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carrotmix's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- 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
3.75
While this book didn't quite reach the heights of its predecessor, Meddling Kids, it was still a fun time. Read like an episode of Psych. Not a huge fan of how this book handled gender and transness and relationships but I recognize it as well meaning either way. Edgar Cantero is like a straight friend from your childhood who tries but doesn't quite get it when it comes to covering queerness.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Sexism and Transphobia
ka_ke's review
Originally I was enjoying the book. And then the transphobic term Lady boy was used in a racially charged manner and that is just not okay.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, and Transphobia
mirtmink's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.25
Fun concept, overwrought writing. Only finished for the whodunnit, which was pretty compelling at least. If you’re looking for a madcap trans detective story with lovable characters, look elsewhere. If you want some good quips and snarky metaphors, then this is the right place.
Content Warnings
Minor: Transphobia
lycanhood's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Car accident, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Transphobia, and Dysphoria
Minor: Mental illness
bluejayreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Despite how dark and downright horrifying this book can be at times, This Body's Not Big Enough for Both of Us was, overall, astonishingly fun.
Adrian and Zooey are conjoined twins. Except instead of having two torsos, or two heads coming out of one torso, or an abnormal number of limbs, or something like that, they share a body with two arms, two legs, and one head - perfectly normal to look at. They're two separate people sharing one body and one brain - Adrian has the left half, Zooey has the right. Adrian is pure calculation and logic, and Zooey is pure emotion and hedonism. And they hate each other.
But together, they make a really good private eye. So when the police department calls them in to help an undercover cop prevent a gang war, they get in a little bit over their heads, especially since Adrian is actually trying to get things done and Zooey gets them in trouble by acting on impulses and feelings and never thinking things through. Zooey worked really well as as foil for Adrian, but I really liked him the best. Neither of them were exactly good people, but I related much more to Adrian's logic than Zooey's free-spiritedness.
This book does get really dark. There's car crashes, guns, gory murders and injuries, questions of what exactly a minor child should do when she knows her father's a mobster and how to cope when the polar opposite sibling you hate shares your body, the trauma of growing up abandoned and medicalized because people think you're insane and having people see you as a medical curiosity or a dangerous maniac but never as a human being, Adrian's trauma of being asexual while Zooey is a nymphomaniac, and the question of whether the siblings trying to hurt each other counts as siblings fighting or self-harm. But despite all that, the writing style and Zooey's inability to be anything approaching serious, it manages to be mostly lighthearted and sometimes even laugh-out-loud funny.
This book breaks the fourth wall a lot. In some ways it doesn't seem intentional, since Zooey is a little nuts anyway and seems to fully believe that she's the protagonist in a book. So like, sort-of fourth wall breaks. It fully leans into the wacky weirdness of two siblings who hate each other in one body, and was highly entertaining. It wasn't perfect by any stretch, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Self harm, Blood, and Car accident
Minor: Pedophilia and Transphobia
sunnymatsu's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I adore this book, it's my absolute favorite of all time. A noir comedy mystery about 2 detective siblings who were born in the same body. The writing style is creative and fast-paced, and incredibly unique! It goes back and forth between more traditional writing and a screenwriting format, which does an amazing job for both comedy and drama. The beginning of the book is a bit confusing, but stick with it!
I won't deny that some parts may ring transphobic. On my end, it seems more like a lack of information than any sort of malice on the author's part, though. But it's up to you to decide whether that's worth it.
I won't deny that some parts may ring transphobic. On my end, it seems more like a lack of information than any sort of malice on the author's part, though. But it's up to you to decide whether that's worth it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, and Car accident
Moderate: Death and Self harm
Minor: Racism, Transphobia, and Forced institutionalization
Other warnings: Syringe Use, A child character with a crush on an adult Notes: The self-harm is not in any typical form, but I felt it should be included as the scene itself is fairly graphic. To go into more detail,lanidon's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is a fascinating and unique premise. It manages to capture a noir feeling while still being vibrant and fun. I'll definitely reread it at some point! Get the audiobook!!! It's narrated very well with some music that really leans in to the genre
My only complaints are there are some questionable parts that could be just a smidge racist or transphobic, but they don't come off with ill intent or ring any alarms for me. For instance, the main character, who is arguably nonbinary and certainly intersex, uses the term "ladyboy" to refer to a trans prostitute
My only complaints are there are some questionable parts that could be just a smidge racist or transphobic, but they don't come off with ill intent or ring any alarms for me. For instance, the main character, who is arguably nonbinary and certainly intersex, uses the term "ladyboy" to refer to a trans prostitute
Content Warnings
Minor: Transphobia