alsoapples's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Child abuse, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Death, Violence, and Torture
Moderate: Stalking, Abandonment, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexual assault
kels_mac's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Moderate: Sexual assault and Emotional abuse
marigoldenora's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Violence, and Sexual content
frazilice's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault
k80mae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
On the other hand, I don't know if I was really sold on the romance here. Next to Ox and the rest of the cast of characters, Joe did not feel nearly as fleshed out or strong of a character. Throughout the book, he was the only character whose voice I felt did not land for me. Considering he is the main romantic interest and driving force behind Ox's actions, it made it difficult to invest myself in the romance. What I find myself most distracted by, however, is that I was completely unable to look at the world-building and plot and not think that the author had to have been inspired by fandom for a very specific television show popular in the 2010s. Nearly every world-building element felt like a detail I had already seen before, to the point where I wouldn't be surprised to have found this on AO3. I don't want to outright say that this is a negative quality because I do think that it absolutely worked for this story, but it made for a very distracting read even as I sped through it.
Overall, I'm not sure if I will personally continue with the series, but this is absolutely the kind of book that has a very particular audience who I hope is able to find it.
Graphic: Gore, Ableism, Grief, Murder, Death of parent, and Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Alcoholism and Bullying
Sexual assault is threatened, but the description in that threat is repeatedly vivid so the SA tag is necessary. The adult/minor relationship is a bit of a grey area, but when Ox and Joe enter a romantic relationship, Joe is still only 17.bialves's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Rape, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Addiction, Death, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Torture, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Animal death and Animal cruelty
sarrie'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
4.25
To get my one concern out of the way, there is a bit of an odd age gap between our main character Ox and Joe. Joe was very, very young when he met Ox and felt the call of his fated mate in him. Ox had no idea till he was into his twenties. For the most part I felt like it was handled fairly well, you could tell Mr. Klune was extremely careful with it and I ended up happy with the way it was handled but I think some will still find it uncomfortable.
Besides that one concern I loved so much of this. It had me laughing out loud and then tense nearly crying at times. The emotional vibrancy here was powerful. The perspective of Ox, a simple guy, really cut things into the basics and the conflicts in the book felt realistic and believable. Even seeing the path the story was going to take I was heartbroken when those things happened. There are a lot of violence and even two deaths on page. I'll list what I remember of the triggers below, as it can be intense.
I'd highly recommend this for fans of romance, paranormal and fantasy especially. I am most definitely purchasing my own hardcover (budget be damned) as this is a story I can and will reread to annotate and enjoy.
TWs:
Graphic: Violence, Abandonment, Death of parent, Death, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Death of parent, Child abuse, and Mental illness
Minor: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Graphic: Death, Abandonment, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Mental illness, and Child abuse
Minor: Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
mili24's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual assault
elenaysuslibros's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Primero, las cosas buenas. Me gustó como de una pude vincularme con los personajes. No me cayeron todos bien, pero si quería leer de ellos, saber como pensaban. Me gustó Ox como protagonista, sobre todo porque aunque hubiesen momentos donde no estaba de acuerdo con él si entendía sus motivos.
Me encanta también esta familia encontrada, aunque a momentos era demasiado sectaria (así un poco como la familia Cullen). Me gustaron sobre todo los integrantes del mecánico de Gordo y su relación con Ox.
Creo que la historia tenía muchísimo relleno, escenas que no tenían por qué alargarse tanto o momentos muy repetitivos, pero como estaba como bala leyendo se me hizo como leer Slice of life: pasa poco y es casi rutinario, pero estoy cómoda leyendo y dispuesta a seguir.
Ahora, lo que más me enojó de este libro fue la traducción. No tiene que ver con la historia en sí, pero fue lo que más me dificultó la lectura. Habían cosas que se notaba que podrían haber sido mejor pulidas, escoger mejores palabras, y el hecho de yo poder notar eso mientras leía me descolocaba un montón. Que el mecánico en vez de llamarse "Gordo's" (como supongo que se llamaba en ingles) se llamara "Lo de Gordo" me pareció una sobrecorrección innecesaria y además fea.
No sé si esto tenga que ver con la traducción o con la escritura, pero que diga "me fulminó con la mirada" me parece un pecado. Se debería sacar esta expresión y cambiar por una mejor.
Lo otro que no me gustó fue lo repetitivo del libro, sobre todo con Ox mencionando una y otra vez lo que le dijo su papá antes de irse. Si quieren mostrar que eso causó un trauma en él, en vez de repetir una y otra vez la frase es mejor mostrar como eso se manifestaba en su vida cotidiana. Pasaron los años en el libro y él aunque fuese un adulto seguía repitiendo como niño esa frase y me tenía desesperada.
Siento que el drama, la familia cerrada y el romance tan intenso y posesivo era muy similar a la dinámica de Crepúsculo. La relación de Ox con la familia Bennett era super potente, y no sé si me daba risa o ternura.
El romance del libro no me terminó de convencer, creo que no se hacían bien el uno para el otro y era demasiado para que terminaran bien, pero si me parecía interesante su dinámica.
Quizá parezca que solo tengo cosas negativas, pero si me gustó el libro. Pensé que me iba a gustar más, pero de todas maneras voy a ver el resto de los libros porque creo que los romances que siguen (ya quiero leer el de Gordo porque es personaje mi favorito) me van a gustar más.
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Sexual assault
rachratesreads'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 of parent, Ableism, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Sexual content, and Torture
Minor: Abandonment, Sexual assault, and Cannibalism