Scan barcode
bootsmom3's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Dysphoria
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
endlessbummer__'s review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Murder
Minor: Homophobia, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
ergative's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I really, really liked this book. I found it easy to sink into the narrative prose; I found all the awkward uncertainties about how a relationship is progressing very convincing; and I think the ending could have so easily taken an easier way out (fess up; or don't fess up but be ruined by guilt ever after), and instead somehow managed to make things (maybe) come out okay. When I was little, I remember my father (??) explaining that it's easier to write a sad ending than a happy ending, because 'rocks fall, everyone dies' is easier to plan than a solution that fixes the problems you'vve introduced into the narrative. This book is perhaps not quite so binary as sad ending/happy ending, but I kept on expecting things to end badly in a way that felt rather inevitable, and the fact that Waters managed to avoid that in a way that still felt believable was very impressive.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma and Murder