beebalm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Classism, Death of parent, and Violence
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Car accident
asinglebird'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
4.75
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Body shaming and Bullying
ka_ke's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Otherwise the book gets very repetitive and eventually you figure out where it’s going
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Misogyny, and Violence
Moderate: Classism, Gore, Bullying, Grief, Mental illness, and Death of parent
allisonz6'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
3.75
Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Classism, Body shaming, and Medical content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Infidelity
bethancy'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? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Violence
Minor: Classism
traa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Gaslighting, Medical content, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Blood, and Infidelity
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Police brutality, and Sexual content
nefariousbee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Blood, Gore, Medical content, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Fatphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Bullying, and Toxic relationship
magmck'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Classism, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Body horror, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
fraise's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Murder, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Blood, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, and Medical content
Minor: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Classism, Drug use, and Animal death
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
2.5
The book goes at a break neck pace but only because of its short chapters and time jumps, not because anything meaningful actually happens or changes. You see everything coming; it's easy to see that that may be intentional but ultimately that changes nothing, you still want to just skip ahead to have it confirmed. There is little to be lost if your eyes glaze over waiting for confirmation rather than taking in what little story this book has to offer.
That said, this book is oozing with potential. The sisterly relationship--and sometimes lack thereof--is compelling and I would have loved to seen it explored more with two fully realized characters. The idea of them both ultimately being their sister's keeper is interesting but when the story is so rote, you never see the boundaries of that relationship tested in any meaningful way. The high takes of this story and their relationship feels much like jumping out of a third story window except you're wearing a safety harness and a bungee rope, knowing you'll never hit the ground.
I think if this book committed more to being a short story, I could forgive its shallowness and lack of peak a bit more. But instead this book half-commits to being a full story and loses its steam halfway through, overextending itself with details that don't add much to the moral questions its asking (and sometimes answering).
Still, the premise alone is so refreshing and new I can't resent it for not reaching the highs I wanted it to.
Moderate: Murder, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Physical abuse, and Misogyny
Minor: Blood, Classism, Pedophilia, Violence, Medical content, Death, and Death of parent