Reviews

The Opposite of a Person, by Lieke Marsman

maryfranvs's review

emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

eadaoinc's review

challenging dark informative reflective slow-paced

• 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

3.75

heatherclay's review

challenging mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

4.25

samlamehuis's review against another edition

4.0

4.5

mflude's review

3.0

This book is most definitely one for the reader's interpretation. It is not an explicit love story, or essay on climate change, but rather a collection of thoughts told as a story left for the reader to take from. The discourse on queer identity is immaculate and truly encapsulates what it feels like to be queer in modern day, and is possibly the best feature of the book. The chapters reflect a chaotic mind, that pay more attention to its own interests over anything else, only affording minimal time to consider others, and still then relating them to self-interested topics.

I think this book takes a certain level of understanding that I am still developing at 21. I see the love story, not so much as Ida being hopelessly in love with Robin, but rather in that Ida is representative of humankind. Taking the planet (Robin) for granted, using her to her own advantage as and when she pleases, all whilst claiming to love her endlessly, then being shocked when she wants to break things off, or is not happy with Ida and wanting to fix things too little too late.

All in all, this book is well written and is not meant to be understood in the same way by everybody, if at all. It is for you to interpret and learn from, should you wish to.

endraia's review

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

3.75

fionaappleswife's review

dark emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced

2.5

tilbyblue's review

emotional informative sad fast-paced

3.0

suzie_1's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny informative fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

lisasbookshelf13's review

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0