Scan barcode
rceparski's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Drug use and Mental illness
Moderate: Suicide and Toxic relationship
karemark'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
4.0
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Suicide and Suicide attempt
witcheep'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
5.0
The audiobook's narration is a little unorthodox: it matches the characters mind in a creative and very depictive way. The book's narration is in the third person, sometimes coupled with explicitly named external narrator's sidenotes with different narrator's voices. The female main character Reagan has mental illness which's treatment includes therapy and medication; the latter she wants to forgo. The male main character Aldo struggles with interpersonal relationships and often finds himself drifting off to his own thoughts. Both of them have gone through very dark times, and they share them with each other.
These chaotically organized minds of the characters are reflected with the narration, and this has nuances with chapters focalized by different characters. Regan is very impulsive and thrives in chaos; the chapters in her pov are told with a rushed pace, sometimes multiple voices speaking at the same time. Her chapters revolve around Regan's feelings of the events around her and those are what dictate her interactions with the world. Aldo is very organized and relies on patterns and stability. His pov chapters are more calmly paced, and the subjects are dissected with rationality. He is open to listening to other people as well.
Graphic: Mental illness and Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Infidelity, Grief, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Minor: Drug abuse, Suicide, and Violence
abhirupa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Moderate: Mental illness and Sexual content
Minor: Suicide
belle13's review
- 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
There were points where this was unbearably pretentious but I also think that is sort of the point. I think I’m meant to find the writing and the characters a little pretentious. Aldo was a much more likeable character than Regan and I thought he reminded me a little of Spencer Reid from Criminal minds which was fun. Regan on the other hand was so unlikeable but I also think Regan really disliked herself too and once again, I kind of think that’s the whole point. It was very much a realistic portrayal of someone with bipolar disorder and the complexities that surround having a diagnosis like that which I think the author wrote exceedingly well.
I listened to this on audio and I will say, I think that really affected how much I enjoyed it. I couldn’t connect with the characters as much and didn’t enjoy the narration so I would be interested to see if my opinion changed if I was to read it with my eyeballs.
I would recommend it if you’re looking for a complex romance that will make you think a little more deeply and you like characters who make you want to pick them apart and study their behaviour and emotions.
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt
Minor: Addiction and Drug abuse
csleeds's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness
Minor: Suicide
embelle'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
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Chronic illness, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Drug use, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment
thestorydoer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book revolves around 2 characters for most of it, and the side characters, true to their name for once, are cast to the side as less important. This is usually a flaw which I'd criticise if it weren't for the fact the dialogue and prose between these characters was so intensely electric. Every bit of them talking was entrancing, addicting, and emotional all in one. This is because the two characters are each intensely interesting with their unique ways of thinking.
Of course, this book is comments on romantic relationships with mental disorders/health issues. It does it extremely well. But I also find that it favors Regan's over Aldo's which makes sense as the author draws from Regan with her own bipolar disorder, but I think the book would've benefitted from treating them in equilibrium.
The author is also extremely creative in her prose. The book usually benefits from this. But there are a few times where the prose feels needlessly creative, adding flair to descriptions which simply didn't need it. However, the prose is also most of what makes this book such a beautiful and heart wrenching read.
I also think that the pacing also has a few issues as well, as the stages of their relationship go by at quite the accelerated pace which may be intentional, but I also think it could've been handled better.
Overall, a creative, imaginative read with two extremely interesting characters whose synergy is impossible to ignore. 4.25/5
Graphic: Drug use, Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment
shampainprblmz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Minor: Drug use, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
kirkspockreads'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
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Addiction