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readbycarina'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
4.25
Graphic: Colonisation, Rape, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Homophobia, Addiction, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Grief, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Pregnancy, Abortion, and Physical abuse
ashwaar'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, Colonisation, Death of parent, Self harm, Classism, Cursing, Abandonment, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Homophobia, and Racism
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
hadsbaker'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
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Death of parent, Abandonment, Addiction, Grief, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Abortion
Discussion of HIV/AIDS and death from itmelodyseestrees'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Xenophobia, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Sexual violence, Homophobia, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Rape, Drug use, and Drug abuse
Minor: Abortion, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Grief, Genocide, Fatphobia, Alcohol, Cultural appropriation, and Eating disorder
ferboss2023'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
4.75
Graphic: Colonisation, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Racism, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Classism, Suicide, Rape, Outing, and Homophobia
lizziaha's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Racism, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Addiction, Genocide, Rape, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Homophobia
Minor: Abortion, Bullying, Deportation, and Infertility
zombiezami's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Child abuse, War, Classism, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Abandonment, Addiction, and Colonisation
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Mental illness, Death, Cursing, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Racism, and Sexual content
Minor: Slavery, Violence, Abortion, Homophobia, Genocide, Animal death, Infertility, Pandemic/Epidemic, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and War
stephmcoakley'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
4.0
Graphic: Abortion, Cultural appropriation, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Drug use, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Addiction, Abandonment, Colonisation, Gun violence, Classism, Death of parent, Infertility, and Mental illness
thewordsdevourer'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
4.0
the characters are imbued w/ depth, and w/ olga and prieto, we learn more and more abt them the further into the novel, and the core of the story is them coming to important realization abt themselves, which is hard but ultimately satisfying. surprisingly, i also like olga and matteo's relationship, and enjoy how it veers from my initial expectation.
the setting plays a crucial part in this novel, and both a brooklyn and puerto rico that are rarely portrayed in the mainstream help breathe a lot of life unti the story. the sense of community that persists in both gentrifying brooklyn and struggling puerto rico are uplifting too. another i rly applaud gonzalez for is the portrayal of how the rich and powerful encroach into politics, how a small few can wield so much influence as a result of corruption, so easily holding hostage a whole nation in its hands. the book's depiction of revolution and fight for the better good are thought-provoking as well, and i do hope the 2025 PR shown in this book will become a reality sooner than later.
while the story caps off on a satisfying note, there's still a few loose - or antithetical - ends. the resolution of preito's struggle w/ the selby brothers seems too easy for me; their downfall is only mentioned in broad strokes and i wonder why they didnt make use of bonilla to leak the preito's pics or info on blanca. at times it seems like important stuff happens off-pg, and this is an example. nevertheless, this is a rich, full-bodied book thats thought-provoking, relevant and emotionally impactful.
Graphic: Racism, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Colonisation
Moderate: Outing, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Homophobia, and Chronic illness
Minor: Death and Death of parent
taratearex's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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: Abandonment, Racism, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Xenophobia, and Suicide
Moderate: Abortion, Death, Homophobia, Alcohol, Rape, Sexual assault, and Classism