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casserole1998's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, Mass/school shootings, and Murder
br3anna_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
The book makes your head work. It makes you use your brain without screaming at you who the characters are every five minutes.
Yes, it mentions it sometimes like Adam's They Both Die at The End.
It has the time system that they both die at the end did.
It has different povs.
I like that sort of thing.
Tomás' va in audible has a better Tyler voice than I have ever heard from both of the va's.
Claire's va in audible has a good "news cast lady" voice.
"Sylv and Autumn being girlfriends" wasn't mentioned until page 22 because it was hidden.
Makes me wonder if that was intentional.
Cons :
Is this book realistic? No. Not at all.
It's almost a joke as to what the author believes is what a school shooting is.
Bro is twirling his little evil mustache/j
A quote ; page 59,
"Be so kind as to lock this door, NOW if you please."
Something he talks about in the book is not being seen and wanting to make people see him. Although I have that problem being a high school student, it's bullshit for the author to think that something so small would be something so big.
I question people's ages and people's races in this book. Perhaps it's because it isn't mentioned as much in the first eight chapters?
And I agree with that as well.
The book feels as though it focuses on the school shooting itself. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. But if you want to feel something towards the character. I feel there should be more personality there.
I was confused about how they were related to the people in the school.
And I assume Mei is the daughter of Mr Jameson?
Maybe I'll go back and annotate the book some more to figure it out.
Or maybe it'll have a chart of how everyone is connected at the end.
Like They Both Die At The End
(So I looked, and it does not have a chart explaining who's who.)
I apologize for continuing to quote that book. Not only is that the book I finished completely without dnfing it. But it also often reminds me of that.
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Sexual assault
doctorslycat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
nisanre'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
3.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
tnemelce's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Suicide, Violence, Mass/school shootings, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia, Mental illness, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Rape and Alcohol
julienicole1106's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, and Car accident
butcherlibrary'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? No
2.75
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Rape
chameleon4444's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence and Mass/school shootings
blessednacho's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Child death and Homophobia
Minor: Islamophobia
emptzuu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Realism takes a backseat as the story presents a scenario where all characters are conveniently confined to the same space with an active shooter. This portrayal diverges from real-life shootings, characterized by chaos and confusion with individuals scattered throughout the environment. Learned strategies like "run, hide, fight" vanish as the characters comply with the shooter's demands without attempting to defend themselves. In the face of a life-threatening situation, they somehow have time for romance and obsessing over non-essential matters, instead of focusing on surviving.
The 54-minute duration of the shooting brings to mind the Uvalde school shooting in 2022, where police were faulted for treating the situation as a "barricaded subject" rather than an active shooting. Police response typically prioritizes urgency to stop shooters and protect lives.
Tyler's underlying message is clear: "I carry profound hurt—I'll react explosively and project it onto you." The narrative deliberately sidelines his perspective to underscore the impact of his actions. Through flashbacks, we witness Tyler's upbringing in an environment where violence is normalized, both at home and school. The novel exposes systemic failures in addressing bullying and violence, allowing Tyler's behavior to escalate unchecked. Tyler emerges as a complex character grappling with universal feelings of insecurity and alienation, yet also as a deeply entitled individual lacking empathy for others.
However, the author missed an opportunity to delve deeper into the characters' experiences during the shooting by relying too heavily on flashbacks for emotional exploration. With 288 pages and four different points of view, there isn't enough space to fully develop the characters. Claire's perspective, especially, feels disconnected from the central event as she is outside of the shooting. Along with multiple perspectives, this book seems trendy in a superficial manner. While having characters of diverse backgrounds could enrich the narrative, it feels meaningless and opportunistic in this context.
The epilogue's portrayal of survivors' reactions feels tone-deaf, lacking the necessary depth of grief and devastation. Their swift return to the site of the shooting and the overly hopeful tone undermine the seriousness of their experiences.
One might read this book solely for its emotional aspect. It prompts reflection on the multitude of lives shattered, families torn apart, and the many loved ones and friends who will never see another day. Alternatively, it could lead one to contemplate the shortcomings of some authors in handling serious topics. This novel serves as a cautionary example of what not to do when addressing traumatizing subjects.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Mass/school shootings, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Rape