The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! đ
greatexpectations77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Murder, Death, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Bullying, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Blood, and Gun violence
Minor: Abortion, Car accident, Confinement, Drug use, Infidelity, Medical content, and Sexual content
starsnotshadows'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
3.0
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Murder and Gun violence
Minor: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic friendship
adelinebal4'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Murder, Outing, Drug use, Grief, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Car accident, and Gun violence
Moderate: Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Gore, Abortion, and Injury/Injury detail
chelly_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Death, Drug use, Alcohol, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Toxic friendship
bessadams's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Gun violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, Self harm, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Outing, Abortion, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, and Drug abuse
Minor: Death of parent and Vomit
rochelleisreading's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.5
Graphic: Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcohol, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Abortion
kt2e56's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Again, Ware is good at setting up a plot but she gets so wrapped up in making sure there are twists and turns that her details donât always pan out and her characters donât seem believable or worse, she makes up new traits or details that she mushes in last minute to fill in the holes but make zero sense with the characters weâre trying to get to know and invest ourselves in.
Speaking of the characters, all of them (sans Tom) are AWFUL. I really stopped caring about what happened to any of them because they were all just the worst.
Her writing of Flo also felt mean spirited and fatphobic. Like we get it. Sheâs wearing clothes that would only look good on apparent waif goddess Clare. You donât need to keep talking about Floâs ârollsâ or âexcess skin.â
Nora as a POV character was frustrating because she really wasnât sympathetic. Yes,
I also donât buy for even a second that Nora was ever an actress let alone the understudy for the lead role in a play like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Whether she was up Clareâs ass as a teenager or not, thereâs no way someone that shy and awkward and who HATED attention would have even auditioned. This sounds like a petty gripe but Iâm pointing it out because it seems like the author liked the idea of Nora and James falling in love while starring in the school play together even if it made ZERO sense for the characters. This is far from the only instance of this but itâs a noticeable one. Thatâs a problem to me. An author should have a better grasp on characterization.
Another example is that Nora is supposedly a successful crime novelist. Okay, fine. But this is only briefly mentioned once at the beginning of the book (and again if she was so successful, youâd think the other characters would have heard of her or her books), she shows ZERO signs of being able to solve any kind of mystery or be good at reading people (or having really any other kind of skill that you think would make for a successful mystery author) until suddenly at the very end when the explanation for everything is shoe-horned in and the killer is revealed.
The âhowâ and âwhyâ of the murder at the center of all of this also feel a bit messy. Thereâs some gaping plot holes in how the killer was able to pull everything off and the reasoning behind it just also feels weirdly childish and doesnât line up with the character we met (despite the author insisting on it by having characters go âAh, yes! Of COURSE!â again and again at each reveal).Â
I know it sounds like I hated this book. I really didnât. It was entertaining and a breeze to get through. I just am disappointed when I see an author with such potential sort of flounder a bit. Iâd say this is a good Beach read or cozy rainy weekend read but I donât think this book was memorable enough or good enough for me to ever really think of again once Iâm done posting this review.
Graphic: Murder and Gun violence
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Gore, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Abortion, Fatphobia, and Pregnancy
brookey8888'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Blood, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Vomit, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Outing, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Violence
mmadill227's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Car accident, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Gun violence, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Abortion
growintogardens's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Car accident, Mental illness, Grief, Medical content, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide
Minor: Alcohol, Drug use, Pregnancy, Blood, Violence, Abortion, Cursing, and Vomit