particledamage's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.75
Seeing good reviews for this books feels like I am on another planet.
This book is genuinely dreadful. It is both rushed and a slog. It is both biphobic and bisexual, racially inclusive and racist, about misogyny and sexist. It's preachy but only ever about like... basic decency things we all agree about. Finding out the author is straight and white clarified the book for me, truly felt like someone had just lovingly pried open my third eye so I could see the truth of the matter.
I honestly don't even think I can neatly summarize all of my complaints here. I sent myself emails with incoherent notes to myself about every new thing that set me off--her "soulmate" being emotionally abusive in patterns identically to her physically abusive spouse. The weird bullying about coming out as if was a CW show handling its first gay plotline and not about two grown women in the 50s and 60s. The weird contrived bit where whenever someone needed to get exposed for something, everyone would suddenly become letter-writers so that the letters could be found. The plot twist that was so insanely stupid I dropped the book.
The way that not only did the book pause to go on diatribes to know that terms like "whore" are bad but also spent an entire chapter knowing every single historical event that has happened, Evelyn was on the right side of it. She's complicated and obsessed with herself and money and glory but don't worry, she was right about Vietnam and treats her hired help well.
God, her character was repugnant but mostly in a dull way. Every character in this story was uninteresting, heinous, or both. Even Harry gets ruined in the end and he was the single enjoyable character the entire way through.
Just... what an awful experience. I'm speechless.
Read it just in a day though, so at least there's that.
Moderate: Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Death, Cursing, Biphobia, Abortion, Sexism, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Car accident, Cancer, Outing, Physical abuse, Incest, Homophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Classism, Toxic relationship, Racism, Pedophilia, Infidelity, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Eating disorder, Terminal illness, and Pregnancy
livvmarks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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, Cancer, Chronic illness, Outing, Pedophilia, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Classism, Infidelity, Abortion, Death of parent, Grief, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Car accident, Cursing, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Injury/injury detail, and Lesbophobia
adalinemccormick'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
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Car accident, Domestic abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Biphobia, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, and Pedophilia
Minor: Fatphobia, Abortion, Terminal illness, and Mental illness
slavic_bookworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I know that Evelyn’s character is super morally gray and that is the point, but I just can’t get myself to like, adore her. She lies, cheats, acts like giving away your virginity, while being a MINOR! is Ok (not pleasurable but OK) if the end goal is getting what you want and using a man to your advantage. I understand that this author tried to show woman power but this is crossing the line a bit.
I understand that not everyone will share my point of view, but everyone is allowed to have there own opinion. Do not understand the hype of this book and definitely won’t be in my top books read of 2023.
Graphic: Pregnancy, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Abortion, and Sexual content
seadeepy'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: Car accident, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Infidelity, and Blood
Moderate: Sexual content, Classism, Biphobia, Sexual assault, Grief, Misogyny, Cursing, and Homophobia
Minor: Racism, Pedophilia, Miscarriage, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, and Abortion
jastran_'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
this time i listened to the audiobook and i found it just as enjoyable as reading it the first time :)
Graphic: Car accident, Cursing, Death, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Biphobia, Homophobia, and Cancer
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Rape, and Abandonment
roohreads_13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
i loved the plot, the main characters and the ending. would do anything to reread it again !
Moderate: Sexual content, Domestic abuse, and Pedophilia
hannux's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Biphobia, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Car accident, Cancer, and Suicide
Minor: Injury/injury detail, Homophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Fatphobia, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, and Lesbophobia
ttumbletree'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
4.5
Graphic: Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Biphobia, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Car accident, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Cancer, Eating disorder, Injury/injury detail, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Suicide, Abortion, and Body shaming
sighhh'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
Graphic: Death, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Sexism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Grief, Suicide, Hate crime, and Terminal illness