kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- 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
Poignant and devastating, Lucy’s coming of age story is one of tragedy and disappointment. She struggles to build positive relationships through the fog of her depression, uses drugs to cope, and makes life decisions based on the whims of a boy. Understanding her past is the key to freeing herself in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Grief, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Car accident, Classism, Emotional abuse, and Infidelity
cosycourtney's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
After watching the trailer for the tv show coming out shortly I was really excited to read this book. However, I was greatly disappointed. Considering this book was under 300 pages, it felt like the longest short book I’d ever fucking read. The reasons I didn’t like this book were because 90% of it was female suffering with a sneeze of female empowerment. Did the author just want to wonder what it felt like to be a toxic male for the period of her life she wrote this? The focus on the male POV in this novel made me sick as I felt like Stephen was the most developed of the two characters and I felt like I knew more about him than Lucy by the end. Stephen is the worst type of person and there is no arguments there, well executed because I was mad and disgusted; bravo. However, LUCY was such a wildly disappointing character. The potential for growth, retribution, and happiness was so ripe and just ignore. Mind you, the lack of showing and just telling was infuriating. I only finished this book because I had high hopes it would be closed out with a bang and I could launch my fists in the air and say for good her but like what we got was pathetic. The entire 4 year relationship being rounded out by an epilogue felt lazy. For Lucy to end up in another pathetic relationship where a man only wants her for her body, still in a run down job & he gets the “happy ending” was just annoying. PLUS don’t even get me started in the Macy thing. Also, the amount of content surrounding Lucy’s eating disorder for her to just suddenly not have one anymore ???? And also the notion that she was “better” and yet she was still exercising ferociously and binging sweets. Overall, I was so disappointed with this book and hope the show is better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Eating disorder, Body shaming, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Misogyny, Dysphoria, Mental illness, Sexism, and Sexual content
More...