Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - Glitterland

So, last year, AJH got the rights back to Glitterland - should it be re-recorded? re-recorded along with the extra bits in the new Sourcebook edition?

And so Alexis had it re-recorded, along with the extra bits, by the original, very, very talented and lovely actor who did the first recording, Nicholas Boulton. Who so perfectly nails Ash's elitism and vulnerability but also Darian's very Essex-ness. I kind of can't really tell the difference between the two performances, my ear isn't quite that good, but the performance is wonderful.

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downtown_kb's review against another edition

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emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

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

Ash is struggling with his life, his mental health, his happiness and is very much feeling like he’s at rock bottom. Until a chance meeting with Darian at a club.

It took me way too long to get around to reading this book and I understand the hype. I think it’s well deserved. I appreciated just how unlikely a pair these two are and just how much Darian made Ash happy. This is a great example of a character conflict you could see coming a mile away but knowing there is some growth that needs to happen. Ash’s continued journey of recovery, letting go of who he was and accepting himself for who he is, was heartwarming. I think Alexis Hall has a gift for bringing life to his characters and making things funny amidst the very human struggles. I'm gonna have to say tho, I'm not one that insists on open door romances but it is sad to know just how well a certain author can write them and then to know they hardly ever do anymore.

A great audiobook narration by Nicholas Boulton.

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sohva's review against another edition

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emotional funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Both funny and quite deep. Alexis Hall really knows how to make fucked-up characters you want to root for.

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vvayl's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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the_lady_librarian's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

Excellent! This is the third book from Alexis Hall that I've read and I am continually surprised by how different each of their books are. Giltterland is a bit absurd, the characters are weird and eccentric, yet somehow charming. .Ash and Niall are characters we should categorically dislike- they are not good people. They are shallow and malicious and way too egotistical but somehow you find yourself loving them. Perhaps because of their humanity. Hall brings light to a mental illness that is drowned in negative stigma too often and does a good job of neither romanticizing or sugarcoating it. I do wish the author could have made it clear that this is Ash's life at this point but that it can change-for the better. There is a lot of catastrophizing of Ash's illness and sometimes it felt like there was no hope. Maybe that was the point, to make the reader feel like they are living in a depressive episode but I think it was to the detriment of the work the author put in to destigmatize bipolar depression. It made it seem like people with mental illness can't have long-term, healthy relationship. That the relationship will always be that of the ill person/ caregiver. The narrator did a wonderful job, especially with the Essex accent. Overall, a very enjoyable book with deep and profound moments that could have benefited from a bit more joy.

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