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slowburnsrus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The root of my dissatisfaction is that reading about a character playing a game is like reading about a character working out…fun when you do it yourself, excruciating when we read the minutiae of another’s experience.
The strongest part of this book is its work with grief, and the metaphors around gaming in relation to grief and loss. That grabbed me in the second half and kept me reading.
But the writing feel excessively overwrought with not enough payoff in either plot or observations on the human condition to make me enjoy reading it.
I cannot express how much I came to loathe many of the characters, particular Dov, the sexual harasser and groomer who (spoiler) gets a fucking redemption arc at the end of the book.
I was surprised that there were fewer attributions than I would expected in the authors note as I recognized many of the book’s references, and Sadie in particular was prone to insightful wanderings that so had definitely read before.
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use and Abortion
marloesisalive'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
4.5
Graphic: Homophobia, Suicide, and Murder
Moderate: Vomit and Death of parent
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, and Pregnancy
ellalouisedavey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual assault, and Abortion
Minor: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Racism, and Sexism
raquellecollins'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
3.5
Minor: Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
danpolta's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Blood, Vomit, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Racism, Sexism, Stalking, Car accident, Cultural appropriation, and Toxic friendship
mattinthehat'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
Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, and Racism
lulialof'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
3.0
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Cultural appropriation
rynaissanceenby'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
4.5
Graphic: Chronic illness, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Racism, and Car accident
Minor: Animal death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Antisemitism, and Abortion
kalikram'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: Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Racism and Sexism
bestturnip'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
3.0
The constant switch up in writing perspectives and styles
Marx and his chapters hit home the most for me - despite making him the obvious "likeable" character while Sadie and Sam's flaws were obviously meant to be a main focus.
Some of the word choices in the prose (not only character dialogue) felt a bit over the top and like the author wanted to remind you how smart, not only the characters, but she was.
I absolutely hated
The passages from Marx's POV
Overall there were some really emotional and resonant scenes, and the references to theatre, art, and games were typically well thought out and had a place in the story. I wish that this book had a better idea of exactly what it was about, so our throughlines didn't get so muddled.
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Grief, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Medical trauma
Minor: Racial slurs, Sexism, Terminal illness, Violence, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail