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sful40'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
5.0
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Drug abuse and Police brutality
juliej0715'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? It's complicated
5.0
Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Homophobia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
m2b2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, and Pandemic/Epidemic
fynn_jls's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Terminal illness, and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Suicide
mmaack24'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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Racism
and_abigail'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: Cursing, Homophobia, and Sexual content
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Drug abuse
alexisgarcia'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: Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism
scarlett4'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? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
burnyayhayley'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? N/A
5.0
Maybe this story hits too close to home, having lost someone myself who lived through this era and watched many friends die from AIDS. Perhaps I am also just a sap. But this book made me SOB.
I was WEEPING. There are not many surprises in this book, just by the nature of the story, but there was a true and tangible depth of pain and power in the way these men are represented, and how they in turn represent an entire generation of lost queer people. It is clear that there was a wealth of respect held for this cast of characters and who they represented.
Also, sometimes it takes a really beautiful, terribly sad and horribly accurate book to remind you how very important the little things in our lives are. How much we should be trying our hardest to hold onto each other and experiences of joy and all the weird fleeting magic of life. Because even when things are so shitty and we are sad and it feels like as soon as you get up there is something else beating you back down, there will still be something handing you a sliver of hope. And that will lend it all some beauty.
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide and Toxic relationship
kate_lemer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The chapter with the new from Dr Cheng was one of the rare moments in this book that I truly felt the anguish and hopelessness of their lives.
For a second, I thought the Paris surprise would be Yale, alive. Julian was the other option. Pointless hope, isn't that what this book is about? I know that to be false hope, because Yale was going to die the day Claire was born, that much had been made clear from at least the middle of the book. A shame, that the author did not dig deeper there - why Julian, why not Yale? It was strange, seeing my own questions written down as Fiona's monologue.
As you get towards the end, you anticipate death. You brace against it, because what other ending could there possibly be. You grow numb. And then you break, because it really is heartbreaking. In a chapter full of strange metaphores and polar bears, Yale dies.
Someone claimed in a review that Fiona's storyline was nicely woven in. Not in my opinion. Her contribution to the story is nill. Apart from the news that Julian is not dead, the whole 2015 plot could've been avoided.
I'm quite glad I have it over with. The end made me feel sluggish, sick to my stomach. I honestly don't know if I could've born more of this.
Graphic: Homophobia and Terminal illness
Moderate: Drug abuse and Grief