enchantedobjects's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The first few pages of the book made me roll my eyes a bit in a jovial way. Oh you wiley Hank Green and you're Mc named APRIL MAY whose a funky art major bisexual who finds a samurai type mech and becomes a social media star! What a little fun idea! Guess I don't really need to read the sequel....I got the point. Alright! And then....it just kept accumulating and building between consequences of actions on other people's lives, her life, politics, and just Twitter related angst. It became a riveting conversation about the determinants of fame and false leadership and so much more but also the glories and goodness of trying to be a better person and how the internet can raise people together. And now I'm desperate for the sequel.
April feels a little bit of a good-hearted yet still selfish cousin to Dorian Grey (which I love).
Also yes this book is wacky but roll with it
I did but cw for violence because there is violent attacks in the book but not much is "on screen" and when the significant one happens there's a warning that proceeds it. Well done!
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Addiction
lizziaha's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Biphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Confinement, Xenophobia, Addiction, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Violence
Minor: Grief and Homophobia
planner5002's review
- 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
5.0
spoiler>There's a quote in this book about how once a lot of people with extreme views have family recipes, and lives. I think a lot of people forget that everyone is human, and I loved the empathy this book had for humanity. I also loved how human April May was.
Moderate: Biphobia, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, and Gore
Minor: Stalking
regans's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, and Addiction
Minor: Xenophobia
chaoticnostalgia's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Spoiler
I read this because it was compared to Lindsay Ellis's Noumena series, which I absolutely love so far.Positives: The theme and message of the qualities of humanity. The dream sequences and puzzles were so much fun to read about. Seeing people work together to solve problems was heartwarming. I just loved the character of Robin. It was suspenseful and I cared about what happened.
Negatives: The writing style felt young and it was grating at times. The side characters were underdeveloped; I would have loved more chapters from other characters' perspectives! In Ellis's similar book, the government bungles things in a way that is just way more realistic. It was nice but unrealistic to see a completely competent, compassionate president in this situation, but it fit well with the overall themes. I wish there had been more of a relationship between Carl and April (a là Ellis's book again, oops!) I think I may be comparing this to her book too much, but I really did enjoy this.
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Biphobia, Addiction, and Cursing
Minor: Vomit
amiesce's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Blood, Murder, Addiction, Biphobia, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, and Xenophobia
rory_john14's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Biphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Toxic friendship, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Xenophobia, Hate crime, Racism, and Outing
Minor: Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Sexism, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Mental illness
chris_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, and Stalking
Minor: Biphobia and Medical content
the_escapist's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Addiction, Medical trauma, Violence, Confinement, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Xenophobia, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, and Stalking
Minor: Biphobia and Police brutality
eamily's review
- 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
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Kidnapping, Grief, Outing, Medical content, Biphobia, Toxic relationship, Gore, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Xenophobia, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Police brutality, Cursing, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Confinement
Minor: Bullying, Infidelity, Sexual content, Classism, and Excrement