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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
frivolousclaw'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: Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer
risaroo033'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
Minor: Cancer, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicide, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, and Death of parent
rebeccaquinton'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
4.25
Graphic: Cancer, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Cultural appropriation
aannaemelie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Blood, Mass/school shootings, and Death of parent
chloel29'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
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
emilyanne_5's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicide, and Murder
eliajor'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
3.75
You know it's a good book when you can relate to all three of the characters however it felt like Sadie's character was constantly getting worse and she dragged the book for me. Many of the issues and miscommunication between her and Sam could have easily been resolved with a good talk
I liked how each chapter talked about a different concept whether it's a game or not.
I have no sympathy for Dov, infact I loathe the 'slightly self-aware but mainly arrogance' characteristic he has. Honestly have no idea why Sadie was
As for Sam,
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
just_one_more_chapter_ok'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
Both Sam and Sadie made choices in what they revealed, or didn't reveal, that strongly impacted how they saw and felt about each other.
More than once I wanted to yell at the book that they needed to talk and not assume things about each other. Just share, but then I guess you wouldn't have conflict so you wouldn't have a book.
Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Abortion
annaforthebooks'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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Mental illness, Violence, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Abortion