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profkeefe'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
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
kajang'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
3.75
"Art is to comfort the disturbed, and disturb the comfortable."
This book is extremely thought-provoking to say the least, I have bullet points on all the topics mentioned in this book I'd like to write essays on, which is quite an effect this book has on me. I think it talks about topics like abuse, mental health, self-love, social hierarchy and class really well. One of the things that really stood out to me is the idea of a hierarchy of pain; because although Connell belongs in working-class and is considerably struggling financially, he has a loving mother who cares for him above all. Meanwhile, Marianne born extremely well-off and arguably has less to worry about is treated disgustingly by her family, whether in the sense of verbal abuse or physical abuse.
Which begs the question of is she allowed to feel sadness towards such pain when there are others suffering worse conditions than her?
The answer is easy, yes, she's allowed to feel anger and sadness towards her predicament because her feelings are valid; this is a struggle constantly demonstrated by Marianne as she constantly gets looped into a horrible partner again and again.
Although I really do appreciate the themes and topics the book approaches and the way it is handled, I can't bring myself to give it a higher rating due to the amount of smut scenes described in here.
It's nothing insane or extremely detailed but it appears pretty consistently which kept rubbing me off the wrong way.
Which is to say it's nothing inherently wrong with the writing, merely a difference in preference where I don't find it quite my cup of tea.
Overall, I really do appreciate this book and the topics it discusses. Recommend to anyone looking to read about something very introspective on the lives of two miserable college students.
I would advise those who dislike open endings, pretty flawed-characters or descriptions of smut to pick a different book that might suit your preferences better!
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault
kylasmv15'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Minor: Body shaming, Drug use, Eating disorder, Racism, Self harm, Blood, Vomit, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
pulleamurmeli's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Emotional abuse
sydlexi'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Genocide, Infidelity, Racism, Grief, and Mass/school shootings
i fear i relate too much to Marianneloslibrosdemale's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
Minor: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
star101's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
cnannery19'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
3.0
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
rynaissanceenby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Suicide
bookishevy'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? Yes
4.25
In secondary school, Connell is the popular star of the school soccer team, while Marianna struggles to make friends because she's intense and opinionated. But they end up connecting when Connell comes to pick his mother up from her housekeeping job at Marianne’s house, and they agree to keep their relationship secret.
At Trinity College in Dublin, a year later, Marianne adjusts well to her new surroundings while Connell can't find his footing. Marianne and Connell continue to circle one another. Although they stray toward other people, they are always drawn back together like magnets.
I had to put on my social work hat to understand Marianne. She suffered a lot of trauma growing up, and it's made her numb, so she allows men to have their way with her. She's steadily gravitating towards jerks. It's self-destructive.
Connell feels out of his league in Dublin. He's around people from a higher social class who are different from Marianne, and it's affecting his confidence. He keeps going back to Marianne because she's the only one he can be himself around. Even though her aloofness frustrates him, he trusts her. They have history. She represents home. 🥺
Marianne feels safe with Connell, but she didn't grow up in a loving home like he did, so she doesn't think real love is possible. She doesn't take men seriously. So, despite their history, she doesn't believe Connell really loves her because she doesn't feel worthy of love. While Connell works on himself, Marianne is unaware of how her childhood trauma affects her relationship with him, the only man who's handled her with care.
These two intelligent people must figure out how to make it work, and I rooted for them every time they spun the block. They need each other.
And I needed this read to be longer, but I understand why Marianne remains a work in progress. We all are. I love that it ends on a promise. I wouldn't mind a ten-year follow-up with these two.
I enjoyed it, but I can see why this read is so polarizing.
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide