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alisha247's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
the first thing i really noticed about this novel was its writing. the author wrote some really beautiful sentences, especially those focusing on nature imagery, however there were also plenty of sentences that were either prose overkill or simply did not make sense. this, coupled with the incessant back and forth timelines, sometimes spanning years, did not help me follow these characters’ journeys.
secondly, the triggering content. there was unnecessary amounts of graphic sexual abuse and emotional neglect of children. i understand the message the novel was trying to portray with this - how trauma can tremendously shape lives, but the imagery was not needed.
furthermore, none of the characters were very likeable. they were very much one-dimensional to me. this made it difficult to empathise with any of their choices. for some characters, their distastefulness worked well in the story e.g. elle’s parents, her stepparents etc. but for others, readers almost needed to be won over for the story to excel e.g. i certainly felt that peter was bland and his only character traits were being english and vulgar; jonas was presented as a total sweetheart as a child but as an adult, there was no charisma.
and then the ending. i don’t usually mind ambiguous endings, but this left too many loose ends in its wake!
Graphic: Child abuse, Incest, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Sexual content
angelasunshine's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Child death, Incest, Infidelity, and Sexual assault
abbiekwilliams's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Infidelity, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Cancer, Incest, Infertility, and Terminal illness
nasolireads's review against another edition
Graphic: Child abuse, Infidelity, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
lavienne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Infertility, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Blood, Dementia, and Abandonment
kmart29's review against another edition
3.25
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment
bombshellbibliophile's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Incest, Infidelity, Rape, and Sexual content
Not worth the read. Terrible ending. Past and present was too back and forth. Characters were utterly unlikeable. Very slow. Author has poetic descriptive writing style but when not paired with good plot and characters it’s wasted. Way too much sexual trauma, with minors at that. that don't really add more to the plot. Surprised this is a NY times and Reese’s book club rec, now I know not all endorsements of such will be to my liking.mdal26'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
3.75
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical content, Grief, and Gaslighting
jessiehg'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? It's complicated
3.0
- the time cuts exploring a similar theme across generations are so close to being too obvious and trite, but there’s enough complexity and difference that they work well
- the characters verge on 1 dimensional, but they’re also not overwritten which I’m grateful for
- Elle’s motivations and the deep rippling effects of her childhood on her choices are very well done, as is the reasoning (absolution) behind the affair finally occurring
- the end will bother some, but I think it was the only option
- I saw most things coming, but you could take that as well constricted and neat rather than obvious
There’s something here about starting in a simplistic idea of lifelong longing finally acted upon, and then simultaneously strengthening the reader’s belief in that “cosmic connection” and (through an unreliable narrator) revealing flags of the flawed, bad (but not in the way they think they are!) people who would in reality not ride off into the sunset but likely hurt each other like all partners do. Jonas is a dick to his wife, Elle is obviously coping with her mistakes and explores those things (eg lying, distance to husband).
Once I hit about halfway I found it difficult to put down. I was deeply affected. But I didn’t LOVE it.
This may be better on screen than on paper - what verges on flat in the book could be fleshed out with great acting.
It helped me to keep reminding myself that this is my parent’s generation, and in a lot of ways her reactions are very well written for that.
Starting this book in the affair and love triangle is indicative of the target audience. The average airport/rom com reader wants empty longing and sex as a hook to then become invested in the real story. Personally, the real story is what it took for me to give any amount of shits about the affair. An understandable and commercially wise choice, but not to my liking.
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Incest, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Vomit, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Animal cruelty and Terminal illness
prinzesstephi'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Infidelity