february_friday's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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
I have loved Mariko Tamaki's graphic novels for a very long time. So since I heard she has also written a couple of novels, I have been really excited to try them out. This one is a dual POV novel about the murder of a teenage boy. One of the narrators is the ghost of the boy, and the other is Georgia, a girl who has nothing to do with the murder but ends up getting involved in her own investigation.
This book was more of an exploration of the experience of being a queer teenager, which in parts got a bit triggering for how accurate it was. Tamaki's characters always feel extremely real, almost like I was watching security camera footage I wasn't supposed to see. It also has a bit of a plot, making the story's pain bearable. On that same note, this was a great murder mystery! Even though that wasn't the main goal of the author, I found myself as surprised as the main character when she found out what actually happened.
I must admit that the book may not be for everyone, but if you are the type of reader who enjoys character studies that also discuss relevant topics, I think you will love this one.
This book was more of an exploration of the experience of being a queer teenager, which in parts got a bit triggering for how accurate it was. Tamaki's characters always feel extremely real, almost like I was watching security camera footage I wasn't supposed to see. It also has a bit of a plot, making the story's pain bearable. On that same note, this was a great murder mystery! Even though that wasn't the main goal of the author, I found myself as surprised as the main character when she found out what actually happened.
I must admit that the book may not be for everyone, but if you are the type of reader who enjoys character studies that also discuss relevant topics, I think you will love this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Bullying
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Sexual content and Outing
buttermellow's review
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Child death, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Bullying and Outing
Minor: Racism, Homophobia, and Classism
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