aliciajay's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Rape, Murder, Sexual assault, and Violence
yoyi_beth's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Animal cruelty
shayless's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Child death, Rape, Pedophilia, and Murder
coleslawcowgirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Her answer: A hot woman who is kind of mean to her.
And I'm not going to fault her for that because same.
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Drug use, and Murder
kayyyqgilbs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Death, Sexual violence, Rape, Pedophilia, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Murder
geesammy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Toxic friendship, and Murder
keona_aw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault
Moderate: Murder
plumdustsuns's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I think personally the book would have profited a lot from Evie being upwards of 17. While it would have taken away a bit of the hopeless lamb, but it wouldn’t have been that much. I think it would have lent to Evie and Suzanne’s relationship and Evie’s character in general.
Spoiler
There wasn’t much going on in their relationship besides Evie pining, not until Suzanne let Evie out of the car and visited her at boarding school, was some texture added. It would have made a more engaging story to have Suzanne a bit more fleshed out and receptive rather than this idealized character Evie was projecting everything onto. And the ‘connection’ she kept talking about in terms of her and Suzanne would have been justified and engaging.Aside from that, all the SA on a 14 year old and this promiscuity put upon them in literature makes me really uneasy and angry, honestly. I don’t think teenagers are ever that deliberate of sex in the way it’s presented in books like this. While it is shown that Evie is forced into it, it’s played off for the most part by her being like “oh well,” until the Mitch situation. Even that didn’t have enough anger or was presented in a bad light. I’m always aware in books of what writers project onto their characters and of what age because it is a choice, and not inspired off of true events ( entirely here anyway).
I also found it really redundant that all of this happened over a fucking record deal. I wish it was something else and the bad blood between Russel and Mitch had more weight and tension, especially for the girls. (I read up and see this is what happened in real life but just copy pasting these events without much of a weight or exploration just feels like a waste and triggering for no reason.) I wish it would have subverted the tale by instead having the girls turn on Russel somehow and kill him instead. That would have made a better story line.
I kept reading this book as it had a premise for having the opportunity to explore queerness, girlhood and the patriarchy in depth. However, besides from some insightfully written paragraphs on what it is like to be a girl, it feels rather flat in all the other departments. And it felt rather disappointing to finish this triggering book to get through with all the events just falling flat onto nothing overall and by the end.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Death, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Drug use, Rape, Blood, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
_eleanorgreen8_'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, and Drug use
Moderate: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Child death, Misogyny, Body horror, Gaslighting, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcohol
frog_appreciator's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Drug use, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Child abuse and Murder
Minor: Eating disorder