andreafiggy'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Spoiler
The biggest part of the book that you're searching for is that Janie is dead, Janie set the house fire, and Micah had absolutely nothing to do with either things. Okay? I figured that out very, very early on; I'm not feeling a groundbreaking change.Zhang's writing style was, without a doubt, the biggest thing drawing me through this book. Though her imagery and character movements did sometimes feel subpar, the ideas and themes as a whole felt really interesting and beautiful. Not to mention the journal pages throughout the book – EXTREMELY creative. The plot, too, though rather easy to figure out from the jump (and I can always entertain a book that has a familiar plot line or set of tropes), was a well-written reflection on young minds and desperations.
Besides that, I finished this book not liking a single character. (Maybe the English teacher.) Not a single one of them received any sort of closure or comeuppance.
Spoiler
Micah, for instance, recovered his memory and just. Decides to go to Nepal? Which doesn't deviate him from the person that Janie pulled around? He just takes up her dream? And I can understand Ander not receiving his punishment – hear, hear, to modern day justice – but Piper, who watched a girl get raped, gets her confession included in a very strange page and a half of her showing up out of nowhere and slapping Micah. Janie, perhaps, feels like the one who received the most well-rounded conclusion, but by the time you get to it, I can't even like her character very much to feel as much sympathy as I wish I had.It's Thirteen Reasons Why with a sunshine-girl-meets-introvert-sad-guy trope, and I wish it had been handled a bit better.
Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Death of parent
_jasper_394's review
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Grief, Rape, and Suicide
destiny_jay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Suicide, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Rape, Alcohol, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Infidelity, Violence, and Vomit
cozymocha'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
2.75
Spoiler
And content warning: there is rape and suicide. Neither are graphic but the rape scene may be uncomfortable to read depending on the person. The suicide isn’t graphic but it’s a main point of the book so be warned. Hope this helps <3Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, and Rape
starstrays's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Moderate: Bullying, Rape, and Suicide
halopink's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Rape and Bullying
Moderate: Suicide
pn__'s review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Rape, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Minor: Car accident and Death of parent
desidala's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Minor: Sexual assault, Suicide, and Suicide attempt