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emily_mh'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? No
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Outing, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Cursing, Gun violence, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Major: three uses of the n-slur, eugenics Moderate: imprisoned loved one, capital punishment Minor: disownment, toxic masculinity, texturism, sick loved one, suicidal ideation, disordered eatingm0rdred_the_fallen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Mi niño, tú no estás en esta escuela porque tu padre y yo tengamos dinero, sino porqué te tallas el lomo todos los días. El día que dejes de hacerlo, todo esto se va
Es una cruda verdad que los problemas que enfrentan los protagonistas sigan tan presentes y que, parafraseando a Chiamaka, les molesta más que les digas que son racistas al racismo en sí mismo; y se puede decir lo mismo de la homophobia, del clasismo, de los juegos de poder enfermos de estos grupos de odio. Aún cuando se nota que muy en el fondo saben que lo que hacen está mal, es un pobre consuelo para cuando usan su poder y sus recursos para atacar a inocentes. Tristemente, cuando el virus del fanatismo llega a la cabeza no hay nada que pueda hacerse por esa persona sino huir, pues el fanatismo y la estupidez nunca afectan a los que lo tienen, sino a aquellos que les rodean. Y lo peor del caso es lo compenetrado que está el sistema de ello, este sistema que no sólo promueve y protege actos de odio irracional; los demanda para seguir funcionando. El mundo moderno está construido sobre la sangre de generación tras generación de inocentes para el beneficio de unos pocos que se creen con derecho a todo.
En esta lectura sólo hubo una cosa que me dejó con ganas de más:
Que haya sido un grupo de manifestantes quienes los salven al último tiene mayor peso porque es una comunidad que los acoge y protege, en lugar un individuo de una clase opresora que tuvo una crisis de conciencia. Eso, estuvo genial.
Lo recomendaria 10/10
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Blood, Car accident, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Drug use, Gore, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Stalking, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Alcohol
123urmom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Stalking, Car accident, Outing, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
peachythi_books's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book also discusses micro-agressions and the systemic racism black people have to go through in the systems set up by white supremacy. This book is also so deeply disturbing I cried multiple times. Because everyone is fucked up and I need people to read it.
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Racism, Gaslighting, and Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Murder, Outing, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury
snuggly_feminist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Stalking and Gaslighting
Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Suicide attempt
solenodon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Toxic relationship, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Drug use, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Minor: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicide, Police brutality, and Suicide attempt
kj468'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? It's complicated
1.0
That being said, I absolutely hated this book. I almost DNF'd ~50%. My library loan expired and didn't immediately re-borrow it. But I moved through the first half quickly, and the Goodreads reading challenge tempted me into completing it. My oh my, do I wish I had just let it be as a DNF.
This book is poorly written, both in terms of the actual prose and in terms of the overall plot and characters. The prose was awkward and jarring at times and generally felt like a middle schooler wrote it. The characters were unlikeable at best -- even the two MCs who, presumably, the reader is supposed to be rooting for. Outside of the two MCs, all the characters were incredibly flat and clearly present only to further the plot. They seemed to have no lives or personalities outside of their interactions with the MCs.
The plot didn't redeem the book, either. Every chapter felt like trauma porn, as if the author couldn't decide which aspects of the Black experience should be highlighted, and instead chose to highlight all of them. So many traumatic things happen to the characters, and often in such fleeting and plot-irrelevant ways, that the impact of discussing the issues is lessened. As a reader, it felt a little like the author was throwing sh!+ pies at me every chapter, only for the sh!+ to magically disappear and new sh!+ to appear, with the sole purpose seeming to be to remind me that sh!+ exists. A few examples of what I mean: the male MC mentions that a family friend's son (?) was murdered by police, but there's no actual discussion of police brutality and it only seems to be brought up to validate the MC's fear of police; the male MC's father is in prison and (small spoiler) suffered the death penalty, which is a detail the MC uncovers in a dramatic scene that then has no relevance to the plot and does not seem to meaningfully impact the MC or his relationships with relevant people.
Lastly, the truth behind the "aces" persona was not intriguing, full of plot holes, and, honestly, seemed to greatly underestimate readers' intelligence. The author's note said the author hoped readers picked up on the themes of racism -- I think it's impossible not to; I felt like I was being smacked upside the head with it every paragraph. I'm so so so so here for books that explore systematic racism and explore how institutions are set up to benefit white, wealthy, cis-het people (especially men), but, for me, this book didn't do that. Instead of contemplating how institutions, like education, benefit the privileged, I was focused on the (truly astonishing number of) plot holes and marveling at how deeply unrealistic the twist was.
I was hoping for a book with strong POC MCs, a nuanced discussion of racism and systematic oppression, and maybe a dash of thrill and romance. I got none of that. I'm glad I borrowed this book from the library and did not spend money on it.
Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Racism, Car accident, Outing, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Minor: Domestic abuse, Police brutality, and Death of parent
rufaro's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
alnotai's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
gabbadabbadoo'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
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, and Gaslighting
Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Gun violence