caitlinemccann'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
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Toxic friendship, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual content, and Car accident
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Sexism
Minor: Biphobia
zombiezami's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Sexual content, Blood, Violence, Death, Car accident, and Grief
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Outing
Minor: Child death, Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Cancer, and Biphobia
nefariousbee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
okay for real, Emezi is a wonderful author, I absolutely adore their characters and the way they portray relationships. in their most raw, messy state. what I missed here is hard to out I to words; I just wanted *more*. more messy, raw feelings. everything happened too all at once for my tastes. but i still absolutely loved it and I think I'm gonna read the rest of their books as well, now that I only have two more to go.
also I gotta say, I was really surprised by the average rating. what is here not to love? I'm gonna read some reviews later but I have string suspicions it's the purity culture and pearl clutching that's so prevalent in the younger generation again and I don't fuck with that. fiction is such a great place to figure out fucked up situations and Emezi does just that here. and they do it well.
Graphic: Biphobia, Death, Homophobia, Sexual content, Violence, Car accident, and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent, Drug use, Infidelity, and Alcohol
julesadventurezone'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
3.5
Graphic: Biphobia, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Sexual content
Minor: Incest
venetiana's review against another edition
THE ORIGINAL BOOK IS BRILLIANT. ✨
This explanation is about the German audio book:
⬇️
******
The *German* version is badly translated. I cringed!
Admittedly, while the narrator has an amazing voice, the German audiobook was also not well read, and some things were just pronounced wrong, which kept pulling me out of the story.
Minor: Alcohol, Blood, Grief, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Death, Violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Racism, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Classism, Gaslighting, Biphobia, Bullying, Infidelity, Medical content, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia
venetiana'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
5.0
Very emotional (in a good way) and tender.
Graphic: Car accident, Grief, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Sexual content
Minor: Biphobia, Outing, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexism, Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Homophobia, Alcohol, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, and Panic attacks/disorders
friendly_neighborhood_grandma's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Car accident, Grief, Sexual content, Blood, and Alcohol
Moderate: Alcohol, Biphobia, Racial slurs, and Cursing
Minor: Child death
crweber25's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
That said, grief is such a prevalent theme in their books I'm not sure if they're for me.
This book made me feel a lot, and I loved the queer representation. Fayi spoke to the pain and hurt and loss I've felt in my own life. I was rooting for her and Alim even though it was messssssy the entire time.
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Minor: Biphobia
aellwy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Car accident and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content, Biphobia, and Death of parent
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
This is a book about grief and is just as messy as grief is. It’s not for everyone and that’s okay. Emezi’s writing is as talented as every- brief yet deeply descriptive. Not my favorite piece of theirs, but a good summer read.stephmcoakley'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
3.75
Graphic: Infidelity, Self harm, Car accident, Death, Sexual content, Biphobia, Grief, and Medical trauma