jessicayaun'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicide, Homophobia, and Child death
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, and Alcohol
Minor: Alcohol, Car accident, Stalking, Medical content, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Outing, and Grief
madanxiety's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
Graphic: Outing, Domestic abuse, Death, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Homophobia
Moderate: Chronic illness
leila_reads_too_much's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Alcohol, Chronic illness, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Addiction, Bullying, Suicide, and Homophobia
acebooknerd_07's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Outing, Suicide attempt, Death, Cancer, Homophobia, and Sexism
ellia's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Death, Murder, Alcoholism, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Outing, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Addiction, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death of parent, Chronic illness, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, and Car accident
classicpseudonym's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
i feel like i was more hooked than i'm willing to admit because this was a typical ya book about high school and murder (except by peanut oil i guess), but i still wanted to read on even though this doesn't exactly align with my book tastes. and the build-up of everything was pretty well executed, so props to mcmanus on a thrilling debut.
on the other hand, i'm looking back immediately after and i feel like i didn't really get anything out of it? if that makes sense. i wasn't a big fan of the hold that romance and relationships had on the plot and the book overall, but that's just how high school is portrayed in general, and i'm not a big romance person so i'm probably just biased. me saying "i didn't get anything out of it" isn't to say that the psychological themes and the perspectives/narration of each of the characters wasn't interesting, but i just feel like i wouldn't want to read this book again. like the case with two can keep a secret (which i don't remember anything about, then again its been years) i don't think i'd remember anything about the book besides the ending (which will haunt me even though i felt it coming) in a few months.
Spoiler
now that i'm thinking about it, simon's character is going to haunt me for the rest of my life. from the reference to the omniscent narrator at the beginning of the book, to the way he planned on dictating "his story" even from the grave... chilling. god.so if you want fast paced, thrilling, and haunting in a ya sort of way read, i'd recommend. there are a lot a lot of trigger warnings though, so i'd recommend that people keep that in mind if they read. if you tend to stay away from ya thriller/mystery books like i do, maybe still give it a read if you're bored because i feel like it's decently well done, but it wasn't my favorite book personally and it might not be yours either. then again, i think it's just because i think too much and i gravitate towards books that are really deep and get my mind all jumbled on the issues of society. but that's a me problem. pretty good book overall though.
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, and Self harm
Moderate: Mass/school shootings, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Outing, Alcoholism, Cursing, Gun violence, Infidelity, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Addiction, and Alcohol
Minor: Death of parent
adiisbookland91's review
- 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
3.5
Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Grief, Homophobia, Suicide, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Cancer, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Addiction, Bullying, and Abandonment
renyoi's review
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Grief, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Homophobia, Outing, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Car accident, Chronic illness, Cancer, Classism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Infidelity
serendipity421's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Chronic illness, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Cursing
olivia_elise_reads's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Car accident, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Outing, Sexual content, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Bullying, Chronic illness, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Cancer, and Cursing