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diegocanread's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Abortion, and Outing
lenamarjam'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
evamarsh00'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? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
jessebaronne'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Violence, and Abortion
jembo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Pregnancy
shaleen64's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Stuart explores all of the issues above in a completely open and raw manner that does not sensationalise or trivialise.
The book captures life in Glasgow during the 80’s exceptionally and whilst some may struggle with the language used it is, within the limits of fictional writing, accurate.
I would recommend this book to anyone and believe I will be thinking about it for a long time to come, but for most it will be worth reading the trigger warnings prior.
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Drug use, Miscarriage, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal death
shobhana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Abortion
Moderate: Addiction and Homophobia
Minor: Domestic abuse and Death of parent
jasonmango's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder
imsaneipromise's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A book about a young gay boy growing up in the east end of Glasgow in the 90s was always going to be sad and difficult, because life was sad and difficult. It wasn't about writing something shocking and upsetting, it was about writing something real. Lots of people are saying the descriptions of violence were unnecessarily explicit, but isn't that one of the things that made you feel so deeply while you were reading it?
I'm of the opinion that some of the best books are ones that elicit visceral responses, because you can literally feel the impact being had on you. I cried while I read this book, and felt joy and heartbreak and despair and hope.
Aside from that, I read this book in two parts because life got in the way, and ended up spending a lot of time in Glasgow in between. It was pretty special to read a book that started off as pure fiction, then continued with being able to imagine the characters standing in those real life places where I'd also stood, or how the sun bounces off the tenements, or how the close stinks of piss.
and as a brutally honest book it stays true to itself to the very end.
Graphic: Homophobia, Rape, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse and Domestic abuse
Minor: Abortion
andyparr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Alcohol