gabriella_'s review
- 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
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Medical content, Drug use, Addiction, Bullying, War, Violence, Sexual content, Grief, Abortion, Xenophobia, Racism, Terminal illness, Sexism, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Dementia, Death, Cursing, and Classism
abbyrm16's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, War, Violence, Mental illness, Hate crime, Genocide, Racism, Death, Death of parent, Child abuse, Suicide, Drug abuse, Sexism, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Dysphoria, and Addiction
jarif_242'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? No
3.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexism, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
reemoony's review
- 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: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Racism, Medical content, Terminal illness, Violence, Drug abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Animal cruelty, Genocide, Hate crime, Sexual content, Addiction, Animal death, Cancer, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, and War
Moderate: Car accident, Excrement, Rape, Medical content, Slavery, Adult/minor relationship, Police brutality, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Sexism
lupitabaeyongo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Graphic: Death, Child abuse, War, Homophobia, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Racism and Sexism
emilia_digi's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Transphobia, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, Death, Cancer, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Homophobia, Hate crime, Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Addiction, War, and Violence
Minor: Vomit
meliflowers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I keep starting over and over. It's hard to put all of my thoughts into words. I'm mostly worried I'll end up putting too many of them.
I cried a few times and then frowned some times. Some of the scene coming dangerously close to my own experiences and feelings and other scenes so far removed from my world I had a hard time imagining them.
This book is filled with beautiful prose and I could quote a hundred things out of it. But the one I chose captures the essence of this book perfectly. It captures the reality of a Vietnamese boy growing up in the United States as a immigrant child. He explores various themes like war, trauma, abuse, addiction, immigration and racism but also gender and sexuality. Despite its heavy themes, the book is well balanced in its storytelling.
I picked this book up for its gorgeous title & cover and I don't regret it for one bit. I would recommend this as a mellow story, preferably read in a warm space with sunlight (the sun ought to compensate for some of the sadness you might feel).Â
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexism, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, War, Xenophobia, and Homophobia
josie9's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Cancer, Classism, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Drug use, Gaslighting, Grief, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, War, and Bullying
geneebee's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Dementia, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Outing, Racial slurs, and Sexism
jannathfazli's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, War, Addiction, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual content