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literary_liv's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
mandi_lea'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Police brutality, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Pandemic/Epidemic
ambersbooksandbakes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Minor: Dementia
lilifane's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book centers around several characters during the outbreak of an infectious disease. It's a virus causing a sleeping sickness, but other than that, the parallels to the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic are way too accurate.
All the denial. All the measures to contain the disease, too little too late. All the careless decisions, all the irrational behaviors, all the selfish acts. All the conspiracy theories and specific vocabulary. You'd think it was a book written during lockdown... only it was published in January 2019, a whole year before the pandemic started. I still can't wrap my head around it, how closely someone can predict so many little details in human behavior. (I wonder how many people who read this in 2019 thought they had a déjà vu.)
The writing is beautiful. For the most part, the sentences are short and simple, written in present tense. This way, you get immersed quickly and have the impression to be part of the events that are unfolding in front of your eyes. Which was brilliantly done in my opinion. On the other hand, there are passages of beautiful, whimsical descriptions and quotable sentences, too. It's a very atmospheric book with eerie, melancholic vibes.
There are quite a few characters the book follows and although you don't get to know all of them intimately, it is enough to get attached to them and root for their individual journeys. I actually got very emotional towards the end.
It's definitely not a book for people who like plot driven, action packed stories. Not much happens here. It's really more of a character study, and the ending might disappoint if you are waiting for a big twist or reveal or explanations. Instead, it raises some philosophical questions, which I personally liked. It fit the atmosphere of the story.
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Terminal illness, Police brutality, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
xx_coco's review against another edition
- 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: Grief
Moderate: Death
Minor: Gun violence, Suicide, Violence, Medical content, and Dementia