing, Sexual assault, Torture, Abandonment, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Medical content, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Gun violence, Infertility, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Classism, Rape, Racism, Death, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Transphobia, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
sierra_s's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Transphobia, Drug abuse, Drug use, Death, Rape, Hate crime, Domestic abuse, Child death, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Gore, Addiction, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Racism, Homophobia, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Incest, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, and Animal cruelty
ecandrews0'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
3.75
Graphic: Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Racism, Torture, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Sexual content, Abortion, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug abuse, Incest, Body shaming, Death, Homophobia, Sexism, Police brutality, Misogyny, Pedophilia, and Pregnancy
motherofbears'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
4.25
I would say this is a challenging read, especially for someone not used to the writing style, but also because of the subject matter. All the trigger warnings, really.
It will stay with me for a while.
Graphic: Murder, Police brutality, Sexual content, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gore, Animal cruelty, Death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Sexual assault, Violence, Child death, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Pregnancy
meghansolo's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Abortion, Addiction, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Death, Miscarriage, Alcoholism, Blood, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Incest, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Torture, Violence, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Drug use, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, and Racism
elchivovivo'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
Each chapter is a single paragraph with little or no room for breathing.
Melchor changes narrative voices like a boxer delivers his punches. And yet, the story flows like water.
The language is pure, and i am curious to see how anyone could translate this dense, boiling, gulf- Mexican dialect into another language. Or even to see how a non-mexican spanish speaker would absorb all the local slang.
What wrenches the heart is that the story, the darkness, the characters, are all realistic (if not based on true people). It reflects the hopeless trajectory of our country, which in spite of its beauty and depth seems to be cosmically, cosmogonically thirsting for blood drawn with violence.
Graphic: Sexism, Mental illness, Confinement, Abandonment, Murder, Transphobia, Sexual assault, Outing, Infertility, Addiction, Abortion, Rape, Cursing, Racial slurs, Deadnaming, Child death, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Forced institutionalization, Death, Sexual violence, Violence, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Gore, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, and Misogyny